While the country bemoans the current economic crisis, those with accounting experience need not be alarmed.  Inflation may rise, the housing market may flounder, and stocks may continue to fall, but accounting professionals can count on one thing: job security.

According to Robert Half International, the largest specialized financial recruitment service, the hiring of accounting professionals is intended to increase in the last quarter of 2008.  Max Messmer, chairman and CEO, says, “Businesses need a strong financial function to see them through all economic cycles.  This has created ongoing demand for accounting and finance staff with specialized abilities and expertise. In particular, firms seek staff and senior accountants, financial analysts, and internal auditors.”

The article goes on to state that most hiring will occur in the small business sector-those organizations with just 20 to 49 employees.  Thus, candidates with expertise in small-business accounting would fare best in the current job market.

Expertise in Small Business Accounting

Most universities and training programs prepare graduates for work in Fortune 500 companies.  This means that the majority of accountants are unfamiliar with the day-to-day accounting tasks required by small businesses.   This is an unfortunate situation considering that 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years, and much of that failure is attributed to poor financial management.  These businesses need an expert, a specialist trained to cater to their unique needs.

Over 25 years ago, Alf Bostrom recognized the lack of training available for accountants working with the small business sector; as a result, he established Universal Accounting Center.  UAC’s flagship course, the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program, is designed to prepare accounting professionals for the unique demands of small businesses.  Not only is this course taught by seasoned professionals, but it is based upon years of experience preparing bookkeeping professionals for this valuable niche market.

The course consists of the following four modules:

Module 1-Accounting Made Easy.  You will master the tools, procedures, and underlying principles that make up the bookkeeping processes of all businesses.  You will also understand the core building blocks of accounting and bookkeeping.

Module 2-Practical Small Business Applications.  You will apply your understanding of the core accounting principles to specific industries.  You will learn to set up books from scratch, do payroll like a seasoned pro, and much more.

Module 3-Advancing your “Account-Ability.” You will learn sure ways to set up complete bookkeeping systems and manage the books for a variety of more sophisticated industries.

Module 4-Building a Successful Accounting Service. You will learn the steps to finding paying clients.  Upon completion of this module you will be able to start and grow an accounting practice following a proven program tested and perfected since 1979.

Whether you’re interested in earning a promotion at work or if you would like to start your own bookkeeping service, this course will see that you accomplish your career goals.  And if you pass the final PB exam with a score of 90% or greater, you’ll earn the Professional Bookkeeper designation. Earning professional certification will enable you to best take advantage of these hiring increases.  It will give you both the expertise and confidence necessary to secure your next accounting position.

This is an amazing window of opportunity.  Don’t allow it to close on you!  Take advantage of current market trends and enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program today!

References

“More Accounting Jobs Expected in Q4.” 4 Sept. 2008 SmartPros

Asking for a Promotion, Raise, or Additional Perks

In preparation for this article on career negotiations, last week we discussed the different perks you can request if a salary increase isn’t currently realistic.  This week we will help you prepare for that important meeting where you actually talk with your boss about that promotion, raise, or additional perks.

If you’ve reached the point in your career where you want to negotiate for better compensation, we’re guessing that in evaluating your contribution to your employer you’ve determined that you have indeed earned what you hope to request.  The last thing you should do is wake up one morning and decide to ask for a promotion simply because you’re in the mood for one.  You must first demonstrate that you have earned it.  Then, and only then, can you follow these seven steps:

1. Consider your employer’s needs

Your appeal for a promotion will go over better if you have considered your employer’s needs and how your contribution enables them to better accomplish their objectives.  The more integral you are to their mission, the more valuable you are as an employee, and the more likely you are to receive a promotion.  In communicating how much you’ve contributed to the company and how much more you’d like to contribute, your boss will be much more receptive to your requests.

