Being good with money is a useful asset to have, and if you've got a talent for keeping track of finances and chasing up debts, you'll make a great sales ledger clerk.
So, what will I actually be doing?
No matter how big the bill, it’s down to the sales ledger clerks to ensure that every penny owed to a company is accounted and invoiced for.
Your main duties will include:
- Setting up new clients
- Producing invoices
- Banking and reconciliation
- Running off turnover statements
- Chasing up outstanding debts (not always the easiest part of the job)
- Sorting out any rebates and filing
- Checking VAT has been included on invoices
- Providing creditors with VAT receipts
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The nitty gritty
Sales ledger clerks generally work regular office hours, Monday to Friday. But there are also plenty of part-time and flexible working options available in this role. You'll spend most of your time at your desk raising invoices and talking to clients, as it's all about good communication thrown in with some maths.
If you want a career that offers room to move, this is ideal for you as there’s plenty of scope for promotion once you’ve got some experience. Sales ledger clerks often graduate to work as a supervisor or manager and from there to credit controller and even financial controller.
Money, money, money
As you start off in your career as a sales ledger clerk you can expect to be earning around £17k to £20k. This will increase to £30k plus once you take on a more supervisory role.
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The good points...
This is a great way to learn the ropes and get some valuable experience in an accounts department. There’s often lots of opportunity for promotion, too.
...and the bad
If you don’t like the thought of dealing with piles of paperwork or if maths gives you a headache, you should steer clear of this career.
Is there study involved?
There are no set entry requirements but employers will expect a minimum of five GCSEs (including maths and English). Strong IT skills are a major plus as is some experience with financial accounting software, such as Sage, Great Plains, Microsoft Dynamics and Excel.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in accounting you could also consider enrolling with the Association of Accounting Technicians to take their Level 1 qualification (roughly equivalent to GCSE grades A-C) which includes training in:
Need additional qualifications? Find a course at our Learning Zone
OK, I'm interested... But is it really the job for me?
It goes without saying that you need to have a good head for numbers to work in this job but it also helps if you have:
- Good communications skills
- Strong organisational skills
- An analytical mind
- A good eye for detail
