Clerk - Payroll and Timekeeping

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A Short Version of this test is available. Learn More
About the test

The Clerk - Payroll and Timekeeping Pre-Employment Assessment was designed to help you hire staff in this role. The test provides a whole-person evaluation by measuring job-relevant cognitive ability, personality, knowledge, skills, and relevant behavioral history. Each component provides important data for hiring decisions. Cognitive ability has been linked to overall job performance in most jobs and correlates with a candidate's ability to learn new skills and to solve complex problems. Personality characteristics determine how well the candidate will fit-in with a corporate culture. Knowledge and skills indicate how much training will be needed before a new employee becomes productive. Finally, relevant behavioral history detects counter-productive behaviors that can impact job performance.

The Clerk - Payroll and Timekeeping test includes an animated work simulation in which candidates meet customers, colleagues and supervisors in a job-related context. Post-test surveys indicate the majority of candidates react favorably to these simulations.

The specific attributes measured include:

Cognitive Ability
  • Attention to Detail
  Knowledge and Skills
  • Data Entry
  • Typing Speed & Accuracy
Personality
  • Adaptability
  • Drive
  • Integrity
  • Resilience
  • Teamwork
  Behavioral History
  • History Survey - Performance
  • History Survey - Tenure

Following completion, the test produces a Candidate Selection Report that includes an overall score and detailed scores for each attribute. The overall score weighs each of the factors based on research and analysis from the U.S. Government's Occupational Information Network (O*Net). O*Net represents over a decade of dedicated research evaluating the relative importance of various factors that lead to success in almost 1,000 different job roles.

The Candidate Selection Report also provides expert interview questions that help you probe critical or low-scoring areas, along with a guide for noting your evaluation of the candidate's responses. Consistent use of an interview guide is an important part of gaining better candidate insights and making better hiring decisions.

Language:English (US)
Time to Complete:40 Minutes (Approximately)
O*Net SOC Code:43-3051.00
Simulation Context:Lower-Level Administrative
O*Net Context:Office and Administrative Support
About the job

Clerk - Payroll and Timekeeping

Compile and record employee time and payroll data. May compute employees' time worked, production, and commission. May compute and post wages and deductions, or prepare paychecks.

Top activities and tasks for this job:
  • Verify attendance, hours worked, and pay adjustments, and post information onto designated records.
  • Process and issue employee paychecks and statements of earnings and deductions.
  • Compute wages and deductions, and enter data into computers.
  • Prepare and file payroll tax returns.
  • Process paperwork for new employees and enter employee information into the payroll system.
  • Prepare and balance period-end reports, and reconcile issued payrolls to bank statements.
  • Review time sheets, work charts, wage computation, and other information to detect and reconcile payroll discrepancies.
  • Distribute and collect timecards each pay period.

More information about this Job
Annual US Wages (2023)
Bottom 10%:
$35,960 or less
Bottom 25%:
$43,680 or less
Median:
$52,240 (Average)
Top 25%:
$63,330 or more
Top 10%:
$75,820 or more

Hourly US Wages (2023)
Bottom 10%:
$17.29 or less
Bottom 25%:
$21.00 or less
Median:
$25.11 (Average)
Top 25%:
$30.45 or more
Top 10%:
$36.45 or more

US Employment Statistics
2023:
160,300
2033 (projected):
136,200
Annual U.S. Job Openings:12,800

Top Knowledge Requirements
  • Administrative
  • Mathematics
  • English Language
  • Economics and Accounting
  • Personnel and Human Resources
  • Administration and Management
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Computers and Electronics
Top Skills
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Mathematics
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Complex Problem Solving
Top Abilities
  • Written Comprehension
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Written Expression
  • Near Vision
  • Oral Expression
  • Mathematical Reasoning
  • Information Ordering
  • Number Facility
Education Requirements
High School Diploma:
21%
Some College:
30%
Associate's Degree (2 yr):
17%
Bachelor's Degree:
32%
This graphic shows the percentage of people in this role who have their highest education in each category.
Related Work Experience Requirements
6 Months - 1 Year:
8%
1 - 2 Years:
41%
2 - 4 Years:
50%
This graphic shows the percentage of people in this role whose related work experience before they entered this position falls into each category.

Alternate Titles for this Role: Accounting Assistant, Attendance Clerk, Bonus Clerk, Checkman, Commissions Clerk, Finance Specialist, Flight Crew Scheduler, Flight Crew Time Clerk, Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant), Payroll Administrator (Payroll Admin), Payroll Analyst, Payroll and Benefits Specialist, Payroll Assistant, Payroll Associate, Payroll Bookkeeper, Payroll Clerk, Payroll Coordinator, Payroll Officer, Payroll Processor, Payroll Representative, Payroll Secretary, Payroll Specialist, Payroll Tax Specialist, Payroll Technician, Personnel Assistant, Personnel Clerk, Personnel Scheduler, Personnel Technician, Sign Out Clerk, Time and Attendance Clerk, Time Checker, Time Clerk, Time Recorder, Timekeeper, Wanigan Clerk

Related Jobs based on Skills & Abilities: Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks, First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers, Billing and Posting Clerks, Office Clerks, General, Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs, Administrative Services Managers, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive, File Clerks, Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks, Accountants and Auditors, Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists, Compensation and Benefits Managers, Human Resources Specialists, Budget Analysts, Financial Managers, Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents, Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants, Tax Preparers, Management Analysts
A Short Version of this test is available.   What's the Difference?

Candidates typically need about 45 minutes to complete our full-length job-specific assessments. Our short versions take less than half that time. Like our standard assessments, these tests are based on the U.S. Government Occupational Information Network (O*Net). They do not contain the animated simulation module, however, though they still provide valuable information about all critical performance-related dimensions. Additionally, the short versions optionally include 1-2 virtual video interview questions! Click below for more information:

Clerk - Payroll and Timekeeping (Short)

(Internal Use) pid=6219, CTB Direct Test

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