2. Express yourself

Before that important sit-down meeting with your boss you want your employer to realize how valuable you are.  Take on additional assignments, express your enthusiasm for your position, and take the time to notify your boss when you have achieved anything notable.  This will enable management to recognize your contributions and how much you benefit the collaborative work environment.

3. Pick a good time.

Don’t go to your boss during the busiest time of the year.  Wait for a time when your boss is relaxed and ready to respond to you positively; this applies to the time of year and even the time of day.  It’s also a good idea to ride a wave of success into your boss’s office; it may be best to schedule “the talk” after you’ve made some significant contributions that are a good measure of your success.

4. Know what you want

Before you begin negotiations, share your achievements with your boss, measuring your success with tangible numbers.  When you do begin making requests, be sure you know what you want, and be specific.  How much of a raise are you expecting (be realistic)?  Or were you more interested in being promoted to a different position with more responsibility?  Perhaps, after last week’s article, you’ve decided to request different perks that would enable you to better enjoy your job.  Whatever you’re interested in, be sure to ask for it specifically.

5. Have a backup plan

This article is called “Creative Career Negotiations” for a reason.  When you talk with your boss about enhancing your employment, the discussion is likely to include give and take.  You probably won’t be handed your request on a silver platter.  In the case that you need to back off your request, be sure you come ready with a Plan B.  Try not to walk away empty-handed.  Is there something else you could request in the interim?  Perhaps permission to attend a high-profile conference or receive additional training may be more reasonable requests at this time.

6. Be graceful, whatever the response.

Remember that you shouldn’t end the discussion if your boss doesn’t offer you the promotion.  It is the perfect time to ask for feedback.  What more would you need to do to earn the promotion?  Is there a possibility of enhancing your compensation in the future?  Walking out of the office and slamming the door won’t do you or your boss any good.

7. Know when to leave

There are definitely times when you should stay in a job regardless of whether or not your employer is able and/or willing to enhance the compensation you receive for it.  But there may also come a time when you must evaluate your standing and determine how long you’re willing to work for your current pay and benefits.  There is such a thing as a dead-end job, and if you feel that describes your current position, there may come a time for you to leave and look for something better.

Enhance Your Promote-ability

You can increase your chances for receiving a promotion by enhancing your skills and earning professional certification.  The Professional Bookkeeper Program will teach you small-business accounting and train you to act as your employer’s Profit Expert, enabling you to help the company make informed business decisions that will increase profitability.  Does that sound like a skill that will increase your promote-ability?

When you enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program you learn the following:

• The key components of the accounting process including General Ledgers, Specialty Journals, and Subsidiary Ledgers.
• The various accounts used by specialty industries such as Flooring Payable, Contracts in Transit, and Bank Reserve Accounts.
• The assessment of a company’s financial position.
• The uses and methods of calculating depreciation and allowance for bad debts.
• Various collection techniques for slow-paying accounts that will improve success.
• How to master debits and credits through recording hundreds of daily and monthly transactions.

Once you pass the Professional Bookkeeper exam with a score of 90 percent of above, you will also be able to add the PB designation to your name and resume.  Don’t wait to enhance your chances of promotion.  Enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program today and begin enhancing your promote-ability.

When searching for a job it’s important to have everything you need to succeed, like a toolkit with all those items prepared that will enable you to secure the perfect position. That way, you’re never taken off-guard and required to throw something together for a potential employee. And everything from your resume to your email address communicates a level of professionalism and dedication. So you can’t wait until the opportunity presents itself to get your toolkit together. Now is the time to gather your job search gear.

1. Resume

It’s important that you update your resume periodically. If you wait too long, you will forget significant achievements and responsibilities that will appeal to potential employers. And while you should revise your resume to cater to the position for which you are applying, it helps to have current information to work with.

2. Application-at-the-ready

While filling out a job application isn’t rocket science, it does take a certain amount of time, energy, and recall ability to complete successfully. Depending on the application, this may require you to sort through old documents listing previous addresses, employers and their corresponding contact information, as well as starting and ending salaries. Save yourself some time by making copies of old applications to keep on file. That way completing an application becomes a matter of copying information from one form to another.

