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Also known as payroll officer, payroll clerk roles are vital to keep organisations running smoothly – both in terms of accounting and staff happiness. But how do you make the CV writing process equally as smooth? That’s where we come in.
To help you start on your payroll officer CV, we’ll take you through the key skills, qualifications, work experience, salary, and responsibilities of a payroll officer. You’ll also discover plenty of professional CV templates and examples for you to utilise – you’ll have the perfect CV before you know it!
Whether you’re looking for a payroll officer salary or the job description for a payroll clerk in the UK, you’ll find everything you need to create a successful CV right here.
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Top tips for your payroll clerk CV
Impress recruiters and score that interview with these key tips and tricks to create a show-stopping payroll officer CV.
Keep it professional
Payroll officer jobs require professionalism and attention-to-detail, and your CV should reflect this. If your payroll clerk CV features bright colours, poor spelling and grammar, and an unclear structure, your application is unlikely to be successful. Take a look at our CV examples to get an idea of what recruiters are expecting in terms of structure, appearance, and content.
Evidence your skills
Important payroll officer skills include payroll processing and strong numeracy. While you probably know how well your skills align with the payroll officer job description, recruiters don’t. It’s easy to say you’re an expert at multitasking, but you’ll need to prove it through showcasing your work achievements, for example, by evidencing the high caseload you managed whilst maintaining accurate payroll records and advising staff.
Be clear on the payroll clerk job description
Before writing your CV, you should read the payroll clerk description carefully. This will include a person specification describing the ideal candidate for the role, as well as the requirements for the payroll clerk position. Each company will be looking for a unique set of payroll officer requirements, so you shouldn’t assume the key skills and competencies that will be expected of you.
Structure and formatting
To create a fantastic CV for a career as a payroll clerk, you’ll need to follow a set structure.
Personal statement – 3-4 sentences summarising your key achievements, skills and work goals
Contact details – Include your email and phone number for recruiters to get in touch
Work history – Showcase how your previous roles qualify you for the duties and responsibilities of a payroll clerk
Academic history – Lists relevant payroll officer qualifications and certificates
Skills – Feature 6-8 skills that are relevant for payroll officer duties
Payroll clerk CV skills
There are many skills that are required to succeed in the role of a payroll officer. Here are some of the most important skills to include in your payroll clerk CV.
Required technical skills for a payroll officer CV
- Payroll processing
- Numeracy
- IT proficiency
- Communication skills
- Knowledge of tax regulations
- Experienced in PAYE procedures
Additional transferable skills to impress employers
- Ability to multitask
- Attention-to-detail
- Problem solving
- Team player
- Time management
- Organisational skills
Pay attention to your personal statement
When you’re writing a CV for a payroll officer job, you need to keep potential recruiters at the forefront of your mind. Making sure your personal statement shows off the key achievements, skills, and goals of your career is sure to get you that dream interview!
Before you write your personal statement, make sure you’ve read the payroll officer position description. Keep your personal statement to 3-4 sentences, focusing on only the most relevant details to prove you can meet the payroll clerk job requirements.
Top FAQs about your payroll clerk CV
What is a payroll officer?
The definition of a payroll officer is someone who prepares and processes all aspects of employee payroll at a business or other organisation. A payroll officer job description in the UK will include providing timely and accurate payments to staff members, confirming employee work hours and pay, calculating employee take-home pay, and discussing any queries from staff. You should be aware that payroll officer roles and responsibilities will vary depending on the experience level required. The job description of a senior payroll clerk is also likely to feature supervising and managerial tasks as part of the role.
What skills do you need to work in payroll?
To meet the duties of a payroll clerk, there are some key skills you’ll need under your belt. These will include technical skills, such as an in-depth understanding of payroll processing, strong mathematical skills, as well as clear communication skills. You’ll also need to have strong attention-to-detail and problem solving skills.
How to become a payroll officer?
There are many ways to embark on a career as a payroll clerk. Firstly, there are no set qualifications for a payroll clerk, but generally, you will at least require several GCSEs, including maths. However, if you would like to make your CV stand out, a Level 1 or 2 certificate in payroll administration or bookkeeping can be very beneficial to meeting the job description of a payroll officer.
Though employers will be looking for candidates with work experience as a payroll clerk, it isn’t mandatory. There are many transferable skills from other job roles that would be valuable for payroll clerk duties, including finances, accounting and administration. However, this will vary depending on the complexity of the position – for example, a senior payroll clerk job description will require more experience.
What is the average payroll clerk salary in the UK?
The average pay for a payroll clerk is approximately £25,000 per year. However, this will vary depending on the position and your level of experience. A senior payroll clerk salary in the UK can reach up to £28,000 per year, whilst beginner payroll clerk wages bring in around £20,000.
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Build a payroll officer CV that pays off
Now you have a clear overview of the payroll clerk job description and salary, as well as the key skills, qualifications, and work experience required, the next step is to create your CV.
If you want to make sure every box is ticked, why not try our quick and easy online CV builder? With stylish and professional CV templates and a selection of content tailored to different job roles, all you’ll need to do is assemble your CV and add a few finishing touches.
