Getting online bookkeeping jobs is an excellent way to start a recession-proof career like accounting without all the schooling.
If you’re looking for an exciting career that will allow you to work with numbers and spreadsheets, then bookkeeping is the perfect job for you.
There are always opportunities for advancement and more pay as you continue learning and developing yourself professionally.
This guide will show what you need to know about becoming a bookkeeper and how to earn money online with your bookkeeping business!
We’ll cover topics such as deciding if being a bookkeeper is right for you, how to get educated from free workshops, finding employment opportunities, and even handling business finances.
We highly recommend signing up for Bookeeper Launch’s FREE workshop to jumpstart your bookkeeping business today!
How to Start a Profitable Bookkeeping Business in 90 Days or Less!
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Bookkeeping Vs. Accounting
It’s important to know the difference between accounting and bookkeeping when looking for job listings because they aren’t the same thing.
We certainly didn’t know that before this article!
Some companies may refer to them interchangeably, but there are some distinct differences between the two that can change which career you pick!
Accounting
Accounting is more of a specialized management-level position that deals with analyzing financial records and preparing reports.
Accounting is a career path that can take years of education and professional experience, but it may be the right fit for someone who enjoys working with numbers in a more analytical way.
Accountants usually have a degree in business administration, finance, or economics and they’re more focused on creating reports from the data that bookkeepers collect.
They discuss their findings with the company’s management team and decide how to best move forward with each report they create.
Bookkeeping
But if you’re looking for an entry-level position to start your career, bookkeeping may be a perfect choice!
Bookkeeping is a bit more focused on day-to-day work crucial to a business’ daily running and tends to be a high-paying, entry-level job in most organizations.
Bookkeepers need strong math skills as they usually work with financial transactions and records, such as invoices and invoice payments, bank deposits and withdrawals, and payroll.
However, unlike accounting jobs which often require a Bachelor’s degree, bookkeeping jobs only require a high school diploma (or equivalent) and sometimes some professional training or experience.
What Is A Virtual Bookkeeper?
A virtual bookkeeper is someone who provides bookkeeping services remotely rather than working in businesses.
Online bookkeeping jobs are ideal for people who want to work jobs from home and are self-motivated, organized, and able to work independently.
Many virtual bookkeepers are freelancers or contract labor workers. They have very little supervision since their duties are clearly laid out in their job description.
You won’t have to commute or deal with the most common office distractions, making it easier to focus on the task at hand.
And one of the best things about becoming a virtual bookkeeper is flexibility. You set your own hours and complete the accounting tasks as you have time before deadlines.
The only office equipment needed is a good laptop and a reliable internet connection.
You can learn everything you need to know to start your own bookkeeping business with this FREE Bookkeeper Launch Workshop.
What Qualities Are Required For Bookkeeping?
Soft Skills
Since they often deal directly with clients, it’s crucial for bookkeepers to have soft skills to communicate effectively and professionally.
You want clients to feel confident in their choice of hiring you, which means building trust through communication.
Soft skills are the personality traits and social abilities that help you interact with others effectively. Some of these come naturally, while others you may have to develop into habits.
For bookkeeping, it’s best to have these abilities:
- Detail-oriented
- Organized
- Capable of prioritizing and multi-tasking when completing client tasks
- Resourceful
- Problem solver
- Good communicator with your client to convey strategies
- Critical thinker
- Attention to detail to maintain client accounts
- Decision making
- Time management
Hard Skills
Bookkeeping also requires candidates to have several essential hard skills.
Hard skills are the more technical abilities that are required for bookkeeping. Most bookkeepers can expect to learn these through on-the-job training, but it’s helpful if you come in with prior experience or education.
Here are some abilities a bookkeeper must be capable of:
- Be good in math
- Be able to use a calculator/adding machine
- Have a working knowledge of bookkeeping programs
- Excellent record-keeping to maintain client accounts accurately
- Understand the importance of numeracy and accuracy
Want to learn these hard skills and become a bookkeeper for free? Check out the free workshop Bookkeeper Launch to get your new career off the ground!
How Much You’ll Make
There are many factors that can affect how much you’ll make as a bookkeeper, including your location, education, certification, and the organization or company you work for.
According to Salary.com, the salary of a bookkeeper in 2021 falls between $39,000 and $50,000 with an average salary of $44,931.
