[mommasmom]

I have done bookkeeping type of work before and am officially taking classes so I can officially be paid as a bookkeeper ! My problem is I want to get work experience how do I do that before I get certified jobs want 2 yrs min experience ? My lowest grade so far has been a 94 . More than half the way through! School is expensive though and being able to work while in school is the only way ima make it!

[cdad]

Check your local temp agencies. They will test you and have placement for you. Check with a local one near you. Maybe start in data entry like accounts payable clerk etc and work your way through the departments.
Many will even hire permanent so you get to test these places out and your not having to commit to them like a reguler job.

[mommasmom]

Good idea I was thinking along the same line just not sure of any temps here that offer bookkeeping positions.

[morgaine300]

There's no entry-level positions in your area? That seems weird. Now, a full-charge bookkeeping job is not going to be entry level, no. But it seems like you should be able to get something like an accounts payable clerk, as already mentioned, or recievables or something like that.

I worked my way into full-charge bookkeeping that way, on two accounting classes. After some experience I then returned to school. But my first jobs were pretty piddly, yes. The first one I was a "jr. accounting clerk," but all I was doing was coding some invoices & terribly boring. Second job was accounts payable. But it gets you in the door and gives you something to put on a resume. And gets you money to get through school. (Fast food will get you money to get through school.)

I also think it's sad that employers always think that piece of paper is what qualifies someone. A lot of people are terrible at bookkeeping and the employers always think it's because they don't have enough school, so they require more school. And when that doesn't work, they require even more school. Usually it's because the people simply don't know how to do the work or they aren't conscientious enough. I once, on two accounting classes, replaced a person with a four-year degree, and I had to fix her work!! Certainly she knew a lot more than I did, but she didn't care about her work, didn't check figures very well, just put out sloppy statements, etc. More school would not have changed her, nor did I need more school to fix her sloppiness.

Sorry, just one of my sore points. :-)

[mommasmom]

Everything I see even temps are asking for min 3-5 yrs experience and a degree. Degree I'm working on. Experience I mention in another post subject experience.

[mommasmom]

I completely agree with your point which is the problem I am having I know I can do the work I have been A straight a student so far and have done the work before but because of the degree thing not being complete I can't seem to get anywhere!

[morgaine300]

I hear that a lot - they want experience, but how can you get experience if no one hires you?

However, I do have to add that doing a true bookkeeping job does not consist only of the types of things you've been doing. A full-charge bookkeeping job is almost like an underling accountant.

What is even weirder, though, is that coming straight out of school is really less worth it than gaining some experience over time. Your experience is a little lacking at this point, but if you did some work covering some other areas as well to add to what you have, then you could work into the full-charge bookkeeping, and know more than you will about real life work than that degree you're getting. (Although you do need some of the basic knowledge you'll pick up from that degree.)

When I went back to school and people asked what I was doing, I said, "Getting more over-qualified." They all wanted education and my experience seemed to mean nothing.

You've got some receivables experience. You need to fill in with some payables and maybe payroll. The journal stuff is a little trickier - that's a combination of school and experience. You almost need to work under someone who's willing to teach you stuff. On my first full-charge job, there was an accountant at our CPA's who was really nice and helped me through a lot of stuff, including much of the payroll stuff I know now (which I never learned in school).

[cdad]

good idea i was thinking along the same line just not sure of any temps here that offer bookkeeping positions.

You need to call around because it may surprise you. Kelly Girl which is thought of for secretarys also has bookkeepers and data entry persons. Account Temps is another. There are so many. Lets your fingers do the walking and find out.

[mommasmom]

Thanks so much for the advice all of you I am determined to make it ! I love bookkeeping and hope to find a career in this I'm not willing to settle for another noend job.