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Payroll Specialist Mock Interview

Question 7 of 34 for our Payroll Specialist Mock Interview

Payroll Specialist was updated by on October 28th, 2022. Learn more here.

Question 7 of 34

How do you ensure that payroll is paid correctly and on time?

"I use Excel and take extensive notes while doing my job. I keep my work organized and plan steps in advance. I have worked around special pay items to make sure that employees are paid correctly and on time. Checklists are an effective practice and I have found they work well in measuring an efficient payroll each cycle. I will create checklist items for any unique contract or special payment terms. Then, I double check to make sure the inputs are accurate before each payroll cycle."

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How to Answer: How do you ensure that payroll is paid correctly and on time?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Payroll Specialist job interview.

  • 7. How do you ensure that payroll is paid correctly and on time?

      How to Answer

      The interviewer wants to know that you will handle their volume and the unique needs of their organization. Show that you will give careful thought to their unique payroll set-up and that you will take the time to learn the ins and outs of their process. You can discuss how you will utilize the notes feature in your payroll software to document any special requirements.

      Written by Christine Pasqueretta

      1st Answer Example

      "I use Excel and take extensive notes while doing my job. I keep my work organized and plan steps in advance. I have worked around special pay items to make sure that employees are paid correctly and on time. Checklists are an effective practice and I have found they work well in measuring an efficient payroll each cycle. I will create checklist items for any unique contract or special payment terms. Then, I double check to make sure the inputs are accurate before each payroll cycle."

      Written by Christine Pasqueretta

      2nd Answer Example

      "One of the most effective practices I have found works well in measuring an efficient payroll each cycle is utilizing checklists. Simply put, I will create checklist items for each special contract or unique payment terms to ensure we are double or triple checking the inputs to measure accuracy each cycle."

      Written by Rachelle Enns on March 6th, 2021

      1st Experienced Example

      I have a system of checks and balances and I make sure that system is followed properly for every payroll. This includes a pre-check of the system including any recent changes. I maintain a list of all changes such as raises, bonuses, new employees who started this pay cycle, etc. After I implement any changes, I double check each one, line-by-line to ensure accuracy. I do the same with reviewing timesheets and cross checking the hours from the timesheet system and the final payroll. A final preview is also conducted before payroll is transmitted and total numbers are compared to budget.

      Written by Carrie Nelson on October 28th, 2022

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "Using checklists and taking extensive notes has always been an important part of meeting deadlines for me. I plan to keep notes and plan ahead using the checklists especially for any special payment items and then double-check my work before submitting it."

      Stephanie's Feedback

      This is a solid response. If you have any other internal systems that have worked for you (example: color-coding, a scheduling app, etc), you may also wish to share that.

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