Bookkeeping

Description

Bookkeepers generally work for small companies and can handle everal companies at the same time. They take care of all current tasks and those related to the presentation of the financial statements.

Thirty percent of bookkeepers are self-employed and 40% work part time. More than 90% of bookkeepers are women.

Duties

• Maintain and control accounting records
• Calculate production costs
• Take inventory
• Prepare invoices
• Control year-end records
• Assist in compiling the budget
• Produce income tax returns
• Draft reports on company finances
• Manage payroll
• Perform bank reconciliations
• Etc.

Bookkeepers work closely with the president of the company and/or the chartered accountant.

Skills

Bookkeepers are detail-oriented and thorough. Their work, which is repetitive and involves accuracy, requires patience. They like administrative tasks and working with numbers. They work independently.

Salary

A bookkeeper earns $14.12 an hour on average.

(Source: Job Futures - Service Canada - 2001 numbers)