Freelancing has become a popular career choice for many people. Due to broadband internet and subscription software, more and more professionals are coming over and settling in this industry – including accountants. If you are versatile, flexible, and looking for new opportunities and challenges, perhaps freelancing is the work for you. 

Nature of Work 

A Freelance Accountant is the same as a regular accountant, except that they are not restricted to serve one company and have more flexible work hours. They are mostly hired by small businesses to supervise, examine, and record all the financial activities of their clients. Freelance Accountants don’t necessarily have to do all their work by pen and paper at the office; there are several accounting software that they can use, so they can do their tasks at the comfort of their own home.

Few of their responsibilities include:

• Recording and saving data in regard to profits, loss, tax, pending bills, tax, sales and other similar transactions in a timely fashion
• Tallying the accounts on a daily, weekly or monthly basis
• Calculating the details of tax returns
• Drafting financial statements to clients
• Make sure that all financial laws practiced by the company are legal
• Taking care of the administrative tasks of your own business

 Opportunities in Store 

Boosting Experience. Many freelance accountants become full-time consultants after 2-3 years in the industry. This is because they have gathered vast and diverse experiences from their services to clients who have different backgrounds and services. With luck, freelance accountants may even shift their careers to a financial planner or chartered accountant.

Huge Salary. Even though it depends on the nature of project and company, freelance accountants generally earn huge amounts of income from their services. According to PayScale.com, a Freelance accountant in the Philippines may earn as much as of Php 161, 697.00 annually (Php 57.61 per hour). 

Becoming a Freelancer

If you’re interested to become a freelance accountant, here are the 3 things that you should know before staring setting-up your career:

• Establish Digital Presence

Start by setting up a blog in your social media accounts, an email account, and other platforms where your clients can contact you. Making your services known is the best step in getting clients. Get a SEO specialist or content creator on board to make your online advertisements more effective. Though, never forget your traditional marketing strategies!

• Connect to Cloud Software

Many businesses look for freelance accountants who use cloud software, so better have one. Smart cloud accounting software allows you work easily with clients by reducing physical meet-ups, allowing automatic data entry and daily bank reconciliation and making payroll a lot easier.

• Create Service Bundles

Instead of offering hourly rates to your clients, offer a service plan - for example, a monthly where you offer a specific set of services. Then, when you get more retainer clients on board, start thinking about how to sell more services to them to increase your revenue.

References:

https://www.accountingweb.com/community/blogs/andrewjenkins/how-to-bag-assignments-as-a-freelance-cpa
http://www.cvtips.com/career-choice/how-to-start-a-career-as-a-freelance-accountant.html
https://www.xero.com/ph/resources/accountant-bookkeeper-guides/cloud-accounting/freelance-accounting-8-tips/
http://careerlancer.net/freelance-accountant/

Contributed by: Allison Julianne Macasaet
She is a freelance writer on the side, a student of international relations on the other. Interests include fantasy books, international relations, and lifestyle.