**There are Bookkeepers In Need of Your Expertise!**

We’ve looked before at whether you should use free accounting software — and what the “free” in free accounting software really means. Indeed, we talked about two 100 percent, forever free cloud accounting systems. But the trouble with those “free” systems is that it can be difficult finding bookkeeping help — even from independent contractors and people moonlighting as bookkeepers for extra cash.

Instead, it might be worthwhile getting a free bookkeeper to provide free bookkeeping to your business. We know what you’re thinking: yeah right! Like that’s going to happen, but bear with us.

Junior bookkeepers need experience

Just as hairdressers need experience cutting hair, bookkeepers and BAS agents need experience bookkeeping. If you go to your local TAFE, there’s plenty apprentice hairdressers who’ll cut, colour and blow dry your hair for around $5 to $10 — a massive discount off the salon price of upwards of $150 — because they need practical experience before they’re allowed to get their hands on full-price paying customers. (If you’re willing to let them do whatever they like with your hair, it’s even free.)

Bookkeepers, and even some BAS agents, are like hairdressers: They need experience working with a real business’s accounts before they can start working for full-fee paying clients. However, it should be remembered that as these bookkeepers are juniors, the services they provide will be limited to the most common bookkeeping services, and they may be slower at doing them; certainly initially.

But the rewards of taking on an intern are many, and not just limited to being able to offer the intern the opportunity to stay on and continue to assist you in your business.

We’re testing the market. Are you interested?

At ASBC we’re testing the market to see the demand for free bookkeepers as part of our Career Academy Placement Program for bookkeeping interns.

There may be some responsibilities to the business owner associated with the free service, particularly if the intern is to work onsite at your office (such as the relevant insurances to cover contract and freelance staff, including WorkCover).