3. Cover letter template

Most jobs require you to submit an application package which requires a thoughtful cover letter stating your intentions. While each cover letter you write should be unique to the job for which you are applying, having a standard template will help you compose the letter more quickly.

4. Elevator speech

An elevator speech is like a quick infomercial about you and your abilities that can be delivered in the time it takes an elevator to carry its occupants to their floor. An elevator speech is something you hone and practice so that at opportune moments you can network effectively, explaining what you do and why you do it so well that everyone deserves to hear about it.

5. Portfolio

Most professionals can demonstrate their expertise with samples of their work or specialized certification. All these things should be collected in one place for easy access. Then you have a portfolio prepared should a potential employer ask to see it.

6. Professional email address

While you may think smartdude28@email.com is a great email address, it doesn’t say much for your professionalism. When selecting an email address for the purpose of a job search it’s important the you choose one that will project a positive, professional image.

7. Power suit

When interacting with significant contacts and potential employers it’s important that you dress the part. You should have at least one power outfit to wear for interviews and networking occasions.

Add Universal’s DVD 4-Pack to Your Toolkit

Included in your toolkit should be strategies to increase your skills and expertise. Universal’s DVD 4-Pack is designed to introduce you to all the valuable programs we offer, each and every one of them intended to enhance your accounting career. This power pack includes:

Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program

Learn how becoming a Professional Bookkeeper will improve your accounting skills, enabling you to expand your business and become a full-service financial provider.

Introduction to the Professional Tax Preparer Program

Learn how becoming a Professional Tax Preparer will improve your tax skills and help you earn a professional designation that will evidence your expertise.

Start Today and Have Your Own Bookkeeping Service

Learn how to make over $80,000 per year working from home while getting more clients than you can handle. Know how to charge your client so you can afford to take that next vacation while they get such a great deal they will be telling all their friends about you.

The Art and Science of Getting Clients

Learn how to get more clients by using our proven methods.

Not only will these programs enable you to bolster your resume and enhance your career, but if you’ve ever considered starting your own accounting and tax practice, these DVD’s will help you get started. Order now and complete your job search toolkit!

If It’s Accounting, It’s Universal:

Get to Know More About the Company That Will Change Your Career!

Universal Accounting is a company that is making a difference in the lives of their students! For those who are pursuing or looking into the possibilities of pursuing a career path into the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation services, you need to get to know more about what all Universal offers in their comprehensive training programs.

If you prefer onsite classroom study or looking for the benefits received on independent study, we have developed the programs that you will be able to get the one-on-one experience in your own home. The skills we have used over the course of the last 28 years, with the trial and error, the fine-tuning of accounting methods and strategies, and what we and thousands more have experienced running their own practices - we have provided to you the advantage to stay on top of your profession. Our coursework is designed to be exactly what you will be doing when you are servicing the biggest customer base available, the small business owner.

If you are looking for the knowledge, the skills, and the know-how to start or build your accounting or tax practice, or just looking to gain the essential skills to further your career in your place of business, Universal’s Programs are what you are going to need.

Click here to take the Video Tour of Universal and all that we offer to you, the accounting and tax professional to be the best in your field and to have the success in business and in your professional life that you are seeking.Our exclusive short term courses do just that!

Imagine staying on top of the latest in the industry and having access to the experts who can assist you through training? Imagine what you are learning can be applied the very next day at work? Imagine being able to keep the materials, and the reading for continued referencing as you take that path in Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation? You don’t have to imagine too hard, because that is one of the many things you receive when you enroll in these specialized programs! Click here to get to know Universal Accounting.

Are You Ready For The Next Step?
Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself getting paid what you’re worth! Are you tired of thinking, “Why not me?” You have gotten this far in your search to do what you want to in your chosen career, take the next step. The time is now to be able to get the training and the change you desire in your professional life.