Employment Options
Because bookkeeping is a popular career, there are plenty of work-from-home options, such as direct employment or freelance bookkeeper.
Direct Employment
One of the most popular options is becoming employed directly by a company, many of which will be accounting firms looking for experienced bookkeepers or individuals with degrees.
Accountants, lawyers, non-profits, and even doctors are just a few of the many types of people/companies that employ professional bookkeepers.
To find a job in a traditional office, search job sites such as Monster, Indeed, and LinkedIn. You’ll want to look at the terms for hiring, since some may be by contract rather than full-time work.
Also, look on your town’s local social media page or unemployment office for other direct employment opportunities.
Freelance Bookkeeper
For some bookkeepers, the idea of working for someone else can be unappealing and you may want to work for clients but be your own boss.
If you’re self-motivated and like to work on your own schedule, freelancing is a better option for you.
You can find work from home assignments through job search boards or social media, or you can network with bookkeepers in your area.
How To Become A Bookkeeper
Virtual bookkeepers do not need the same formal education requirements as an accountant. It can be helpful and you can charge more for your work, but a degree isn’t always a job requirement for bookkeeping.
Most virtual bookkeepers gain their experience working in traditional offices; then they start their own business or find a remote job at an established company.
But there are many resources available to help you get started in bookkeeping without working in an office first.
You can find tutorials, webinars, and e-learning courses to help you build the experience you need.
Want to learn how to become a bookkeeper for free? Check out the free lessons from Bookkeeper Launch!
Once you have your basics down, it’s time to find jobs! Social media like LinkedIn and Facebbok can help you network and job sites like Fiverr and FlexJobs will have new jobs listed all the time.
How to Start a Profitable Bookkeeping Business in 90 Days or Less!
15,000+ Students. 10+ Years of Results.
Online Bookkeeping Jobs
You have plenty of options to find online work-from-home bookkeeping jobs and get some clients lined up for your new business.
1. Fiverr
Fiverr is a job board where you can offer your bookkeeping experience to people online. Companies will create job listings every day for contract work!
There are many people looking for full-time and part-time virtual bookkeepers, so it’s likely that you’ll eventually be able to find work here.
2. Bookkeeper.com
Not sure how to start your own bookkeeping business? On Bookkeepers.com, you can find the resources you need to get started.
They have courses to show you how to get your bookkeeping business up and running plus they post jobs that are available now!
One of the best things about Bookkeepers.com is they connect you with other virtual bookkeepers. You can ask questions and share tips with people who have a lot of experience in the field.
3. Upwork
Upwork is a job board that connects freelancers with people who need their services.
Freelance bookkeepers can find work on Upwork by searching the site or by sharing their resumes with potential clients.
You can also make your own profile and wait for companies to find you.
4. Intuit
Intuit is a company that offers financial software and services through its website.
It also has Quickbooks Live Bookkeeping where they offer part-time virtual bookkeeping jobs setting up clients’ books, reconciling credit card and bank accounts, and creating balance sheets.
To be considered for one of the bookkeeping jobs, you will need to have at least one of the following:
- 3 years experience managing a small business’ books
- a Bachelor’s degree in Finance or Accounting
- be a Certified Public Bookkeeper
- be a Certified Public Accountant
With an Intuit job, you’ll be expected to work shifts Monday through Friday for 20 or so hours.
5. BookMinders
BookMinders is an accounting firm that is based in the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Baltimore area.
They offer weekly or monthly bookkeeping services to small businesses and nonprofits and want to hire virtual bookkeepers and accountants with degrees.
If you are looking for a virtual bookkeeping job with BookMinders, you must be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for meetings and occasional in-office training.
6. BIDaWIZ
BIDaWIZ is a higher-end online bookkeeper job board that focuses on bookkeeping and accounting positions and only accepts accountants and tax experts with a CPA or Enrolled Agent Licensure.
Also, to apply, you must have attended and graduated from a U.S. accredited university and have at least 2 years experience of professional accounting or tax experience.
7. Belay Solutions
Belay Solutions is an online bookkeeping and accounting firm that specializes in remote work.
They are always looking for virtual bookkeepers with Quickbooks experience and 5 years of accounting or bookkeeping experience.
To become one of Belay’s virtual bookkeepers, you will first need to pass a background and reference check. You will also need a home office with fast internet, a computer, a webcam, and the latest Quickbooks edition.
