Certified Bookkeeper

Out of the many business jobs, a certified bookkeeper job is among the most prominent. Many might be thinking that bookkeeping is a new profession in the industry. However, you need to note that this profession was put into practice around 500 years ago by a man named Luca Pacioli. And since that time onwards, this practice has been adopted by several different types of businesses all over the world. Today, those who are authorized to be in this profession are known as certified bookkeepers. The primary reason for a substantial demand of these professionals is that every company, regardless of its size, is required by law to carry out tasks of bookkeeping.

Job Description

A majority of bookkeeper duties include that of an accountant. A bookkeeper is supposed to evaluate all the financial records of the company he is working in and maintain the same in detail for future references. He can use manual data entry and recording methods, or even a computer to store data. He has to compile all data for creating statistics regarding company sales, profits and losses, expenditures, etc. He may even be handed over the duty of handling and recording employee payroll and supervising the accounts department. The smaller the employment facility, more will be the responsibilities in bookkeeper job description.

How to Become a Certified Bookkeeper

If you have a liking for recording and organizing complicated details in to understandable forms, this career is suitable for you. Becoming a bookkeeper is a good way to get a respectable job and also earn a decent amount of salary. It is a plus point if you have an educational background in subjects like math and economics. You then will have to undertake any vocational course in accounting and finance. This will give you a base to enter in the career as a bookkeeper. You can also choose to take a full-time course in bookkeeping offered by a university.

After completing this course, the next step would be to search for a relevant job that would give you the appropriate experience for being certified. Now, you will have to think about taking the certification exam, which usually requires work experience of two years. This program has four parts and is administered by national institutions of certified bookkeepers. Along with taking the exam, you are also needed to sign a code of conduct as a standard requirement. Obtaining the certification is not mandatory but is a good option for increasing the salary.

Salary

The salary depends greatly on the level of experience and type of employer. Bookkeepers with just one to four years of experience can expect a per annum average pay of $25,500. Those with an aggregate experience of five to nine years can get a yearly median salary of $35,000. The average pay increases to $40,000 per annum if the overall experience is 10 to 19 years. Those with 20 or more years of experience can earn an average pay of around $51,000. In California, it is an average of $46,000, whereas in New York, it is $43,000. Likewise, the median pay varies as per other factors such as city and type of employment.

This is some general information on certified bookkeepers, their salary, job description, and how to become one. Note that the tasks may vary from company to company, according to the size and number of employees.