Be the Profit Expert Professional for Small Business! Don’t hesitate another day in getting the Accounting and Marketing Training that makes the difference. Click here to get more information on what you need to know about becoming the Profit Center Expert for small business accounting and tax!

The Next Pay Increase

What You Can Do to Move Your Next Pay Increase That Much Closer

You have been probably wondering how I can be making a little more here and there. Seeing how things are going within your company you have probably already identified that you may need a little more training to get you over that “hump” Universal Accounting is all about getting paid what you worth and here is one of the many solutions we have for you.

Get That Pay Raise with QuickBooks Pro Training
Nearly 80% of small businesses use Intuit’s QuickBooks software. While other programs may be useful, QuickBooks has definitely captured the small business market. As an accountant or bookkeeper you know that over 80% of accounting opportunities are with the small business. Statistics are in your favor; learning QuickBooks is good business.

Universal Accounting Center ’s self-paced QuickBooks program enables you to complete the parts of this software that interest you and skip over the parts that don’t. Even if you have used the program for years, the program teaches you shortcuts and methods you may not have known. You will be impressed by the simple flow and completeness of UAC’s Guide to QuickBooks Pro.

Once you master QuickBooks Pro, you can offer QuickBooks set-up and consultation services for $65-$95 per hour. You’ll find companies who want to do their accounting tasks themselves, but need help in configuring QuickBooks to meet their needs. And once you’ve helped a company set up its initial QuickBooks system, who do you think they’ll turn to for help? You, of course! After all, you’ll have the training and expertise they’ll need whenever they run into a problem. You can compliment your QuickBooks services by offering QuickBooks support. Consider this, Intuit charges $75 an incident and $349-$600 per year for support. That’s too pricey for most small business owners; you could offer QuickBooks support for a more reasonable fee and draw in more clients in need of a little QuickBooks help.

This could be the perfect opportunity for you to expand your business and pay the rental fees for that office space you’ve been wanting. If you order online today, you can get The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to Quickbooks Pro at a $100 discount, for only $385. This includes the full academic version of Quickbooks Pro with UAC’s valuable instruction. For only $285, you can get the instruction with a trial version of Quickbooks Pro. Make a small investment that could change your business: order now.

A Valuable Introduction to UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program

While colleges train accounting majors how to manage the finances for large corporations, over 98% of businesses are small. There is a huge demand for accountants who understand the specific needs of small businesses, because the most common problem plaguing small business owners today is their inability to understand their finances. Not only that, but for years Universal Accounting Center (UAC) has proudly relayed reports that by 2008 accounting jobs would increase by 20%. That great forecast has been extended to 2014! They predict “Employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. As the economy grows, the number of business establishments will increase, requiring more accountants and auditors to set up books, prepare taxes, and provide management advice.” The future is bright for accountants!

If you’re interested in securing a job in accounting, or would like to advance in the accounting field, it’s not as difficult as you might think. You can earn at least 20-30% more without going back to college. It’s no longer necessary to spend 4 to 5 long, agonizing years and thousands upon thousands of dollars of your hard-earned money to increase what you can earn in your accounting career. Universal Accounting can help you do this, like more than 30,000 others just like you!

Ask Yourself an Important Question

Have you ever looked at those in the accounting business who are making more than you and ask yourself, “Why not me?” You’ve even gone as far as to look into what it would take to reach that level and found it could take years of training and tons of practical experience and asked yourself, “How in the world am I going to get that?”

Is it possible to draw from 25+ years of experience and the highest quality practical training in less than 90 days?

In the video you are about to watch below you will understand how Universal Accounting’s Professional Bookkeeper Program is designed. Since 1979 Universal Accounting has specialized in training those like you in small and large business the art of accounting and what you need to know in order to advance your career within the profession. We have put that experience to work for you so that you could get to the level you want to be, in your accounting and bookkeeping career, in the shortest amount of time possible.