8. 1-800Accountant
1-800Accountant hires virtual bookkeepers to help businesses with their accounting needs.
Tasks include preparing quarterly and yearly reports, maintaining accurate accounting ledgers, and any bookkeeping or accounting tasks that are needed to maintain company financials.
To be hired by 1-800Accountant, you must be available for a minimum of 30 hours a week, have at least five years of bookkeeping experience, and know how to use accounting software such as Quickbooks, Xero, and Gusto.
9. FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a job board that specializes in helping you find flexible jobs in freelancing and telecommuting and also bookkeeping.
They have a wide range of online bookkeeping jobs listed from local, national, and international companies.
There is a $15 monthly membership fee, but it’s a great opportunity to network as a virtual bookkeeper and find bookkeeper jobs consistently as a freelancer.
10. AccountingDepartment.com
AccountingDepartment.com is a remote U.S.-based cloud accounting firm that hires virtual full-time virtual bookkeepers.
Online bookkeepers with AccountingDepartment.com have multiple clients that they work for and work as a team member with a controller and accounting technology specialist.
Currently, online bookkeeping positions were only available to U.S. citizens residing in the United States.
11. Backyard Bookkeeper
Backyard Bookkeeper is a cloud-based bookkeeping firm. They are currently only hiring part-time bookkeepers from the state of Utah who can work 10 to 30 hours per week.
You must have at least 1 year of experience as a regular bookkeeper or payroll specialist, be able to pass a background check, and successfully complete an interview, of course.
12. Accountingfly
Accountingfly is an online jobs board similar to FlexJobs or Indeed. The difference is that they specialize in remote and cloud bookkeeping and accounting jobs.
There are many short-term and long-term opportunities here but some of the available positions are for experienced professionals instead of beginners.
Bookkeeping Resources
Now that we’ve started to convince you that a bookkeeping career could be the best next step, you’re probably wondering about professional development.
How do you learn how to become a virtual bookkeeper?
Well, we have some great bookkeeping services and resources that you can use to develop your abilities.
Bookkeeper Launch
Bookkeeper Launch is a FREE bookkeeping workshop that teaches you what you need to become a bookkeeper.
You can also use this site to find work as a freelancer, full-time employee, or part-time worker.
They also offer live mentorships with their instructors so you have opportunities to learn and network all in one spot.
Intuit QuickBooks
Intuit QuickBooks Online is a popular financial software program used by accountants and bookkeepers.
With Quickbooks, you can keep the books of a small business by entering daily transactions, balancing the checking account, as well as keeping track of the accounts receivables and payable accounts.
You can also create and manage invoices, track your inventory levels, and help predict cash flow projections.
Quickbooks also offers a certification program. Become certified in QuickBooks to increase your job opportunities and, ultimately, your salary.
Xero
Xero is another popular online bookkeeping software company that is cloud-based.
Small-business owners use it to manage their general ledgers, bank reconciliations, and tax returns. Xero also integrates with many popular accounting software programs.
Xero offers certification courses to help you become certified in their program so you can increase your salary potential.
Starting Your Virtual Business
Starting your own virtual bookkeeping business can be a great way to earn money while working from home!
You can find many options on the web that give you access to ongoing work, allowing you to grow your career as you see fit.
Professional Development
Online professional development courses are available to help bookkeepers grow their abilities, resulting in greater job satisfaction and higher pay.
Courses will help you learn what you need to know about changing trends in the industry such as cloud-based accounting and they may even lead to more earning opportunities.
You can take online seminars that cover the basics of financial reporting as well as advanced topics like business finances.
Certification programs are another way to gain expert knowledge in your field.
Depending on your career goals, you can become certified in different programs, like QuickBooks, Xero, and more.
Promoting/Marketing Your Services
Promoting and marketing your services as an online bookkeeper can help you land more clients- and earning more clients means more money for you!
Before you begin promoting yourself, determine what makes your business stand out from the crowd. This will help you come up with a plan to market yourself and gain more clients.
It’s important to make sure that your business is branded well so customers know what to expect when they work with you.
You can promote your services through websites like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You may even want to start advertising on Google or other popular search engines.
Networking with other professionals can help you gain more clients because they may know about bookkeeper jobs that they can’t fill.
