How To Become A Bookkeeper in Ireland

Bookkeeping can be a fantastic career choice if you love working with numbers, want to use your organisational skills to help others and are keen to find a flexible and financially rewarding career. 

Bookkeepers are always in high demand as businesses around the world need people to manage their financial transactions. Find out how you can begin your journey to becoming a bookkeeper in Ireland today with our step-by-step guide.

Bookkeepers are hired by organisations to manage, monitor and accurately process their financial statements and data. This includes things like processing invoices, preparing financial reports, and maintaining accurate financial records, which are done via bookkeeping software. 

The key duties of a bookkeeper will vary depending on where they work, their clients and the size of the organisations they work with. Some bookkeepers will work in an office or from home and might take on one client or several on a permanent or freelance basis. Bookkeepers are also often employed by accounting firms to take on bookkeeping tasks.

One of the key benefits of a career as a bookkeeper is the flexibility it allows, so whether you want to work full-time for one large company or part-time for small businesses, you can enjoy a thriving career as a bookkeeper.

Some of the key duties of a bookkeeper include:

Many people favour bookkeeping as a career in finance as it has the potential for high earnings, flexibility, and career progression, and it does not require a degree. 

Although Irish bookkeepers do not need to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field, bookkeepers will need to have some relevant qualifications. There are several online bookkeeping courses that provide the skills, knowledge, and training needed to kick-start your career in bookkeeping. These courses vary from beginner to advanced level, depending on your current knowledge base, and you can earn a recognised bookkeeping qualification upon completion. 

There are several recognised qualifications you can get through online courses, including AAT Level 2 and 3 certificates in bookkeeping and ICB bookkeeping certificates. 

The lower level courses are complete with the fundamentals of bookkeeping, such as using Excel, Microsoft, Sage, Xero and other bookkeeping and accounting software, whilst the higher level courses work from the knowledge that you already have. For this reason, the higher-level courses will usually have some entry requirements.

If you are wondering how to become a bookkeeper from home, then these online certifications are a must. They will provide you with the skills, knowledge and confidence you need whilst demonstrating your bookkeeping abilities to clients and employers. 

These online training courses are flexible and affordable, with payment plans available and accessible online modules to help you learn at your own pace. When you pass the necessary assessments and bookkeeping training, you can then begin finding jobs and begin your bookkeeping career.

Being a bookkeeper requires several skills, as you will need to work with clients and play an important role in their businesses. Some of the key skills you will need include:

There are no concrete work experience requirements to becoming a bookkeeper, but most employers and clients will want to see that you know what you are doing and are good at the job. This often means that employers will set out requirements such as two years experience in the job description. 

However, this will vary, and some employers may be willing to take on bookkeepers who have little to no experience if they have qualifications behind them. If you have no experience or qualifications but you have GCSE or A-Level Maths, then you might be able to become a bookkeeper through an internship or apprenticeship programme. 

Other relevant work experience might include working in the financial sector in a different position, such as working in payroll, administration, or accountancy.

Once you have gained experience in bookkeeping in Ireland, you could then explore further training opportunities in other areas of finance. This opens up several more career opportunities, and you can take on new roles in finance, such as as an accounting technician.

You can also become self-employed and work on a freelance basis or even open up your own bookkeeping business. There is also the potential to teach bookkeeping through in-person or online courses.

Need some inspiration and want to explore some exciting courses in this field? Below is a list of great online courses to choose from that can help you take your next step in your professional development:

• Introduction to Bookkeeping Basics
• Certificate in Bookkeeping
• AAT Qualified Bookkeeper Pathway​
• AAT Accounting Technician Pathway for Bookkeepers
• Bookkeeping to Business Pathway