The Professional Bookkeeper’s Program contains proven accounting strategies developed and practiced by Universal Accounting and its graduates.

Take a few moments and watch this five-minute clip and see what is involved in changing your life for the better with these new skills. Universal Accounting Center’s President and CEO, Allen Bostrom, will provide a description of the course modules, including the benefits of this video-based program. Click on the play button to start the Introduction.

In watching the video above you discovered how today’s universities train individuals in the complexities of audit, tax, and accounting standards for large corporations. Little is mentioned regarding the day-to-day accounting practices for the small business. In choosing a bookkeeper/accountant, a small to mid-size business owner should seek a professional qualified to support the needs of his/her small business. And when you earn the Professional Bookkeeper designation you will be recognized as an individual with the vital small-business bookkeeping and accounting expertise in a variety of industries.

The Professional Bookkeeper certification uniquely announces to employers and clients that you have proven your ability through training, testing, and experience to confidently provide full bookkeeping and accounting services. The best decision you can make is to invest in yourself with the right training that will get you to your next level, your next promotion, or increase in pay. Can you afford to hesitate to take the easiest step in the whole process of getting to your professional goals and dreams?

A Message from President and CEO, Allen Bostrom

” . . . Continuing education is key to furthering your career, and the fact of the matter is the more skills you are able to bring to the table, the quicker your career will become everything you want it to be.

There’s never been a better time to get yourself on the right track and enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper’s program. The rewards will not only be richly rewarding but will give you greater satisfaction over almost anything else you can do.

When you make the right investment in your career, your employer will pay you and be glad to pay you what you’re worth.”

Best Wishes,
Allen Bostrom

Enroll Today!

Don’t wait another day to make that personal investment and advance your career. Order the Professional Bookkeeper Program today!

An Introduction to What Beginners Will Glean from the Professional Bookkeeper Program

Are you tired of working for what seems like an eternity, without ever getting ahead? Do you dream of making more money and being able to enjoy it? Do you wish you had more free time to spend with your family or pursuing your favorite hobby? The field of accounting could offer you all that and more. The accounting field is growing at a phenomenal pace and the US Department of Labor predicts that “Employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. As the economy grows, the number of business establishments will increase, requiring more accountants and auditors to set up books, prepare taxes, and provide management advice.” In fact, here are just a few occupations you could qualify for with the proper accounting training:

• Accountants Accounts Payable Clerk
• Accounts Receivable Clerk
• Bookkeeper Clerk
• Payroll Clerk
• Accounting Clerk
• General Ledger Bookkeeper
• Office Manager
• Accountant
• Controller
• Full-charge Bookkeeper
• Internal Auditor
• General Ledger Accountant

One of the great things about a career in accounting is that you can begin as a clerk and work your way up to a controller. It’s a great career path, but do you really want to start at the bottom and work up? The Professional Bookkeeper Program teaches you the skills that you need to skip over the entry-level positions and get right to those job opportunities that might take someone with traditional accounting training years.

Why is our course so different that we can make these claims and back them up with hundreds of testimonials? In short, the Professional Bookkeeper Program gives you practical, hands-on training in how to do the accounting and bookkeeping critical to the day-to-day running of a small business. Universities don’t teach small business accounting, so your training with Universal Accounting will better prepare you for rapid growth within the company that you are in or for a new job opportunity than even a college degree can.

How do we know that it works? 25 years of students have gone on to better careers and increased pay through mastery of the skills that we teach in 60 hours. If you want to supercharge your career advancement in the least amount of time, the Professional Bookkeeper program can get you there fastest.

We also give you a very unfair advantage; follow-up support that is second to none. We give you the confidence to take on even difficult accounting and bookkeeping issues through our hands-on training, but with Universal Accounting, you are never left alone. You can call one of our coaches even after completing training with us. A great benefit? Definitely! Unfair? Maybe, but it is an advantage that will give you the confidence to know that you can do this!

