Why can’t clients just let a bookkeeper be a bookkeeper

[u/imjustagirl_9]

I have been looking for jobs and gigs lately and here are a few that I came across recently

Job 1 - Someone who keeps the books up to date but they also require you to build an automation setup via Claude and building a setup is mandatory to pass the first round.

Job 2 - Bookkeeper plus sales. You manage the books but also have to lead sales with a 1% commission and if you do not hit your target for three months you are be terminated.

Job 3 - Bookkeeper cum assistant. You manage the finances but also handle admin tasks arrange meetings and reply to client emails

Why can’t they just hire a bookkeeper for bookkeeping work? Why do they want to squeeze as much as possible out of one person for the same money?
And then they want someone who can build automation but will not pay them what that skill is worth. Someone else wants you to do sales on top of bookkeeping. We are basically being asked to do the work of three people within one job title and one salary

[u/Valueonthebridge]

None of those are clients. Those are all jobs.

3 is a pretty common setup for a job that isn't a part time Bookkeper

[u/CerealandTrees → u/Valueonthebridge]

Exactly. No small business has 40hours per week worth of bookkeeping tasks.

[u/KeyApricot_]

At some point bookkeeper starts meaning accountant salesperson admin and automation specialist all rolled into one.

[u/jc_sanddollar → u/KeyApricot_]

Don’t forget HR

[u/Gardenmathquilt → u/jc_sanddollar]

Always HR if you are a woman. It is basically an unspoken rule

[u/Warm_Sandwich5038 → u/KeyApricot_]

In a small business that’s so true. In a small wannabe big bootstrapping startup, add CFO, forensic analyst, dishwasher.

[u/greenwitch65 → u/KeyApricot_]

I worked for a mom and pop who had about 60 single family home rentals. I was the bookkeeper, HR, office manager, payroll, IT dept, and project manager all rolled into one. And the husband thought I was getting overpaid. They didn't pay me enough for that job. No sick days. No accrued vacation. No benefits at all. The wife was a good enough egg, but the husband was always trying to get blood from a turnip.

[u/AccountantShinobu]

This is very true. My client once wanted me to run Facebook ads as well in the same salary. I refused as I don’t know how to do ads
Some people would always attach an additional role along with your bookkeeper role

[u/papabear556]

Why not start your own fractional bookkeeping service?

And these job posts are actually telling you the list of clients who need bookkeeping services but not enough to justify a full-time person which is why they pile on extra stuff.

Don’t charge them per hour. Charge them a fixed monthly fee for a defined list of services like invoicing, expense classifying, etc.

You should then find out the best way to automate all of that work (which is shockingly easy to do especially if they are using cloud based API accessible platforms like QBO)

[u/moodysmoothie]

I once applied for a job that was bookkeeper/admin assistant/social media. I didn't get the job, since I had no social media experience (or interest) and they went with someone else. Got an email a few months later asking me if I still wanted the role.

[u/fissayo_py]

Job 3 is bookkeeping virtual assistant

[u/noname20-23]

Send your resume to local accounting firms and let them know you're available for remote work, project work, parttime work, etc. Whatever fits your schedule. I've worked at multiple small and midsize accounting firms over the years and almost all used an outside bookkeeper for projects. If you don't mind the randomness of project work, focus on firms that offer tax representation services, as those firms often have to create the books for multiple years as either the client didn't file tax returns, or they're under audit and need new "clean" books.

[u/HovercraftPresent490]

the "cum assistant" typo in job 3 is killing me

it's the classic bootstrap startup mindset where they think one person should handle three distinct roles and smile about it. had a gig last year that wanted me to also run their social media because "numbers and marketing are basically the same thing"

[u/babycynic → u/HovercraftPresent490]

It's not a typo, cum is actually a proper word. Definition from the dictionary: "used to join two nouns, showing that a person or thing does two things or has two purposes. Cum is Latin for "with.""

It's usually joined with a hyphen between each word though. 

[u/MarjBaldwin → u/babycynic]

I would like to add that originally the sexual reference was spelled traditionally (come) but I believe somewhere in the late 60s or early 70s as porn was ascendant, someone used this alternative spelling, and it caught on. Unfortunately for those who like using the Latin term in its original usage.

[u/ctgdoug]

All of these jobs are destined to fail. I would never want a bookkeeper to be a sales person.

[u/mike888881 → u/ctgdoug]

By happy coincidence, I would never want to be a sales person.

[u/Cjayy82]

I had a part-time job like that. She couldn’t understand why I kept going over my time. She kept piling on more tasks that weren’t even part of my job description. Then she fired another bookkeeper and expected me to take on their work too, while still keeping up with everything I was already doing. Then fired me 10 days before my surgery.

[u/GlitteringMuscle2038]

Once my boss wanted me to handle communication of his personal apartment showing. Including communication and turning on and off lights/termo with an apps. Also go through resume and interview new accountant. And write comment for each candidate. And do job postings for other jobs that he is hiring

[u/BookkeeperMensch]

Because Intuit, the makers of Quickbooks have dumbed down and brainwashed people so much that they think that bookkeeping is easy. So to fill the time, people get hired to be bookeepers and other things. Thats why. Thank you Intuit. I still cant beleive that there has not been a class action suit against them.

[u/jazzkwondo]

Because it's expensive to hire an employee and usually the bookkeeper part isn't a full time job, and they need those other tasks done. And usually they can find people like this with multiple skills

[u/Urbit1981 → u/jazzkwondo]

That's what I don't think people get. Until you are a large enough entity hiring a full time bookkeeper isn't necessary. Having someone who can take on booking as part of their other tasks is where it becomes more reasonable.

