5 Interview Questions for a Payroll Specialist

Read below for five interview questions you could ask the payroll specialist candidates you’re interviewing for a position at your Riverside company.

  1. While payroll is pretty much the same from company to company, each firm tends to have its own quirks and ways of doing things that are a bit different from every other company. Describe how you would familiarize yourself with our particular system? This question shows you how much initiative a candidate may have and shows you how a candidate solves problems – intuitively, asking questions, diving right in and making mistakes (and then learning from them), and so on.
  2. What type of behaviors work best for a payroll specialist? This question helps you determine a candidate’s innate personality and helps you determine if that personality is a good fit for your company or accounting and/or HR department.
  3. We have different contracts with different entities, each with specific requirements regarding payroll. How will you make sure that everything is paid correctly and on time? This question helps you determine a candidate’s ability to handle stress and also gives you insight into how he or she sets up processes.
  4. When would you want to pay an employee through accounts payable instead of via payroll? The answer to this question provides insight into how well a candidate knows the intricacies of AP and payroll. It also lets you see if a candidate can come up with solutions that are not cut and dried.
  5. Tell me how you keep current on payroll techniques/strategies and rules? The answer to this question will tell you how well the candidate takes it upon himself to ensure that he stays up to date on payroll issues.

If looking for a payroll specialist in Riverside, let Arrow Staffing help you find a great one. We can help you in all aspects of your search, from writing the job ad, to culling through resumes, to performing preliminary interviews, to conducting background checks, and more. We can source, vet and place skilled and reliable candidates for your temporary, temp-to-hire or direct-hire opportunity. Contact us today.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *