Must Have Bookkeeper Skills to Get a Job [entry-level, medium, senior]

Bookkeeper is a position that is relevant in any business. If you plan on becoming a bookkeeper, you should dedicate your time to acquiring the necessary skills. Bookkeepers help companies run smoothly and provide data needed for financial analysis. This article will cover the essential bookkeeper skills and qualifications required to acquire them. 

Besides, you will learn valuable tips on how to craft a winning resume for a bookkeeper position and list your accomplishments and work experience.

What is a Bookkeeper?

Bookkeepers are responsible for recording and maintaining the financial transactions of a business. Usually, bookkeepers need to work with the six stages of an accounting cycle: 

• Transaction
• Journal entry 
• Posting
• Trial balance
• Worksheet
• Adjusting entries. 

An applicant needs solid bookkeeper technical skills to work with the cycle. Accountants engage with the last two steps, financial statements and closing the books. 

If you want to get more interviews and highlight your experiences as a bookkeeper, you need to mention at least several of these skills in your resume, so a potential recruiter may notice you. 

Bookkeeper Technical Skills 

Knowledge of modern software for accounting and relevant math skills are the base of skills for bookkeeper. The reason why you should master the bookkeeper's technical skills is that the future of bookkeeping lies in automation. More and more software solutions appear on the market to make the process more effortless. Therefore, if you want to succeed in the job market, you should acquire both accounting and software skills: 

• Numeracy.
• Record keeping. 
• Knowledge of IFRS and U.S. GAAP. 
• Programs: XERO, Quickbooks, Zoho, Freshbooks, Wave Accounting. 

Bookkeeper Non-Technical Skills 

A potential employee would be more valuable for recruiters if he or she has bookkeeper non technical skills. If you want to get more interviews and land a dream job, you should сlearly communicate that you can engage with different tasks and have variable work experiences. 

Soft skills will help you in that aim. Mention several of them in your resume to make an excellent first impression on a potential employer: 

• Attention to detail. 
• Constant self-improvement. 
• Efficient research skills. 
• Problem-solving. 
• Masterful written and oral communication skills. 

The Most Wanted Skills for a Bookkeeper 

Recruiters and recruiting firms hunt for job seekers who have top bookkeeper skills. Employees with these skills have more chances to land a job and secure an advantageous position. Try to include skills from these categories into your resume to increase your chances of success during the job search: 

• Transparency and integrity
• Tech savviness. Automatisation is a vital part of modern bookkeeping. 
• Deep knowledge of math and accounting. 
• Time management skills. 
• Attention to detail. 

Integrity 

Integrity and transparency may not be a part of bookkeeper skills per se, but they are an essential part of bookkeepers' job ethics. Companies trust their bookkeepers with vital information and wait for the same attitude from a potential employee. 

You should mention integrity as one of your critical values during the job negotiations with a hiring manager. It would be a strong position and a valuable point in your professional image. 

Knowledge of the Modern Accounting Software 

Knowledge of modern accounting programs is a must for a bookkeeper. A tiny amount of documentation is done manually. Most of the company's data is stored in the cloud or on private servers. Therefore, you should know how to operate the required software and do it seamlessly. 

In your resume, programs like Quickbooks, Freshbooks, and Zoho will be a huge plus. However, knowledge of the primary office package may be beneficial too. You should mention knowledge of google docs and excel if you haven't reached more advanced software. 

Accounting Skills 

Modern software may do many tasks, but they do not serve as a substitute for bookkeeper skills. Therefore, you will need to do the heavy lifting in person. Naturally, automatic programs have a bunch of formulas and metrics that will help you keep the numbers in order. 

However, the knowledge of how to use these formulas differs between a good bookkeeper from an excellent one. You should mention your extensive math knowledge as a part of your critical skills to nail your resume and get hired in the end. 

Time Management Skills 

Good time management is a virtue of any specialist, especially a bookkeeper. The ability to meet deadlines and coordinate your actions with other departments is a vital component of one's professionalism. 

In your resume, you should mention good time management skills, flexible work schedules, and the ability to work with different company departments. It will make your hiring process more accessible and more pleasant for your managers.

Attention to Details 

Each employee should be attentive to details. Yet, for a bookkeeper, this professional skill is vital. Even a slight mistake may cost enormous losses for a company. Therefore, you should emphasize that you meticulously fulfill your duties and make close to no errors. 

Mentioning great attention to work details is a practical way to invest in your career and stand out among other candidates in the applicant tracking process. 

How to Improve Bookkeeper Skills? 

Bookkeepers, like any other professional skill, require constant honing. There is no single correct answer to the question "how to improve bookkeeper skills?" You may take online courses, volunteer for accounting duties, or become a bookkeeper of a small-scale business. Any effort you put into your education will result in growth in the career field. 

