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Do you have an understanding of payroll or accounting? What types of programs have you been exposed to?
"While completing my certificate in General Business Administration, I took an introductory class in accounting principles. I learned about business mathematics and financial accounting. I have some exposure to QuickBooks and Salesforce, and I pick up on new systems very quickly. I see that the responsibilities for this role include the timely processing and sending of invoices and some process support to the Finance Manager. Rest assured, I am completely confident in my ability to learn these tasks and exceed your expectations."
Some administrative roles require experience in payroll and other financial matters. If you are an experienced administrator, you have likely held some form of financial responsibility. These tasks may include preliminary bookkeeping to ensure financial records are accurate and up to date. Perhaps you have experience collecting employee timesheets for payroll, processing invoices, or processing expense claims. Give the interviewer an overview of your exposure to finance-related tasks. Be sure to mention what systems you have used and which departments you have supported.
"I have handled payroll tasks for my company for the last five years. When I first started, my company was on a paper timesheet system, which was very time-consuming. Two years ago, I moved us over to BambooHR, where we could time track, keep PTO records, and also run payroll. Currently, I help to organize and process payroll for 65 employees. I understand the need for accuracy and precision when it comes to payroll. In addition to being familiar with BambooHR, I am also well versed in QuickBooks and can create any Excel spreadsheets you need to track financial data."
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Anonymous Answer
Updated Answer -Although, I don’t have any experience in payroll or accounting. I do have some experience in MS Excel. In the past, I’ve tracked Cross Internationals CSCD dept expenses and currently I track ______ office supplies in Excel. I also use Concur Expenses to create my HR Manager Monthly Expense Report and submit it. I really enjoy using my attention to detail and organization when it comes to allocating her expense report. I would be very interested in knowing more about payroll and accounting in the future and enjoy learning new things.
Marcie's Feedback
It's great that you're open to learning more about payroll and accounting. Don't forget to talk about any experience you have using Concur and Excel as both these programs are accounting-related. Also, you might suggest that your organizational skills and ability to pay attention to detail would be beneficial if you ever start working in these areas so the interviewer can imagine you handling these responsibilities in the future.
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