Pros
I really enjoy working for Bookminders. Love the flexibility of working from home, doing all aspects of accounting (with exception of Tax Returns which is not apart of Bookminders service) for a variety of clients (non-profit and various for profit). If you can’t find an answer in the Standards and Procedures (S&P) management and senior accountants are there to answer my question. Finally I like being paid by transactions because the faster I work the more clients I pick up, in turn, the more I get paid.
Cons
The pros of Bookminders are also the challenges, especially in the beginning. Working from home is an adjustment for family and self. For family it is difficult for them to understand I can’t drop everything when I’m working. For self, it can be difficult to switch from home mode to work mode vice versa. I love having a variety of clients. Depending on the client, meetings maybe weekly or monthly; therefore, you don’t get caught up in office politics. That said, it can be difficult to juggle a number of clients from various business types. Being paid by transaction is great but that means you are responsible for tracking your time and entering your transactions in Bookminders timing system. Bookminders S&P has everything spelled out which means they are VERY strict on how things are done. In beginning I wondered why so many reports? But quickly found all those reports found mistakes, provide what the client needs and helps me juggle my clients. Although managers and senior accountants are very helpful, they may not get back to you ASAP because they maybe with a client, with another Bookminder or unavailable. You have to remember that working from home is not like being in an office where you can step to the next office to get a quick answer. You will get your answer but may take a couple hours. I’ve been with Bookminder for 2 years. It took a good year to feel comfortable and going through 2 year ends to feel confident. Bookminders is challenging in the beginning but definitely worth the time and effort.