You can get to know these people through events, conferences, seminars, webinars, and even Twitter chats.
Price Point
The hourly rate for bookkeeping is $17 – $25 per hour, with most people earning round $21 per hour.
Your price point is an important factor as you need to charge what you deserve for your skills and time, but you don’t want to charge too high compared to others with the same skill level.
If you are just starting out as an online bookkeeper and are having a problem deciding how much to charge, try setting up packages with services and blocks of time.
Set up your own pricing plans by using the industry-standard rates for online bookkeeping jobs.
Take the amount per hour that you would like to make and multiply it by the number of hours you think it will take to complete the tasks.
For example, if you would like to make $25 per hour and think that you might only work 10 hours a week:
- $25 (per hour) X 10 (hours) = $250 (total for the week)
- Include what tasks you will include for that amount
Packages are a great option to get long, consistent work with clients, but you should also charge singular services (a la carte!), allowing you to be more flexible with your prices.
Savvy tip: Make sure you round your time estimates up instead of down. This way you are prepared if a task takes longer to complete than what you estimate.
Other Virtual Side Hustles
There are other side hustles that can be done virtually, such as being a virtual assistant or even data entry from home.
We are huge fans of freelance jobs, gig-economy jobs, and bookkeeping is just the tip of the iceberg!
You have many options to work from home, earn $20+ an hour, and achieve the work-life balance you’ve always wanted.
Blogging
Blogging is a popular side hustle that allows you to share your knowledge and ideas with others. You can blog about personal finance (like we do), business tips, or anything else that interests you.
You could start your own blog on any topic and eventually turn it into a full-time income. Even if you only make money through advertising and affiliate links, it’s still possible to earn an extra $200 per month or more.
The opportunities to make money blogging are endless. You can start by sharing information about virtual bookkeeping, and then build your blog into something more as you go along.
Bloggers can make money through ads, sponsorship, and affiliate marketing.
Virtual Assistant (VA)
If making money through virtual bookkeeping is not something that interests you, working as a virtual assistant may be the right side hustle for you.
You can work remotely, offering administrative or personal assistant services to other people.
Some of the remote tasks you may help with include managing calendars, organizing files, researching companies and products, taking notes at meetings, and even providing customer service.
Other side hustles you can do online as a VA include remote transcription services and other typing jobs. Transcriptionists typically work for companies that provide audio or video files of people speaking.
They use the information in these recordings to transcribe what is being said into text which can be used by businesses and other clients who need it.
Not sure if transcription work is right for you? Check out the FREE mini-course from Transcribe Anywhere to find out more about becoming a transcriptionist!
Proofreader
Proofreading is a great way to make money, especially if you are skilled at catching typos and other errors in the text.
It can be done online and you’ll typically find remote opportunities on job boards, forums, and websites. You can also look for work on sites like Upwork or Freelancer by searching for proofreading jobs online.
If this sounds like the type of side hustle you would like to pursue, start applying for jobs that will allow you to work remotely as a proofreader.
Not sure how to become a proofreader? We recommend the FREE workshop from Proofread Anywhere. In just 76 minutes, you can learn how to start your career and get paid $20 an hour!
Freelance Writing
If you enjoy writing, then freelance writing may be the right side hustle for you. Skilled freelance writers can make a large amount of money through freelance writing.
You can write blog posts, articles, or even create copy for businesses.
Ghostwriting is another option for remote writing work. This is when someone hires a writer to put their thoughts and ideas into written form, but credit is given to the person who came up with it.
You can also get paid to write short stories, eBooks, or even novels. You may want to start with the smaller tasks in order to build up your name and portfolio.
If you’re not confident in your writing skills but like the advantages of being a freelance writer, check out the Freelance Write From Home eBook to brush up on your abilities and start a strong writing career.
Final Thoughts
Bookkeeping is an interesting career that can be an excellent side hustle that allows you to make money working from home.
It’s a rewarding and lucrative career where you collect, organize, and use financial records in order to generate reports for clients who need them.
Doing these online accounting and bookkeeping jobs and other side hustles can be a great way to make money while maintaining your current job or pursuing other hobbies.
Increasing your income with a high-income skill like bookkeeping will help you achieve financial freedom much faster.
How to Start a Profitable Bookkeeping Business in 90 Days or Less!
15,000+ Students. 10+ Years of Results.