What is a payroll officer and how to become one

Key steps to become a payroll officer

1. Explore payroll officer education requirements

   Most common payroll officer degrees

   Bachelor's

   58.4 %

   Associate

   20.1 %

   Master's

   7.9 %

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2. Start to develop specific payroll officer skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Payroll System	8.24%
   Calculation	8.03%
   Payroll Data	6.23%
   Direct Deposits	5.99%
   ADP	5.34%

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3. Complete relevant payroll officer training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New payroll officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a payroll officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real payroll officer resumes.

4. Research payroll officer duties and responsibilities

   • Manage employee drug and background screenings, train new hires and verify I9 information.
   • Process w2 amendments and review LODI reports for accuracy to ensure length of approval.
   • Set up and maintain benefit accrual reports (vacation, sick and 401k) in ADP.
   • Maintain and update employee data, enter and audit personnel and payroll documents in ADP system.

5. Prepare your payroll officer resume

   When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your payroll officer resume.

   You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a payroll officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

   Choose From 10+ Customizable Payroll Officer Resume templates

   Build a professional Payroll Officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Payroll Officer resume.
   

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6. Apply for payroll officer jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a payroll officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

   1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
   2. Consult your professional network
   3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
   4. Watch out for job scams