Want more of a taste of what the program is all about? We’re glad to give you all the information you want to be able to make the right decision for your career’s advancement and financial opportunities in the near future. Below you will find a video sample of what a beginner can expect from the course work on the instructional DVD’s and the sessions on each of the Modules I - III. And here’s a sample of the Accounting Manual (in PDF format) you can have as you watch the sample class.

Click On The Play Button To Start

Don’t Just Take Our Word For It

Here are what UAC graduates have to say about their experience with the PB Program:

“This course offers a comprehensive review of the accounting process, as well as providing a system to help you help yourself. The instructors not only teach, but offer an unheard of level of support. I would highly recommend the course to anyone.” -Laura Ogden

“After graduating from this course I now feel competent to run my own bookkeeping/accounting business. I want to thank the staff at Universal Accounting for the outstanding course of instruction.” -Gary Hamblin

“I wish I had taken this class five years ago. I’ve been working in the accounting field for over 10 years and didn’t know half of what I learned in one month in this class. I feel completely qualified now to accept a position of great responsibility with a large organization or to be self employed. I’m excited about the potential for money making that this course has given me.”-Kris K. Trout

What’s Next For Me?

As a professional pursuing the best accounting training possible, you don’t want to leave anything to chance when it comes to your financial future and your career path. We work on the philosophy that you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and when you are going into your employer (potential or current) and start the negotiations for your next step up in your career, you want to have the surety that whatever the situation as a “Certified Professional Bookkeeper” you’ll be able to confidently handle it for the company. Enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program today!

Advance Your Account-Ability

Last week we discussed how the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program benefits individuals with intermediate accounting skills. Now is a great time to take advantage of the talent shortage in the accounting industry. Whether you have no accounting experience whatsoever or an extensive background managing financial records, you can benefit from the PB Program which will train you in small business accounting.

So how can those with advanced accounting skills benefit from the Professional Bookkeeper Program? Module III is where you begin to advance your account-ability.

Setting-up Books from Scratch: An Inside Look at the Process from Beginning to End

Continuing your education is key to keeping your skills vital in the workplace. For those who have been in the accounting field for some time, there are items in the accounting process that become forgotten or were perhaps never well-known in the first place like Percentages of Completion, Progress Billings and Cash and Accrual Systems. You will learn profit-making ideas that will be worth their weight in gold (or salary and billable hours) to employers or clients.

Allen Bostrom, President and CEO of Universal Accounting Center, will teach you the complete processes of accounting and bookkeeping, from starting a company’s books to maintaining them. The program is designed to help you practice these processes for yourself in various training activities that will increase your confidence and account-ability. With more than 27 years experience training professionals like yourself, Universal will teach you how to avoid the standard pitfalls that face all accountants and bookkeepers who start and maintain a company’s books.

Universal has the training you need to reach the levels of success you seek. Only in the Professional Bookkeeper program will you find highly concentrated training and experienced mentors to provide you with quality instruction and feedback. The PB Program provides a “lighted path” you can use to be successful in your accounting career.

For Those with Advanced Accounting Experience

Below you can watch a sample of the quality instruction you will experience in the PB Program. This video clip will introduce you to Module III, featuring Allen Bostrom teaching valuable accounting skills. If you don’t understand everything you hear this first time, don’t worry; the beauty of learning via DVD instruction is that you can review concepts and principles that you didn’t quite understand the first time.

Please allow time for the video to load before viewing.

How Does This Benefit You?

92% of all businesses are classified as small businesses. Unfortunately the majority of accounting programs, including university curriculum, focus on training participants in large business accounting. This doesn’t prepare students for the real life, day-to-day accounting tasks they will likely encounter in their careers.

Chances are you work for a small business. If you want to advance your career and earn the promotions you deserve, enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program where we will help you focus on the financial needs of the small business.

