HOW TO BE A FREELANCE ACCOUNTANT
Freelancing can be a great way to be in control of your career, as well as your work-life balance. However, working as a freelancer can be scary because it's up to you to ensure you always have work coming in. You need to choose to offer something that is in demand so that you know you will be able to find clients. Accounting is one thing that businesses and individuals will always need. Many small businesses turn to a freelance accountant rather than having someone in-house. You can make good money as a freelance accountant, but where should you start if it's something you want to do?
Consider If Accounting Is for You
Is accounting the right choice of career for you? It's not for everyone, and it can require a fair amount of training, so it's important that you think about whether it's something you want to do. Before doing any training, consider your personality, your strengths and your interests. If you're good with numbers and you like doing things by the book, being an accountant could be a great choice for you. You need to be willing to put in the time to become an accountant and ensure you have any necessary certifications or licenses.
Get the Education You Need
If you have decided that becoming an accountant is the path that you want to take, you need to ensure you have the right education. Some people decide to start with an accounting online MBA program, which can teach you some of the key competencies and give you a foundation for the CPA and CMA exams. The CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA) are two certifications that will solidify your position as an accountant. The CPA is a license used in all 50 states in the US, allowing you to provide your services to the public.
Build Experience as an Employee
Before starting a freelance career, it's a good idea to get some experience under your belt. You might have the necessary knowledge, but putting it into practice is also important. You can spend at least a little while working for someone else before you decide to start working for yourself. Once you have some experience, you can find that it's easier to start finding clients and to have the right contacts. Try to spend at least a year, if not longer, working as an employee before becoming a freelancer.
Set Up Your Freelance Venture
Setting up as a freelancer can be hard. Having the right skills and experience is a good start, but you also need to be able to secure the clients that you need to survive. Before you do anything, it's important to ensure you've taken care of all of the legal aspects of setting up your business. Once you've done that, you can get started with finding clients. You can often find your first clients through word of mouth, but it can help to have a marketing budget to advertise your services.