How To

How to Become a Payroll Professional

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(1 Ratings)

A payroll professional is a member of a human resources department or accounts payable accounting department. This person's chief responsibility is seeing that employees get paid. You need credentials and particular skills to get this position.

Difficulty: Challenging
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Put any accounting qualifications up front. Show a company your degrees or applicable experience with crunching numbers. Accounting is a huge part of payroll.

  2. Step 2

    Demonstrate knowledge of specific payroll issues like local income tax requirements. Showing a company that you know about one-time job taxes or other details proves that you have the expertise to work payroll.

  3. Step 3

    Demonstrate your commitment to deadlines. One of the biggest jobs of a payroll professional is to get those checks out on time. Prove to companies that you know how to get the checks out properly.

  4. Step 4

    Demonstrate knowledge of new technologies, such as automated or direct deposit. Your HR department will want to know that you can master the art of using voided checks or other information to efficiently open direct deposits for employees and streamline the difficult process of issuing cashable checks. The new direct deposit is a win-win for a company and its employees, but only when it works. Be the facilitator by demonstrating that you can create a functional direct deposit system.

  5. Step 5

    Prove yourself as a people person. Interacting with employees is critical skill for someone in this position. A personable HR payroll staffer is an asset to a company, since you will often be the first person contacted if a check is missing or incomplete.

Comments  

Flag This Comment

on 7/24/2009 Payroll is not a part of Accounts Payable...for internal control purposes they must be two separate and distinct functions. Payroll may fall under the Accounting organization but not as a part of A/P. Achievement of FPC (Fundamental Payroll Certification) and/or CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) designations are the best way to demonstrate to a prospective employer your level of knowledge in the payroll field.

Post a Comment

Post a Comment
  • Have you done this? Click here to let us know.
I Did This

Related Ads

Careers & Work
Kristen Fischer,

Meet Kristen Fischer eHow's Careers & Work Expert.

Get Free Careers & Work Newsletters

Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.   en-US

Demand Media
eHow_eHow Careers and Work