Payroll Specialist Interview Questions
Go Back1. If an employee called in with a payroll complaint, how would you handle it?
2. Do you plan to open up your own accounting or payroll firm?
3. What are your future plans with the company?
4. What have you done to improve your written and verbal communication skills?
5. What are the most important attributes a Payroll Specialist should have?
6. Describe a typical payroll day in your current position.
7. How do you ensure that payroll is paid correctly and on time?
8. How do you remain up-to-date on payroll rules and techniques?
9. We spend considerable time editing our timesheets to ensure no errors are present. How do you approach finding and fixing an error?
10. What information do you require before you approve payroll?
11. How would you familiarize yourself with our payroll system?
12. What is retro pay?
13. What information do you need to properly set up an employee into a payroll system?
14. What is a fiscal year?
15. What is a general ledger?
16. Why are you interested in this Payroll Specialist position?
17. Walk me through your payroll experience.
18. How did you get started in a payroll-related career?
19. What courses did you enjoy most while completing your accounting/payroll education?
20. Have you had responsibility for state and federal tax payments?
21. What experience do you have implementing a new payroll system?
22. How does higher management benefit from payroll reports?
23. Can you describe the use of forms W2, W4, and 941?
24. Describe your familiarity with the administration of 403b and 457 plans.
25. What is the largest payroll run you have been in charge of?
26. Have you performed bookkeeping for small businesses? If so, walk me through your experience.
27. Tell me about the payroll forecasting you have been responsible for.
28. Give me examples of the payroll reports you have prepared.
29. What cost-cutting measure have you been in charge of implementing?
30. Describe to me any payroll process that you have developed or revised.
31. What are your salary expectation?
32. Each of our buildings has a designated payroll timekeeper that reports biweekly. Two reports are late. How would you approach this situation?
33. There are times when we are placed under extreme pressure on the job. Tell about a time when you were under such pressure and how you handled it.
34. Would you ever pay an employee through accounts payable rather than payroll?