However, it is crucial to highlight your improvements. A professional resume writing service may help you to tailor your resume for your dream job and appealingly highlight all your strengths. 

Apply for an Online Course 

While most proficiency comes with a university degree, you should consider online courses as an option too. If you decide to take an online course in bookkeeping or accounting, you will learn the basic ropes of working with data and what duties you may have in a job position. 

There are advanced courses as well. If you are looking for the next stage in your career, online courses may provide you with sufficient post-graduate education. Either way, you should also mention your educational accomplishments in your resume and highlight the relevant academic qualifications. 

Follow the Influencers in the Field. 

Another way to learn is to watch the professionals. Consider these blogs and Twitter accounts to follow as a source of additional, practical information: 

• 5-minute bookkeeping. The best bookkeeper blog answers the demands of the modern job market. Learn how to minimize bookkeeping and maximize profit. 
• Insightful accountant. is a perfect blog for any applicant. Learn how to operate modern accounting software. 
• Beginner bookkeeping blog. A practical blog for novices in the field. 
• Bookkeepers.com. Read this blog if you are interested in virtual bookkeeping business creation. 
• Xero blog. A blog that is dedicated to one of the most popular bookkeeping applications. 

Twitter accounts: 

• Accounting Today. Independent news in the world of accounting.
• Accounting Web. A community of professionals to share experience and knowledge. 
• AICPA. Official Twitter account of the American Institute of CPAs. 
• Greg Kyte. A bookkeeper comedian; hilarious insights about the job field. 
• Tax Mama. An award-winning author in the accounting field. 

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Create or Join a Professional Network 

Bookkeepers are not solitary professionals. They deal with confidential information, but many professionals share these abilities. Bookkeeping competence is not scientist skills and does not require prolonged solitude to be improved. 

This statement implies that you should join a professional network, and there is a good reason to do so. By joining a LinkedIn bookkeeping group, you will be able to learn more and fulfill your duties more efficiently in the future. Besides, the network may help you solve any sort of professional-related issue. 

How to Showcase Your Skills 

The best way to highlight your bookkeeper skills is to tie them to particular accomplishments and numbers. A professional resume writing service may help you to achieve this result. There are many platforms in the writing business willing to help you. 

When you showcase your skills, do not just list jobs in which you participated or positions you achieved. Show that a company benefited from you being in the given assignment. 

Skills for Resume [Example]

Before you land an interview for a bookkeeper position, you will need to prove that your resume is worthy of the effort. Whether it is an online job or you did occupy an important place in a company, show that you have achieved something there: 

Skills for the Job Interview 

When you are in an interview with your recruiter, you should emphasize your soft skills. There are more skills needed to be a bookkeeper than masterful calculation and knowledge of modern software. Whether hiring managers employ you or not depends on your communication skills also. 

You should tell them about your working in the team experiences, time management skills, and integrity. Mentioning these points will increase your chances of being hired. Besides, employers prefer approachable and communicative workers who know how to contribute to the team. 

Sample for Bookkeeper Resume Skills Section

A decent skills section in a resume is one of the mandatory bookkeeper requirements to land an interview. The modern applicant tracking process is automated due to the presence of ATS bots. An ATS bot is an applicant tracking system that scans through a resume, looking for keywords, and bolts out resumes that do not meet the criteria. 

Bookkeeper Skills in a Resume Skills Section

You may need several iterations of your resume to show your bookkeeper skills accurately. You may also get professional help from a resume writing service to ease the task. A service will help to enlist your experiences and increase your chances of getting more interviews. 

Relevant skills: 

• 3+ years of experience with Xero, Quickbooks, and Freshbooks. 
• High communication skills, awarded as the best manager of the month several times. 
• Time-management skills; consistently deliver the results before the deadlines. 
• Expert knowledge of IFRS and the U.S. GAAP. 

Bookkeeper Skills in a Resume Work Experience Section 

The work experience section of your resume is another segment where you can show your top skills for bookkeeper. You may also want to include relevant keywords here to increase your chances of career advancement. You may find keywords on career resources or apply for a resume writing service for professional assistance for your resume experience section. 

Example: 

Work Experience 

ABC Company, Bookkeeper, 

June 2019 - Present 

• Prepared and delivered bank deposits, approximately $70000 each. 
• Quarter financial statements preparation, including income statements and balance sheets. 
• Oversaw accounts payable and receivable for 350-unit rental property.

To Sum Up 

Bookkeeping is a profession that combines meticulous attention to detail and extensive knowledge of finance and software alike. The best way to apply for a decent bookkeeper position is to highlight your bookkeeper skills. 

Our resume writing service will help to show your qualifications in the most appealing way, pass ATS bots and stand out among other applications. Don't hesitate to contact our writers to give your career a boost.