After deciding to become a certified bookkeeper, you’re more eager than ever to take the first steps into this rewarding career. You’re not sure if you should take some bookkeeping classes or jump straight into certification. Is enrolling in an accredited bookkeeping class worth your time?
For aspiring bookkeepers, taking an accredited bookkeeping class is useful for the following reasons:
This guide to accredited bookkeeping classes will expound further on the above benefits so you can decide whether to enroll in an accredited bookkeeping school today.
Bookkeepers only require a high school diploma or GED to begin applying for jobs, which we discussed in our post on how to become a bookkeeper.
With that basic level of experience though, you might find that you get fewer job offers compared to candidates with a college degree.
Hiring managers looking for a bookkeeper will prefer candidates with an associate degree, which is a two-year degree. Ideally, you should have studied accounting and/or bookkeeping, but experience in business or a related financial field will still put you in a good position.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in accounting or business, then you’re in a better position still to be hired!
If you’re still not totally sold on the thought of pursuing higher education to work as a bookkeeper, this section will hopefully convince you that pursuing your associate degree has its merits.
Here are some benefits your future bookkeeping career can reap by enrolling in an accredited bookkeeping school.
Do you know what the job of a bookkeeper entails?
As a professional bookkeeper, you’ll prepare financial documents by reviewing and analyzing your company’s accounting data. You must keep an ongoing record of these financial documents by filing past documents.
You’ll also maintain the accounting system your company follows, such as QuickBooks.
Many of these skills aren’t ones that bookkeepers possess right out of high school. As an enrollee in a bookkeeping school, your bookkeeping skills will be appropriate for the breadth of responsibilities the job requires.
Your time in academia will help you master additional software that bookkeepers use such as Microsoft Excel.
You’ll become well-versed in bookkeeping areas such as payroll, business analytics, taxation, accounting, and financial statements. The legal and ethical aspects of bookkeeping will be part of your education as well.
Soft skills are just as critical for a bookkeeper as hard skills, which is why you’ll strengthen both. Bookkeeping courses will make you a clearer and more efficient communicator. You’ll build your leadership skills, sharpen your critical thinking, and learn how to present convincing arguments.
Many of the world’s future bookkeepers hone their craft by taking an exam to become certified.
There are many certifying bodies and organizations to select from, but most bookkeepers will certify through the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers or NACPB.
The NACPB offers an array of certifications, including in accounting, bookkeeping, and specialized areas such as taxation. To become certified requires you to score at least 75 percent on 50 test questions according to the NACPB’s website.
You can take a practice exam for any of the certifications you’re interested in, and you can always retake an exam if you fail it. However, both the first exam and any other subsequent attempts are not free. Only the practice exams are.
This is where an accredited bookkeeping school comes in handy, especially a school like Bryan University. As a student in the Associate Degree in Accounting program, you’ll first earn your undergraduate certification in business administration.
Then, Bryan U allows you to pick two NACPB certifications to take an exam in. The available options are the Accounting Certification, Bookkeeping Certification, QuickBooks Certification, and Tax Certification.
You won’t have to pay for your first certification test if you select two areas to get certified in.
Plus, as a Bryan University student, you’d receive extensive test prep to ready you for any of the four NACPB certifying exams available in the program. Between the test prep and the free practice exams the NACPB offers, you’d have a much higher chance of passing the first time around.
As mentioned earlier, hiring managers are likelier to select a job candidate with an associate degree in bookkeeping, accounting, or business.
These candidates are more educated, and through their time in academia, have likely learned more of the hard and soft skills that altogether comprise excellent bookkeepers.
A hiring manager knows that a job candidate who took an accredited bookkeeping class has a higher likelihood of having at least one certification too.
If you’re a Bryan U graduate, you’d have two NACPB certifications as well as an undergraduate certification in business administration, which proves your knowledge in accounting, bookkeeping and Excel.
By selecting an online school such as Bryan U to enroll in accredited bookkeeping classes, you’ll work your way towards your associate degree while certifying through the NACPB at the same time.
Further, you can also enroll in the Business Administration Undergraduate Certificate as you pursue your associate degree. This program is focused on business fundamentals, accounting, marketing, business technology, financial statement analysis, business communications, and Microsoft Office.
You’ll receive exam prep for your Microsoft Excel Associate certification during your time in the program. Upon graduating, you can apply for such jobs as bookkeeper, accountant, payroll clerk, accounts receivable/payable clerk, customer service representative, administrative specialist, or business office administrator.
You’ll have fast-tracked your education so you’re readier to get into the working world and succeed.
As a student of an accredited bookkeeping school, you could always advance your continued education even beyond your associate degree. A Bachelor’s Degree in Business will make you a more skilled and marketable professional.
You can meld your financial knowledge with new business skills through coursework as part of a rich, detailed curriculum.
With a bachelor’s degree on your resume, you might be able to apply to more advanced bookkeeping jobs right out of the gate. With job responsibilities suited to your knowledge and skills (and usually a bigger paycheck too), you’ll feel satisfied with your work.
Aspiring bookkeepers seeking online bookkeeping classes should consider Bryan University.
Our Associate Degree in Accounting program will get you job-ready to perform your best. You’ll be ready to enter industries such as government, business consulting, insurance, retail, service, and non-profit to help these companies stay financially balanced as a bookkeeper.
The costs for all electronic coursework and books are part of your tuition. We always welcome our students to take advantage of our vast network of success coaches, tutors, and peer mentors.
Should you enroll in the Bachelor’s Degree in Business program with credits from another school, we’ll accept those credits so you don’t have to take repeat classes.
We can even transfer an associate degree from other schools in most cases so you can get started with your bachelor’s degree right away!
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