Bookkeepers have a very important job. They help with keeping the records straight for businesses and organizations, and it is a job that will likely always be in demand. So here are the steps you can take to become certified in bookkeeping.
1. Get your High School Diploma
This is the minimum requirement for education that you will need for becoming a bookkeeper. While you’re going to high school, you want to take courses that are related to computers, English, accounting, and math. This is going to lay the groundwork necessary to get your next level training, or to get employment.
Think about getting your associate’s degree or a certificate. There are programs for bookkeeping at both of the levels. You can get certification through the AIPB. These types of programs will teach you the way to value inventory, record costs, analyze the financial statements, calculate depreciation and work with the software programs. The courses are going to cover topics in things like bookkeeping, QuickBooks, business, math, payroll administration, and Microsoft Excel.
2. Get Training on the Job
After you’ve been hired, a lot of employers will offer you a job training that’s quite extensive as a new bookkeeper. A lot of new employees are paired up with one of the experienced bookkeepers and they’ll observe the work policies as well as learn the ways to perform the operations that are necessary in bookkeeping. Every employer is going to have various methods or policies for doing work, so you want to learn the way that the work is done in that specific workplace.
3. Get the Designation of Certified Bookkeeper
In order to get your Certified Bookkeeper designation from the AIPB, you’ll need two years’ experience with bookkeeping. You’re going to need to follow the ethical code that the organization has set in place and pass a test to get your certification. There are four parts to the exam. You can find preparation courses online and at the different colleges to help with preparing.
4. Continue to Train and Get Education for Advancing Your Career
Continue with vocational and educational training in accounting, business administration, or bookkeeping. This will offer you the chance to become an auditor or accountant. Becoming a specialist in a growing industry like insurance, health care, financial or hospitality services will also give you more career opportunities.
If you are looking for a career that will help you to advance, bookkeeping is a great choice. Although there are many bookkeeping programs that can be purchased, many companies would rather have someone like yourself doing it. So you will have a job that is always in demand.
