The IRS collects trillions of dollars from tax-paying people and entities every year. Much of that money flows in from businesses on both an annual and quarterly basis.
While paying taxes is a necessity of life for anyone living and conducting commerce in the USA, the practice of actually getting that filing done, and more broadly, having an understanding of how much money is flowing in and out of your pocket can be a challenge.
Therein lies the reason why many hire a certified bookkeeper to keep things in order.
If you’re considering a career as a bookkeeper, know that there’s certainly demand for your services. Are you cut out for the job though?
To find out, keep reading to discover 5 signs/qualities you’ll want to possess.
1. You Love Numbers
Unsurprisingly, dealing with books means dealing with numbers. Everything from income to expenses, to taxes, and everything in between, will be factors you’ll have to weigh to give clients a picture of how they’re pacing.
Does the thought of working through complex numbers puzzles make you uneasy? If it does, then we recommend steering clear of this career trajectory.
2. Integrity Is Important to You
There have been people who have made names in bookkeeping by championing shady dealings. Many of them have ended up behind bars.
It’s integral that as a certified bookkeeper, you maintain books in a way that does not misrepresent a company’s success to the IRS, shareholders, and your company’s leaders.
Those with integrity will have less of a problem upholding that standard than those that are okay with playing fast and loose with facts.
3. A Curiosity for Industry Niches
It helps bookkeepers immensely to know how the industries they’re working in operate. For example, a bookkeeper for a home and garden business will be applying their skills in a different way than a person who’s tracking books for a film production company, at least in some cases.
By having an interest in industry niches, you can maximize your success in your areas of expertise. You can even charge a premium to people hiring you to work on particular projects.
4. An Appreciation of Details
The devil is in the details when it comes to bookkeeping successfully. As a matter of fact, when we think of the most important qualities of a good bookkeeper, being detail-oriented is close to the top.
One wrongly placed decimal could land your client in court with the IRS. With that in mind, if you’re not big on details, chart a career path elsewhere.
5. Great Customer Relationship Skills
Bookkeepers need to communicate with their clients regularly. After all, they’re the authority on their clients’ financial success, which is a big deal.
With that in mind, to be a successful bookkeeper, you’ll want to feel confident in your customer/client relations skills. Taking a bookkeeping certification course can help you with this, among other things.
Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Certified Bookkeeper?
Becoming a certified bookkeeper isn’t something that everyone will find success doing. But if you’ve checked the boxes we’ve laid out for you and are still confident when it comes to your prospective passion for this profession, we say go for it!
If you need more insight on how to become a certified bookkeeper, the benefits of becoming a certified bookkeeper, and related topics, explore additional content on our blog.