Many people think that a freelance writer is the only freelance career out there. However, there are plenty of other freelance careers you can start. Today, we’re looking at one of the most popular, a freelance accountant. Below, you’ll see all the things you need to know to get started:
Get Certified
Certification is always a good way to draw clients in and make you seem more professional. The main thing you should do is pass the Certified Public Accountants exam to become a CPA.
You can then stick the accreditation on your website and brag about it to everyone. It gives you credibility and allows you to work in various financial areas. People will feel more confident when hiring you, and you’ll also ensure that you can legally work in the financial sector.
Stay Connected
As a freelance accountant, your job is a lot easier when you’re well connected. If you have contacts within different industries, it will come in handy somewhere along the line. For example, having legal contacts is so important for a CPA. There’s every chance one of your clients could be in serious legal trouble due to unpaid taxes or financial disputes. But, if you have contact with lawyers then you’re in a good position to help your clients deal with their situations.
CPA’s can get specialist help from Alexander Law Firm or any other legal advisers that specialize in this area of the law. But, don’t stop there, gain contacts in different sectors that can help you too, such as marketing contacts to help promote your service better, etc.
Pick Your Clients Wisely
It may seem strange to tell a freelancer to pick their clients wisely as you’re probably eager to take whatever you can get. But, for a freelance accountant, you have two main types of client that you can service. You have business/corporate clients or public clients. Public clients refer to anyone that needs their personal finances taken care of and is looking for a personal accountant.
Ideally, you should probably pick one of these types to service. Mainly, this is because it will help you focus on one type of client and stop you from mixing things up. Servicing a corporate client is way different to servicing a public one when you’re dealing with finances.
Find A Professional Meeting Space
As an accountant, it’s likely you might have to conduct a few face-to-face meetings with your clients to discuss things and show them their accounts. It’s important that you do this in a professional setting, as it makes you seem more high-end. Does this mean you can’t work from home?
No! It just means you need a professional meeting space. You can work from home but hire out a meeting room in an office to hold any meetings you might have. It’s professional and much cheaper than renting an office.
Take all of this info into account, and you’ll be ready to start your new career as a freelance accountant. It’s a very profitable career, and you get all the benefits that freelance careers bring with the trade.
This post has been contributed by Ryan Gatt, it may contain affiliate links.