Pursuing
a
Career
in
Bookkeeping
(continued
from
Home
page)
by
Bill
Kelter
What
does
a
bookkeeper
do
exactly
though?
Bookkeepers
are
charged
with
all
facets
of
financial
activity
within
a
business,
including
transaction
management,
recordkeeping,
bank
activity,
money
collected
from
accounts
receivable
and
disbursed
for
accounts
payable,
petty
cash
and
more.
Depending
upon
the
organization
they
work
for,
the
scope
of
their
job
may
include
invoice
preparation,
payroll,
purchasing,
and
collections.
That’s
just
the
day-to-day.
They
have
to
tie
all
this
data
into
monthly/weekly/yearly
reports
and
summaries
for
their
managers,
who
rely
on
this
information
to
see
that
their
business
is
performing
responsibly,
in
accordance
with
the
business
model
and,
most
importantly,
in
the
black.
Working
environments
for
bookkeepers
vary
with
the
company
for
which
they’re
employed,
but
the
job
almost
always
involves
individual
more
than
collaborative
labor.
What
do
you
need
to
do
to
become
a
bookkeeper?
A
love
for
numbers
is
helpful.
If
you
had
a
knack
for
math
in
school,
you’re
well
on
your
way.
A
two-year
Associate
Degree
or
Certificate
in
Finance,
Accounting
or
Business
provides
an
excellent
educational
foundation,
but
many
schools
offer
a
specialized
bookkeeping
certification
program.
There
are
programs
available
at
most
community
colleges
and
an
increasing
number
of
online
programs,
which
are
perfect
for
working
professionals
or
those
without
an
offering
college
nearby.
As
offices
become
increasingly
automated,
computer
savvy
is
essential,
especially
with
a
variety
of
finance
and
accounting
software
programs,
including
Quickbooks,
MYOB,
and
Peachtree.
According
to
the
U.S.
Department
of
Labor,
more
than
2
million
people
were
employed
as
bookkeepers,
and
in
the
similar
positions
of
accounting
and
auditing
clerks
in
2002.
The
field
expects
to
see
modest
job
growth
through
2012.
There
are
a
number
of
part-time
positions
available
in
the
field
as
well,
making
it
a
perfect
occupation
for
homemakers
or
anyone
looking
to
supplement
their
income.
A
full-time
trained
bookkeeper
can
expect
a
median
annual
income
of
around
$29,000.
Bookkeepers
are
essential
to
any
successful
business.
You
can
expect
a
job
as
a
bookkeeper
to
be
consistently
challenging
and
rewarding,
as
you
realize
the
contribution
your
position
is
making
to
the
continued
stability
and
growth
of
your
organization.
Visit
our
Bookkeeping
Programs
page
Copyright © 2002-2006
-
Untangled
Web.
Inc.
-
All
rights
reserved
*All
salary
information
has
been
gathered
from
among
three
sources:
The
“Occupational
Outlook
Handbook,”
a
publication
of
the
U.S.
Department
of
Labor;
Salary.com,
and
PayScale.com.
Individual
student
earnings
may
vary.
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