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It

The PB Program is designed to give you an experience comparable to thousands of other UAC graduates. Here is what some of them had to say:

“I was very pleased with the training I received at Universal Accounting Center. I had done bookkeeping for six years and was amazed how little I really knew. After graduating from Universal, I have a lot more confidence in my capabilities.” -Diane Murray

“Without your training program I would never have considered this position, I now have the confidence and the skills to be an effective member of the corporate level management group.”-Ralph Coleman

“After taking this course I have gone from “I can do your books” to “This is why your company can’t do without me!” It was exactly what I was looking for. It is money well spent! I now have the marketing confidence to go out and get clients!” -Darlene Bennett

“I was hired in the Director of Finance division at my current job. I was up for VP of finance. With the usefulness and immediate application of this course, I was a “shoe-in” for the position. As the 4 weeks unfolded - I was able to immediately apply the information almost daily. My goal is to build my retirement fund by building my business. I would recommend this class to anyone who wants to enhance their competency in accounting and bookkeeping.”-Jackie M

With the right training, you too can receive the confidence necessary to reach higher levels of success. This training will give you a distinct advantage over other accountants and bookkeepers competing for the same positions and promotions. This training will also eliminate the time and money spent experiencing the standard trial and error experienced by your counterparts.

What’s Next For Me?

Nowhere but at Universal will you be able to find this kind of focus on the correct principles of small business accounting. You will not find this real-world training in any university, college or applied technology setting. Only at the Universal Accounting Center will you gain access to the right information you need to achieve your professional pursuits and career goals.

Invest in your future. Invest in yourself. Enroll today.

And “Settle” Small Business Accounts

A pioneer is described as someone who opens a new area, paving the way for others to follow. We’d like to introduce you to a pioneer accountant you just might be interested in following, Alf Bostrom.

Alf Bostrom
Alf Bostrom was a financial manager who saved many small businesses from economic ruin. Born in 1926, just years before the depression, Alf learned the value of hard work from an early age. At 16 his father died, leaving him to help support his family. Two years later, he joined the Navy and was in the Pacific Theater fighting World War II when Japan signed the peace treaty. His early career was spent in different capacities with various small businesses, learning important principles of business profitability. In the 1960’s, Alf decided to start his own management company.

Of course, starting your own company is a courageous venture, somewhat of a pioneer effort. But his approach was very unconventional. For a percentage of future profits, Alf offered to take over the management of failing businesses. He wouldn’t earn a penny unless the business profited from his efforts. And what business wouldn’t take him up on it? Many were suffering huge losses; some were on the brink of bankruptcy. Alf managed 22 businesses in the course of his career, 8 together at one time. He became known as “The Turn-around King” and learned a thing or two about why small businesses fail and what they can do to succeed.

What is a Pioneer Accountant?
Alf recognized an accounting need that wasn’t being filled. 50% of small businesses fail, and that failure is often attributed to poor financial management. Alf was able to step into those failing businesses and use solid accounting practices to turn them around. He was willing to go into, for the most part, uncharted small business territory and settle some messy accounts. While most were looking for accounting opportunities with larger companies, Alf found great opportunity and satisfaction building his own community by helping small businesses thrive. In fact, many of those turn-around companies are still in business today. Alf was a pioneer accountant.

You can go to a university and be trained in accounting. Unfortunately, you’d only learn about corporate accounting which makes up a small share of the accounting opportunities out there. Where do you find the rest? In small business. Alf continued his pioneer efforts by taking his practical experience and turning it into a small business accounting course. In 1979 he formed Universal Accounting Center to teach CPA’s, accountants, and small business owners the proper method of small business accounting.

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program
The Professional Bookkeeper Program is the fruit of Alf’s pioneering accounting efforts. And this business has been kept in the family. In 1992 , Alf’s sons joined his practice and had helped build it to what it is today, a nationally recognized accounting institution. Universal’s hope is that graduates can take what they learn from the program and effect positive change in small businesses and in their own lives.

