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Payroll job interview

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Hi
I have a job interview in a few weeks for a Payroll Admin Assistant.
Does anyone do this job and could give me advise? I have done bits of it before when I was in the department previously but there is someone who is kinda doing the job just now and I think she may get it, but I want to try and outshine her!!!
I know all about how to act at interviews etc and that there will be a question about confidentiality, working as a team, prioritising workloads etc - I'll have examples of them thought up!

Thanks

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I do payroll as opart of my job. The though of thinking you should be doding is porcsseing time sheets, payments, adding and removing staff, answering staff questions etc. A knowledge of the current tax rates, student loan repayements etc might come up in the interview.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeh I think thats all it is and other work in the fiance dept (where I've worked twice before!)
    Thanks I'll look up those rates was gonna look up about tax rates and that anyway
    Thanks
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm a HR Administrator which involves payroll input for 300+ staff.

    I'd say your communication skills might be tested - they might ask you to explain something complicated in easy terms.. like when you get a big burly ranting bloke throwing his payslip down on your desk and demanding to know why YOU haven't paid him correctly (it's always your fault! ;)). They might ask how you would talk him down from his strop and explain his payslip to him.

    You might also need to know what certain forms are (P45(1), P45(3) and P46) and also what tax codes actually mean - "609L" doesn't mean much to most people. Also current rates of SMP, SPP and SSP.

    It's worth noting that if you don't know or understand these, HMRC Business Support offer free courses (full or half day) all around the country on lots of different topics. You could find out more about them, and when you get a "explain this" question, you can say you don't know it well enough to attempt it (better to admit that from the start than to make a hash of it!) BUT you are aware of and more than willing to go on these courses to increase your knowledge and understanding :) I can't find any info on it on their website (just had a quick look) - if they don't have the info in your office already, let me know and I'll find the phone number for you from our paperwork.

    Good luck with your interview :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My company has about 200 staff.
    In previous jobs within the company I have dealt with the public - often complaining about their rent or repairs not being done so can' asnwer that question easily and give examples of how I dealt with the problem.
    I'm going to get info off the HMRC website and say that I am willing to do courses etc as I am and that will be one of my questions at the end - always get asked if you have any questions and I can never think of any!!! so that'll do!
    Thanks I'm sure that number is in the dept as when I worked in the dept previously colleagues were away on courses and I thinks ome were relating to tax.
    Thanks for your advice!
    I don't honestly think I'll get it as my health has been really bad the past year and I think this may put a black mark against me and I there is a temp in the dep just now who is doing things in the finance and payrol dept so I think she'll get it - bit of a kick in the teeth for me as shes only there due to me being off sick!! Life is cruel!! Gotta try and think positely though!!

    Thanks for your helpx
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Are you better now, or are the health probs ongoing? Obviously as payroll is a monthly thing (or is it weekly at your place?), repeat regular illnesses are going to get in the way and may mean it slows down your learning - if you think about it, you've only got 12 goes at it in a year. Maybe think of some ways around it if your learning is interupted - like reading up on the theory.

    In our place, it works in cycles like this:-
    Week 1 - Calculations and input
    Week 2 - Manual checks and auditing
    Week 3 - Electronic preview and confirmed processing
    Week 4 - All quiet (peace at last!)

    My bit is only in Week 1 then answering any questions my auditing colleague has in Week 2. In Weeks 3 and 4, I could be learning the theory even though I couldn't actually do anything in practise cos the deadline has passed.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've got post viral fatigue and a stripped immue system due to 13 courses of antibiotics.
    I'm much better than I was still working reduced hours but want to increase and suggested to HR but they weren't for it, even though occ health is.
    Still attending occ health its just gonna take time thats all, but I am way better than I was. Have been really depressed too lost all my mates so trying to think positvely as they know this and they have still given me an interview. I need an admin role as we can work flexi so I'm proposing to working longer when I can and shorter when I have bad days (but they are less and less and mostly at weekends when I stop working-strange but seems to!) And also the longer days are helping too.
    Its a monthly pay system, but I am willing to do what I can to get this job, and if I was to be successful I could possibly share the driving to that office which would help too.
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