Any certified Bookkeepers on here?

[DaddyCool]

Didn't want to start this in legal/money matters as I didn't think it would attract enough attention.

I'm a CIMA looking to do a semi career change. Bookkeeping is still in the game but a completely different kettle of fish.

I'm looking for more home based, work on my own initiative work and I've got the backing of a good chartered qualification as back up as not to look like a total hack to prospective clients.

I'm looking at completing the 'certified bookkeepers' qualification on line to top up my training.

anyone a bookkeeper? do you know:

1. what business is like? (demand)
2. length of course?
3. potential pitfalls other than getting no business!?

Just trying to liven things up for you! I know how bored you must be, working in that office near Rugby, would you like to wave out of the window for me?

Thank you for that, that's interesting (although am slightly concerned with "you sound like an ACCA kind of person").

Have you thought about teaching accountancy?

You can go back to nut-kicking now .

yes, I have considered teaching it but never persued that.

when I say you sound like an ACCA person I mean that ICAEW isn't a flexible choice for working mums (IMO) and only seems to suit young day release types who are working as trainees within an accounting firm and earning about 5K a year.

ACCA is little more realistic and the end pay is comparable.

Appreciate your advice .

... and you get AAT exemptions from ACCA where the ICAEW don't offer this (at least, last time I checked they didn't).. that's a big one. Save you a whole year in study and about 4 or 5 exams.

Is ACCA split into modules then? Is there any coursework or is it just exams?

split into modules, no coursework as such as far as I know, just exams.

It's very very similar to CIMA and CIMA you simply study the books in each module, collect up the knowledge and sit the nightmarish exam at the end of the 6 month period.

I did AAT as well. I was then exempt from the foundation stage and went straight into intermediate. the jump is big and hits you hard at first.

I then sat 12 more additional exams. two every six months and the final four all at the same time.

hence how you could do it in 1.5 years. you could sit 4 at a time but that can be pretty hard going. I studied like hell for my finals because I had to sit all four at once. I failed one by 2 marks. I was really naffed off. 2 MARKS!

Hells teeth . That's pretty heavy going and you must have been steaming at failing by 2 marks.

Would you mind if I resurrected this thread when I come to deciding whether to take my studying any further?

Think about teaching - you have a pretty good rapport with the laydees anyway .

Good luck with whatever you decide btw .

do the whole thing. don't be a wimp . the best training company to successfully get you through exams with minimal stress and muchly reduced effort is FTC. I took it through their B'ham branch and they are excellent.

Good Luck

bookkeeper, I don't really know how the system works in this country (I'm a chartered accountant but I qualified abroad and have had to register as a sort of affiliate with the ICAEW in the UK) but I worked and studied at the same time.

I did 3 years articles with a big 4 accountancy firm but did my post graduate diploma in accounting (this was a pre-requisite for us to do before we wrote the board exam) while I did my first year articles. I then wrote my board exam in my second year and spent the last year and a half just basically managing my clients. All the accounting firms were very positive and helpful about me studying and doing articles and I worked with one lady in her mid 30s who had decided to do as you are doing and it worked out brilliantly for her (especially as she was so much more mature than those coming straight out of college - the clients took to her straight away and she was much better at handling her workload!).