Whether you are a bookkeeper or looking to become one, bookkeepers have 7 traits that make them outstanding at what they do. Before you start a bookkeeping business or become a bookkeeper, ensure that you have these seven character traits.
A Positive Attitude
To boil it down, a bookkeeper must overcome a lot of challenges as they try to construct and develop their business. As a business owner, it can be lonely when there is no higher authority to turn to when things go south. You, alone, will be responsible for figuring out and resolving any problems. You mustn’t get down with a negative outlook and always address optimism issues.
A Difference Maker
Being a difference-maker means caring about your job. Make sure that you are satisfying your clients and do everything favorable for them. It won’t help you to be a bookkeeper who does data entry. Make a difference by being someone who breaks everything down to look for the possibility of saving money within your client’s business. If you can do this, you will be considered extremely valuable.
Hard Working
As with any job, this trait is essential. Whether it is bookkeeping or not, starting your own business requires tons and tons of hard work and patience. While having your own business has a lot of benefits, you should be ready to put in your hard work to kick it off effectively. You can never become a great bookkeeper if your bookkeeping skills are not up to the mark, and you are not working hard to make sure that all of your clients are happy and satisfied with you as their bookkeeper.
Organized
Any job probably requires you to be somewhat organized. However, when it comes to bookkeeping, it is essential for a variety of reasons. To begin, being a slob automatically means you are not going to be generous with bookkeeping. Being organized is key to being more efficient and ensuring things run smoothly.
Another reason why being organized is essential when it comes to bookkeeping is that, in many instances, you will be required to do “house cleaning” after signing on with new clients. This requires you to be capable of organizing and cleaning out the issues in their finances before you even start with the actual bookkeeping.
Able to Work Effectively on Multiple Projects
Not to be confused with the ability to multi-task, working on multiple projects at one time means having the ability to determine the projects you are required to do first and the priority order you will be completing your tasks. You will continually have more than one client, and they all will require your undivided attention. Moreover, each of your clients’ businesses will be at different stages and will require you to work on different levels as their bookkeeper.
Detail Oriented
The importance of this trait in a bookkeeper is understandable. Ultimately, you are supposed to deal with the finances of your clients. Apart from that, if you are also capable of finding or suggesting ways your clients can improve their profits, there is a huge possibility that you will retain those clients for an extended amount of time.
Personable
Relationships are an essential part of the bookkeeping business. This is a significant reason why clients choose you. If the people you work for cannot connect with you, they will find it difficult to develop trust with you. Being personable is one of the essential character traits of any great bookkeeper.
As a bookkeeper, you are not just supposed to crunch numbers. You are required to crunch numbers while caring what those numbers mean and communicating with your clients as human beings, not only as individuals who do the bookkeeping for their business.
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