Posted by To handle accounting and business administration jobs, you need to possess bookkeeping skills. Also, becoming a certified bookkeeper is an excellent way to verify that you have experience. You can also become a certified bookkeeper to learn the best practices for effective bookkeeping or o show evidence of the skills and knowledge you possess.
Obtaining a bookkeeping certification is a process that shows employers that you are keen on building financial literacy and organizational skills that will enable you to succeed in the workplace.
What is a bookkeeping certification?
A bookkeeping certification is a professional designation that shows the skill level that you have in bookkeeping subjects related to managing a company’s financial statements and transactions. Colleges and accredited professional societies are eligible to grant people certificates in bookkeeping. You can obtain basic bookkeeping certification to become a certified bookkeeper through a national bookkeeping organization, or you can take additional certifications to show your proficiency in an advanced skill related to bookkeeping.
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If you are not sure as to whether obtaining a bookkeeping certification is right for you, you should consider these:
1. Learn the fundamentals of the industry
Whether you are a total newbie in the field or an expert in accounting, obtaining a certificate will help refresh your knowledge of the fundamentals of bookkeeping. Learning the theories, best practices, and methodology that move quality bookkeeping can help you be more intentional about why and how you complete bookkeeping tasks for your employer. Having a solid knowledge base can help you to be confident in your abilities and to be able to explain the concept of bookkeeping to others.
2. Gaining transferrable skills
Even if you do not have it in mind to be a bookkeeper in the long term, the bookkeeping certification you obtain can grant you transferrable skills, assisting you in handling different roles and industries. Anyone involved with finance, business administration, or overseeing a budget for their team should have the basic bookkeeping skills to manage their other duties.
The skills learned through the bookkeeping certification process can assist you through all the career stages as you use fundamental concepts of finance and document management to make informed decisions to favor you and your team.
Bookkeeping All-in-One For Dummies.
Benefits of becoming a certified bookkeeper
You can improve your professional qualifications and push for success in your career by putting in the work to obtain a bookkeeping certificate. The process is an excellent way to have confidence in your knowledge. The certification itself indicates that employers can trust you to be an asset to their team.
1. Fulfilling more position requirements
Some employers may require a bookkeeping certification to apply for a position. Therefore, becoming certified can help to widen your job prospects. Even if a company does not list a bookkeeping certification on their job posting, recruiters may still use the term “certified bookkeeper” or something similar when searching for applicants to fill a position. By obtaining a certificate, you stand to gain more attention in the initial stage of the application and could appear in more searches when employers are actively recruiting.
2. Building confidence with employers
Having your certification is proof that you fulfill a certain level of skill which can make employers trust you to do well when hired to work in their company. When you list your bookkeeping certification on your resume, you tell potential employers that you are proficient in that topic. Because the organizations that issue bookkeeping certifications are powerhouses with professional authority, employers know that they only grant certificates to highly qualified individuals. You can use your certification to ensure that your employers have confidence in your abilities and trust you to take on significant responsibilities in their company.
3. Leveraging for better terms of employment
Possessing a bookkeeping certification can also help you negotiate for better pay in salary and other benefits. Because companies pay applicants for their time and the experience they possess, having additional qualifications of a bookkeeping certification will increase your value to potential employers. It is true if you are the only candidate out of many applying for a job that requires you to have a bookkeeping certification and possess one. Some applicants may consider getting several certificates that relate to bookkeeping to boost their earning power even more.
4. Keeping your knowledge refreshed
Since maintaining your status as a certified bookkeeper involves recertification and taking professional development courses, getting certified can help you stay current with your bookkeeping knowledge and ensure that you don’t forget relevant information with time. It can help you adhere to the industry’s best practices and maintain consistency in the quality of your work all through the year.
Subject’s bookkeeping certifications cover
Bookkeeping certification covers topics of a wide range like business transaction analysis, payroll management, the processing of financial statements, fraud prevention, federal reporting, and bank reconciliation.
5 steps to earn a bookkeeping certificate for career advancement
Before you make that move to submit that application for your next bookkeeping or accounting job, give yourself the best chance to get employers’ attention by taking the necessary steps to become a certified bookkeeper. You can take the following steps to become a certified bookkeeper.
1. Take bookkeeping courses
Before you become a certified bookkeeper, you need to have a good mastery of the essential skills and knowledge for bookkeeping. Some certificate awarding organizations require that you complete specific courses before taking the certification exam. Go out of your way to look for classes or study materials that have a curriculum that will teach you the fundamentals of bookkeeping and how you can apply them in the work environment. Top courses will teach you how to use bookkeeping software that meets the standards of industries, thereby granting you relevant experience and helping you become familiar with bookkeeping processes in the real world.
2. Gain experience
To become certified as a bookkeeper, you must have some work experience with basic accounting and bookkeeping tasks. The National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (CPB) has a requirement that you need to have work experience of a year or more in bookkeeping or accounting. On the other hand, the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) requires that you have more than two years of experience in bookkeeping or a related field before you are issued a certificate.
You can gain experience by seeking internships or applying for entry-level positions in the admin department that involves the basic concepts of bookkeeping. You can list any of the bookkeeping courses on your resume to show employers that you are well-read in bookkeeping concepts before you get certified officially.
3. Choose an exam
Many institutions grant professional certifications for bookkeeping skills. However, you should consider the one that is right for you.
To choose the option of examinations that is best for you, review the qualifications of each organization for taking the test and see which one best suits the stuff you have. Some organizations allow you to take the test online, while others only carry out physical tests in person. So look for a test method that is best for you. It would help if you also considered the cost of each test.
4. Review the concepts of bookkeeping
Once you schedule a test, take your time to prepare and study. Even if you have confidence in the bookkeeping skills you possess, researching ahead of time can ensure your ability to recall specific information regarding the fundamentals of bookkeeping. Prepare a study guide or use online test preparation to practice the techniques in test-taking and refresh your memory of crucial topics in bookkeeping.
5. Complete the requirements for continuity in education
Many bookkeeping certifications require that you complete regular training to ensure your skills are up to date. Each organization that issues certificates will have its number of continuing education hours you need to complete each year by taking self-paced courses, attending webinars, or completing classes at a community college. It helps to ensure that you learn about new bookkeeping practices and tools as the profession changes over time. Keep track of the hours you have accomplished and confirm to save your documentation from your training courses that you have to submit at the stipulated time.
Bookkeeping All-in-One For Dummies.
Do you need a bookkeeping certificate if you have a degree?
Even if you have obtained a university degree in business administration or accounting, you can still benefit from having a bookkeeping certification; becoming certified shows that you are up to the standardized industry requirements by proving the quality of education you have. Having the certificate on your resume alongside a university degree can make your application more impressive to employers.
It is easier to become a certified bookkeeper if you already have a degree. Your degree in accounting or a related field may serve as your required coursework for some certifications, thereby saving you the time and resources for additional classes.
In conclusion, it is necessary to become a certified bookkeeper to broaden your knowledge and gain hands-on experience that will serve as a buffer when you have to face potential employers. It will help them build trust in you as you are fit to take on the responsibilities handed to you when you get hired to work for the company.
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