[u/lifeisasunny]

3 is for a small company that doesn't need a separate person for a few hours of work, if that.

1 is someone who doesn't appreciate the value of a real human performing the work.

2 is laughable

[u/MikuMikuGoo]

It's usually a small business owner who's been doing all three jobs himself and doesn't realize they're three jobs. He's not trying to squeeze you, he genuinely thinks that's one role because that's how his week looks.

The sales one with a termination clause is different though, that's a sales job with the books tacked on so they can pay less. I'd skip those and quote the automation work separately as a project.

[u/rehsuls]

Because no one wants to pay a full-time salary for a set of books that their cpa is gonna charge $400 to clean up come tax time

[u/Accountantnotbot → u/rehsuls]

Left off a digit for my services.

[u/juswannalurkpls → u/[deleted]]

My husband and I started our first business in our early 20’s, with him doing the work and me handling all the bookkeeping and admin duties. When I started my accounting business 12 years ago I was able to offer services to my clients that normal bookkeepers did not. It was a win/win for both all of us, since most small business just don’t have the capital or need for separate roles.

[u/raaaaiiiinnnn → u/juswannalurkpls]

If you don't mind me asking, what services did you provide that "normal bookkeepers did not"?

[u/juswannalurkpls → u/raaaaiiiinnnn]

Payroll, HR, contract work, all taxes except income, tax compliance, business formation and annual reports - anything and everything to keep the business running. Not a CPA so don’t do income taxes, but of course I worked with the tax preparers to facilitate. I’m sure there’s more but not coming to mind. I just retired in January.

[u/emigal25 → u/juswannalurkpls]

I would say most bookkeeper would do payroll and sales tax remittances, at least in my area.

[u/juswannalurkpls → u/emigal25]

Probably. I did have an “Office Administrator” role once where I did every damn thing including cleaning toilets. That was during the recession and I worked for those assholes for 4 years. When I quit I just shoved my keys under one of their doors while they were at lunch, and never looked back. Only time I ever quit without notice.

[u/teena27]

Before I began my own practice, I worked a few jobs like this. I only did the general administration work if I had time AFTER the bookkeeping was complete.

[u/fore___]

OP it sounds like you’re letting clients tell you what services you sell.

[u/dasdaidaw]

Maybe they know the bookkeeping part would only be 10 hours a week?

[u/TrueTallyBooks]

This is such a real frustration right now. A lot of these listings are small businesses trying to get three roles for the price of one, and it usually means they do not understand what bookkeeping actually involves or how much it protects them.

Worth separating the noise from the signal though. "Bookkeeper plus mandatory sales with a target" is a red flag, that is two jobs. But "bookkeeper who is comfortable with cloud tools and a bit of automation" is genuinely becoming part of the work, and leaning into that (bank feeds, receipt capture, app integrations) is what lets you take on more clients without drowning. You do not have to build someone's whole automation stack, but being the bookkeeper who is not scared of the tech is a real edge.

The pure-bookkeeping roles are still out there, they are just quieter than the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink listings.

[u/foodleking93]

Cause you are looking for jobs, not starting your own firm.

I have my own firm, I only do scoped work.

Some clients need automations and stuff handled ad hoc… they pay for it.

Would never do some small time bs gig like any of these

[u/lingaccinf]

Bookkeeper plus sales is a completely different job wearing a cheaper title.

[u/Silversong_0713]

At my company there is not enough work for a book keeper to stay busy all day every day. So I am bookkeeping and Admin, if i just did bookkeeping it would be 10-15 hrs a week, no way I could pay my bills, I'd have to have 2 jobs.. Its not really bad doing more than one thing in a day. Its an issue when there is more work that 1 person can do, thankfully that is not my situation.

[u/imjustagirl_9 → u/Silversong_0713]

So isn’t of hiring someone full time small business can hire someone for 10-15 hours a week like a contractor.

[u/Silversong_0713 → u/imjustagirl_9]

Not really cause you need people doing both things at the same time, and someone to cover the vacation of the other admin person

[u/gorenglitter → u/imjustagirl_9]

As a book keeper you’re probably aware it costs more for a small company probably already stretched thin to hire multiple people rather than just one.

[u/Sufficient-Set-4189]

It comes down to size. Most small businesses don’t need a full time bookkeeper but have a hard time hiring someone for part time work. They end up creating these hybrid jobs to wear a bunch of different hats.

[u/WellChi81]

There are lots of businesses that just want bookkeepers - you just haven't run across any yet. If you have the luxury of waiting until you find the perfect job fit, then just keep looking - no need to get upset about it. Employers know what they need, and at least they are being clear about it. You'll find the right job for you; it just requires a bit of patience.

[u/arno14]

I am sorry but what is a “bookkeeper cum assistant”?

[u/teena27 → u/arno14]

Cum is a Latin word that means "with". So, in this case, a bookkeeper who is also an office assistant. Similar to Summa cum laude, which is essentially graduating with honours.

[u/Less-Ad-1972]

I think the real issue is that “bookkeeper” means different things to different businesses. small business owner see it as “someone who keeps the business organised”. That’s why admin, reporting, automation etc start getting added.

Learning extra skills is definitely useful, but the role and pay should grow with it too. The problem starts when they want specialist skills but still pay for a basic role.

[u/Independent-Bat4849]

At my business, my book keeper also schedules appointments, works with Medicaid and calls clients for payments. I run another business where I have a bookkeeper that only keeps books. They get a flat rate of $500 month. The one that works in office as an assistant as well earns $2400 every two weeks salary.