How to hire a bookkeeper - Part II - Education

Education, education, education – One of the first things I look for when qualifying a candidate is their educational background. Accounting principles are not easily learned, I have found that candidates who lack formal education in basic to intermediate accounting have a hard time grasping the complete “picture” that is necessary to be a competent bookkeeper. While this is not a necessity to being a competent bookkeeper, looking for candidates with a formal education will greatly increase your chances of successfully hiring a qualified bookkeeper. This should also not be the sole credential when you are looking for a bookkeeper; it should be based on a variety of other credentials which will be discussed in upcoming blogs such as experience, personality, background check, etc. The following are types of degrees you should be looking for:
 
·         Most 4 year business degrees require at least two accounting classes, financial and managerial accounting and are generally a good indicator that the candidate has a solid understanding of accounting principles.
o       Accounting
o       Finance
o       Business Administration
o       Marketing
o       Any other concentration
·         A 2 year associates degree with concentrations in any of the previously mentioned 4 year degrees.
·         A bookkeeping certification course from an accredited school. NYU 's Professional Bookkeeping Certification for example has a solid program.