Basics

• The top priority of a payroll assistant is to make sure employees are paid accurately and on time. Payroll assistants check time cards, determine gross earnings and make sure taxes are accurately deducted. They also have to be prepared to wear many hats, display versatility and accomplish tasks that some might consider mundane but are often crucial to the success of their company. They also need to be well-versed on how to operate office equipment, particularly the computer and phone systems.
  
  

Skills

• Payroll assistants should be good with numbers and possess strong communication skills, as they often have to answer employee and management questions related to paychecks. An understanding of basic filing procedures is also typically a necessity, as are strong typing and note-taking abilities. Payroll assistants should be courteous, professional, organized and capable problem solvers.
  
  

Background

• Many payroll assistants receive their training on the job, depending on the size and scope of the company for which they work. Education isn't always as much of a requirement as a willingness to learn and possessing strong interpersonal skills. In general, companies favor payroll assistants with a high school diploma or the equivalent. Experience working in an office environment also tends to improve a candidate's chances of landing a job.
  
  

Prospects

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), payroll assistants held about 208,000 jobs in 2008. However, employment of payroll assistants was expected to decline about 5 percent from 2008 to 2018, the BLS reported. But despite the projected decline "job openings will arise each year as payroll and timekeeping clerks leave the labor force or transfer to other occupations," the BLS states.
  
  

Earnings

• Salary depends on the payroll assistant's experience and duties, as well as the industry in which he is employed. The BLS reported that workers who worked in fields other than legal, medical or executive earned a median annual salary of nearly $35,000 in May 2008. Also, PayScale.com reported that payroll workers earned anywhere from $33,000 to more than $46,000 in March 2010.