Having just been laid off from a computer role, i have decided to start learning bookkeeping but as i am completely new to the subject i would be interested to hear what books would be of benefit to me as a complete begginer, before i pay out for the icb course
do you have any background in bookkeeping or accountancy?
As touched on many times on the site, pure bookkeeping roles are difficult to find with a lot of people being in your sort of situation so you need to have something to differentiate your services from the crowd (such as alternate software packages where many bookkeepers only work with Sage (I don't)).
If your intent is to work for yourself then ICB is a good a place as any.
If you do not have previous knowledge I would advise reaching MICB before thinking about offering services to the public as I find that in general people want less expensive accountants rather than just bookkeepers and AICB will not prepare you for that (there are some notable exceptions to that rule on this site).
Good training providers are Training Link, Eagle, Ideal, Woodgrove and Premier.
Don't be suckered by the more expensive ones that make it sound as if you are getting something more.
Bookkeeping is bookkeeping and they are the same exams no matter who you study with.
The industry that you are moving into is every bit as complex than the one that you are coming from, there is constant learning even after passing all of the exams, things change all of the time (the tax system gets reinvented each year) and there is a ridiculous amount of competition out there with a constant stream of new bookkeepers to the point where I think that the only people making any real money are the professional bodies and training companies!
That said, with determination and more than a little luck if you enjoy the subject matter then you will eventually succeed.
Actually, back to the ICB point, if you are looking at working for others or even gaining work from local accountants in a self employed capacity then really you would find AAT a more advantageous option.
kind regards,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
Or as a half way house, you could do the AAT level 2 award in bookkeeping, and if you like it use this as exemptions for the level 2 accountancy qualification, if not you have not studied/paid for materials for a whole course.
Either way good luck!
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Nick
Nick Craggs FMAAT ACA AAT Distance Learning Manager
And your test to know when you are on the right path young one is when you find that joke funny. (ok, your not so young but your younger than me).
lol Vince.... Ooh, that means I'm on the right path... Wonder where it goes and why there are signs ahead saying "There be dragons here".
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
No i have not got any experience, i have just purchased the Dummies and Arthor Coxs book to give me a good grounding, I think i will be looking at the ICB route as i cant see what the AAT will offer me at 48.
Another couple of questions can anyone suggest a book on excel for a early learner as i have not got any experience of this package apart from installing and starting it. Also can anyone suggest a decent tax book to give you a grounding in this
Can you give us your timeline and intent? Do you expect to be setting up in two months? a year? two years?
that you are asking about tax books I worry that maybe you are looking at accountancy rather than bookkeeping. Remember that your PII will only cover you for services and advice that you are deemed competent (either by qualification or experience) to offer.
With no experience you are going to hit a huge learning curve here that at times will make you feel that the human brain wasn't built for this amount of storage.
Before looking at tax read Cox and the AAT books to give you a grounding. Take the ICB exams through to MICB and then think about tax (at which time as an introduction I would advise Taxation by Melville for the Finance Act applicable at that time. If I advised you to buy that now it would be out of date by the time that you opened it).
For introductory Excel have a look at books by Microsoft press picking one that you are comfortable with (everyone learns in different ways and they have texts to cover most learning styles from look and do to more complex approaches) then work your way up to Data Analysis and Business Modelling book which is Excel at the level expected of a finance professional.
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
im looking at about 18 months to start a business, the tax book i wanted was just for a introduction, there seems to be a massive amount of excel books out there and trying to choose one is like finding a needle in a haystack.
i plan to take the ICB route to level 3 which if im right will give me MICB?
Im thinking of Training Link as my preffered distance learning company.
