Payroll Technician Test

When looking to fill a payroll technician position, it's important to make sure that the candidate has the skills necessary to do the job. A payroll technician skills test can help ensure that the candidate is a good fit for the position.

  • What is a payroll technician skills test?

    A payroll technician skills test helps employers find the best payroll technicians from a pool of interested applicants, by assessing the core skills needed to excel at the role.

    Payroll technicians need to demonstrate an understanding of payroll practices and principles, have good attention to detail, an aptitude for numbers, and a natural ability to problem solve. The test also examines important soft skills for the role such as teamwork and communication.

    The test is structured to use multiple-choice questions to probe candidates' understanding. It's always timed to ensure it remains a challenge for even the most competent of applicants.

Jump to a section on this page:

  1. What is a payroll technician skills test?
  2. What are the benefits of using the payroll technician skills test for pre-screening?
  3. How our test measures payroll technician skills
  4. Payroll Technician Test FAQs

Identify the best candidates and hire faster

Our pre-employment tests let you drill down to the best candidates at the click of a button.

  • Find those candidates who will excel in the role.

    Select the assessments that match the skills or behaviours for the position. You can test for software or coding competency, soft skills like teamwork, or personality traits, to be sure those who pass have high potential.

  • Reduce costs and time.

    No more laborious sifting of resumes or cover letters. Pick your ideal assessment mix, invite your applicants to take them, see the results in your dashboard. Get to the interview stage fast.

  • Eliminate bias.

    All your candidates take the assessments on a level playing field. Only their results determine whether they get shortlisted.

  • What are the benefits of using the payroll technician skills test for pre-screening?

    Pre-screening is becoming increasingly popular with employers looking to save time and money when recruiting. If used at the beginning of the process, the test can save you from having to meet with unqualified candidates and ensures you get to invest your time and energy into the right person or people for your business.

    Pre-screening also reduces unintentional, and even intentional, bias. Basing decisions purely on resumes can mean that those who are perceived to have had the right work experience or gone to a good college can be selected ahead of candidates with better skills. On the other hand, a skills test means you can make informed decisions on hard data.

    In the payroll technician test, you can examine candidates on their understanding of payroll processes such as processing sick pay, understanding tax, offering guidance on maternity policies, and working out holiday allowance.

    You can also get a better understanding of important soft skills such as teamwork, accountability, and communication.

    If you're looking to hire any of these similar roles, you could use the payroll technician skills test as a pre-screening device:

    • Accountancy technician
    • Staff accountant
    • Data entry clerk
    • Payroll administrator
    • HR assistant

More Job Skills Tests

How our test measures payroll technician skills

Test questions are designed to assess industry-specific technical skills, soft skills, aptitude and suitable personality dimensions. Our data-driven approach provides results that enable you to determine how suited is a candidate for the role.

Depending on the type of question, the format of the test may vary. Multiple-choice questions are used to measure aptitude, technical skills and soft skills, while agreement on a Likert scale assesses suitable personality dimensions. Skills tests ensure that candidates are being evaluated in a precise and impartial manner, their results demonstrating the true knowledge and potential of each test taker.

The characteristics required to be a payroll technician were determined by looking at the skills and abilities listed in the US Department of Labor’s O*NET database, which collects data from professionals in various fields.

O*NET is the largest database of its kind, providing detailed information about occupations and the requirements for each role.

Our team of I/O psychologists and psychometrics worked closely with subject-matter experts to create an extensive question bank that can be used to test multiple candidates. We also conducted rigorous field testing with a representative sample of candidates to ensure that the questions were reliable and valid.

Test scores are averaged together to give an overall score. The average score is compared to other candidates' scores to ensure there is no bias toward certain candidates.

Our payroll technician test is constantly updated and optimized to ensure the best experience and results.

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Validated

Predictor of job success

Picked provides evidence-based recommendations for tests to use for over 750 jobs. Our recommendation engine leverages data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).

  • Assessments

    A full suite of assessments

    Our platform comes with 12 tests across both foundation and advanced levels so they’re suitable for everyone. Including aptitude, behavioural and personality tests, you’ll have a full range of tests to help you find the candidates you’re seeking.

  • Analytics

    An array of candidate metrics

    For each of your candidates, you’ll be given a comprehensive report. Included will be all the metrics you need to build a detailed picture of each candidate and ensure you’re making the right hiring decisions.

“The platform is so simple to use. I had used competitor providers for over six years and will never go back. Fast, efficient and friendly!”
Greg Chambers, HR Business Partner, Littlefish Ltd
Greg Chambers, HR Business Partner, Littlefish Ltd

Payroll Technician Test FAQs

What skills are necessary for payroll technicians?

Payroll technicians need to be adept at error checking, have good attention to detail, and be comfortable with numbers.

They also need to show they can work well with others, communicate effectively and remain calm in challenging situations.

When is it best to use this test?

It's always best to use a skills test early on in your recruitment process. Either just before you review resumes, or just after you've shortlisted an initial pool of candidates.

This will help minimize the time and effort you invest into the process at an early stage.

Can I see what the test is like?

Yes, of course. You can try the test for free by signing up for a free trial.

Are these tests available in my plan?

We have a range of plans available. The difference between the plans is the number of test attempts permitted, not the type of tests. All our plans include our full test suite comprising all tests and all levels.

“An unbeatable service, impressive platform and fantastic value for money.”
Laurence Fishman, Partner, NLPCA
Laurence Fishman, Partner, NLPCA

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