Let’s be honest, no one really looks forward to conducting an interview. It feels awkward; you have no idea what you are walking into or, typically, what the person you are interviewing is all about.
Interviews essentially place two or more people in a room who don’t know one another, hoping for a smooth and productive interaction during the interview.
But “hope,” as I stated, is part of the problem when you, as the hiring manager, try to conduct an interview without preparing properly. You can do more than hope things go well at your next interview; you can take steps to ensure they do.
An interview is your opportunity to determine if a specific person is a good fit, both occupationally and personally, for your company as a new employee. You should be aware that hiring this person will benefit your company through their experience.
Interview Tips for Payroll Managers
First, look at the situation as a conversation rather than a Q/A session. As soon as you start drilling the person with questions like a character from CSI: Miami, you change the tone of the situation, and that person becomes more robotic. You want to get to know the person, and their payroll skills, gauge their reaction, and get a feel for how they solve problems. This is unveiled when you have a conversation as opposed to drilling questions. You can even go online and get printable interview questions and answers.
Understand what you are looking for in the person. If you know what you need for the position, you shouldn’t need a lot of the best job interview questions laid out in advance. This makes the conversation flow. If this is a position you directly manage, you probably already know it; however, if you are an HR representative hiring on behalf of the company, you should sit down with those who fully understand the position so that you can study up.
Don’t ask a multitude of yes-or-no questions. Ask questions that involve complex thinking, and leave them open-ended. You want to watch how someone’s mind works during the interview. Yes and no questions will stall the interview and prevent it from evolving.
Make sure you give them a tour of the company after the interview and tell them all the great benefits they would receive by working for your company. You need to be a cheerleader. Remember, even though the interview decision seems mostly up to you, they are interviewing you as well, and you want to impress upon them that working at your company is a wonderful experience!
Be loose, have some fun in there. Don’t overthink it – just follow these interview tips for success. When trying to get to know someone, keep your mindset in a relaxed, social setting for your most amazing interview.
Check Issuing as a Branding Tool
Wait, check writing as a branding tool? What are we, some sort of advertising agency? Well, not exactly, but we do “get it.” That is to say, we understand that our tool provides an opportunity for your business to expand and apply to name and messaging across various platforms.
We Allow You to Brand Your Checks
Ever get a check from a company that looks like it came from a 17-year-old’s bank account? The name of the bank is clearly visible, and it appears that they signed it themselves. Personal? Sure. Professional? No way. Professional checks feature the company’s core logo.
You are more likely to trust checks that display the company logo. It is a more formal way to deliver funds to a client, service provider, or customer. You always want to seem formal and professional when it comes to money.
When you outsource payroll processing checks, you are paying someone, so when you brand them, you associate the idea of “receiving money” with your logo. Who isn’t happy when they receive money? The answer: no one.
We Allow You To Spread Memorandums
Got something to say? Of course, you do; all companies have things to say to customers and clients. And of course, you will do so via emails, text, and well, maybe even…wait for it…phone calls! All of these are some of your best options, of course. But have you considered that many people delete emails and reject phone calls? Of course, you have. But how many people do you know who throw away envelopes housing checks? None. No one would ever do that. In fact, you are more likely to get a message through to people who are receiving a check from you.
So in the end, maybe we are a big ad agency like Mad Men! Ok, that’s going too far, but we are the best third-party check disbursement and payroll company around! Call us today!
Payroll Changes You Should Be Keeping Up With Right Now
When performing payroll functions, it’s important to keep up with all the tax code changes to ensure you are in compliance. This can be a chore in itself, as revisions to the tax code are constantly being made. Here are a few of the payroll tax changes you should be keeping up with right now.
Affordable Care Act
You could be required to pay an “assessment” if you have more than 100 full-time (or full-time equivalent) employees and fail to provide adequate coverage. For 2015, you must provide coverage to at least 70% of your workers, and that coverage must pay for at least 60% of the expenses for the “typical population.” That amount increased to 95% of workers in 2016, and will also be applicable to businesses with at least 50 full-time or FTE employees.
FICA Taxes
The wage base for Social Security taxes will increase from $117,000 to $118,500, the maximum for 2014. There is no wage base for the Medicare portion of FICA taxes, meaning that all earnings are taxed at a rate of 1.45%. The rate increases to 2.35% on amounts exceeding $200,000. The overall FICA contribution rate remains unchanged at 6.2% for payroll.
Other Changes
There have been a few other changes to the tax code that could affect payroll, including:
- An increase from $17,500 to $18,000 in the elective deferral amount for 401(k), 457, and 403(b) plans
- An increase from $5,500 to $6,000 in the catch-up contribution limit for employees over 50 who participate in these plans.
- An increase from $97,600 to $99,200 in the foreign-earned income exclusion amount
Changes were also made to the definitions of “highly compensated employees”, “control employee,” and “key employee in a top-heavy plan.” If you’re having a hard time keeping up with these changes, you’re not alone, which is why you should not hesitate to contact a check payroll mailing services firm for assistance.
Resources:
Top 10 interview questions and answers
Last updated: October 2025