Does bookkeeping count as experience for accounting?

Question

I just got a job as a bookkeeper for a small company. I am going to school to get a degree in accounting, i was wondering does this count as experience for accounting. Someone told me that this bookkeeping can get me a good job after i graduate and i can make good money with it. Will this job really help me in landing good job after i get a degree? Any personal experiences?

Answer 1

Yes and no.

If you are talking about general accounting experience, then yes -- this will get you client-side accounting experience. Of course, the value of this experience depends on the type of "book keeping" that you do. Some bookeeping is just cross-referencing invoices, typing in entries into a general ledger and other very basic accounting administration. This can be quite mechanical. Other times, a bookeeper can have larger responsibility - especially in organizations with only a few people in it - to act more like a controller. In these cases, you can have the responsibility and flexibility to take on bigger roles like setting up internal controls, knowing the different FASBs to do correct journal entries, closing out the books and treasury management. As a fresh green hire, you're probably doing the former... but not too worry. This may be a good place to start. Check the size of the company, find out the turnover (you want turnover to be high enough so that you have a chance of moving up, but not too high to demonstrate that people hate the job) and ability to take on new responsibilities. If your job has those characteristics - great. If not, well, at least it's a job for you to gain experience before getting a new one.

If you are talking about experience that counts toward earning your CPA --- then, no. You need AUDIT hours to earn your CPA.
http://www.aicpa.org/Becoming+a+CPA/CPA+Candidates+and+Students/

Answer 2

It depends. Many people use the word bookkeeping losely. In other words, what exactly are you doing? Are you doing journal entries? Then yes, it will help with accounting. Or are you just doing plain office stuff. That will not help. Try to do actual journal entries or financial reporting. Those things will help.

Answer 3

Every business has their own way of doing things. So I often wonder why they want some one to have experience. However volunteer for a non profit. Just a few hours a week may get you a job. Sometimes initiative over powers the whole experience thing.

Answer 4

nope. sorry.