Expand Your Business and Effect Change in Your Community
As a tax preparer you possess a natural ability to work numbers; that’s the only prerequisite for the Professional Bookkeeper course. And with just 60 hours of your time, years less than what it would take at any college, you can use the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Designation to expand your services and become a full-service financial provider.

Become a pioneer accountant and use your talents and abilities to help small businesses succeed. Order the 3-module Professional Bookkeeper Program today and save money! You’ll learn small business accounting by “doing” small business accounting; this offer comes with 2 free practice sets! Join a pioneer effort and change your own life in the process!

The Backbone of Accounting

The Money Is In The Details - Practical Small Business Applications

Get a taste of the personal one-on-one instruction from Allen Bostrom himself as he explains in “layman’s” terms the basics of Accounting and Bookkeeping

Enjoy the clip of the training and instruction you’ll receive in the Professional Bookkeeper’s program. Hands-on training is key to being able to retain what is being taught. When you can not only see it being done, but do it yourself as well is one of the best ways to effect learning on the accounting professional. In Module II of the Professional Bookkeeper’s course you will get that crucial training you can depend on to do the day-to-day responsibilities that are a part of your accounting related position.

We have a way for you to be able to get comfortable with the different types of business models that are out there. Each with their separate concerns and items to track and look out for, Universal Accounting has developed Module II around the intricacies of each business type in practice sets. Will all business be exactly alike as they are in our examples? Probably not, but in our differing types, we cover the major areas that are included in companies such as yours or the ones you hope to be doing business with. Get the training you deserve so you can earn what you are worth!

For Those Who Have Been In The Accounting Field Previously

Below you will be able to view a sample of what you can expect in your training course and the quality of the instruction you will receive from the leaders in the industry. This brief rundown of what is in Module II, featuring Allen Bostrom, President of the Universal Accounting Center, details for you the real-time accounting knowledge that fills Module II coursework. Don’t worry understanding everything the first time. The beauty of learning this way, is being able to rewind and view the material as much as you need to.

Create for yourself a learning atmosphere and let all of the Professional Bookkeeper’s valuable instruction to seep in. You can do it!

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How Does This Benefit You?

When you gain the knowledge that Allen gives in the Debit’s and Credits of the Bookkeeping process you can better understand the benchmarks of your company’s or your future customers’ books will contain. When you build from the ground up your Accounting and Bookkeeping knowledge, you gain the surest footing in performing for your employer what he expects from you as his/her accounting professional. Knowing and doing at the same time has been proven to be the best way for individuals to learn intricate details of a process. And in no way is this way of learning is better suited than for Accounting.

“This course far exceeded my expectation and helped fill in gaps in my accounting education. This course has helped me clarify the accounting process and gave me the complete picture whereas the college courses each take a normal area and expand on it.”
—Clark Ceauford

“This class has helped me complete the accounting puzzle so that interpreting what I have been doing for years makes sense.”
—Janet Harris

“I now understand what it is I have been doing for 6 years. I am so excited about being an accountant now and not just a [clerical] bookkeeper. I feel confident and well prepared to have my own accounting business.”
—Nadine Malpas

“I took this course after having earned a bachelor’s degree and then working for a CPA firm for nearly ten years. This was a tremendous course!”
—Bruce Bushman

What’s Next For Me?

We have designed and developed the Professional Bookkeeper’s program around what we in the accounting field are experiencing and coming up against in our daily tasks. We know, from 25+ years of accounting practice experience and interaction with 30,000 + in the accounting field, what issues are faced by you day-in and day-out and what items accountants who have gone before you have had success with. You can benefit from our experience, our detailed training, and hands-on instruction to give you the step up and advantage in your own career pursuits. Get the training you deserve so you can earn what you are worth!

Click Here and find out more about how to get the training that makes the difference through Universal’s Professional Bookkeeper Program.