We’re seeing an increasing trend in people with families choosing to work on a self-employed basis either as a VA or book-keeper, and we can definitely see the appeal.

Fitting a typical Monday-Friday/9-5 career around family life can be hard work. The inflexibility of many office-based jobs tends to clash with the day to day chores as a parent, which often results in your career being the one part of life that is pushed to the bottom of the list. Working on a self-employed basis offers a solution which means you can fulfil your career desires and have true, quality time with your family.

Self-employed careers offer obvious appeal as you’re free to dictate your own schedule, meaning it is flexible and easy to balance your duties as a parent. It’s out with the old as far as ‘stay at home mums’ adage is concerned and in with the modern working parent.

If we focus on Book-keeping, this is a skill that will always be in demand. Business finance is a fundamental part of the backbone of our economy so this career choice is extremely sustainable and the benefits are many.

Being self-employed offers the advantage that you can choose how much work you’re going take on and when you put your time in. Obviously this kind of working setup is ideal for any busy parent as you can balance your career with the desire to spend quality time with your family.

By running your own business you are able to personally deal with your contacts, decide how you run your business and exactly how things will get done. The actual book-keeping work can be done in different ways, either onsite at clients or from home, so you can choose the style which suits you. Everything about this career is about you and your commitments and your choices.

If you’re new to finance and accountancy and don’t yet have certified bookkeeping skills, it’s something that can be easily remedied. Training for a career in book-keeping couldn’t be easier and there is range of training options out there that can be done in your own time and at your own speed including our range of self-paced online finance training and even full AAT Qualifications. Alternatively, if you want a more well-rounded skillset to help you run your own business, our Business Startup Diploma will give you broad skills in book-keeping, marketing, social media and more. 

Overall, if you’re seeking out a flexible career where you’re in control and call the shots, then a career as a self-employed book-keeper should be seriously considered.