During the lazy days of being a student and working what hours I liked, I wondered what life would be like after graduating and securing a job.
After qualifying with my degree in Accountancy and Finance I had many options, it was such a broad subject. I always knew my preference was to finance, however I was never certain what the job would be, but I soon discovered payroll fit in as part of this option.
My Expectations
From researching local financial firms I came across Dataplan. Fresh from University I didn’t know much about payroll other than the perception that most people seem to have; that it is a data entering process and would be easy to learn! After further reflection I thought that no job is that easy. Therefore, researching more into the subject I found it greatly exceeded my expectations. Payroll is so much more in-depth than I initially thought.
Reality
The day to day processing of payrolls requires knowledge of many areas, a few being; statutory payments, pensions and BACs payments. This knowledge is constantly being updated with ever changing information on areas such as RTI, minimum wages and pensions. Numerous checks are made at various stages to ensure that the work is accurate. Time management is also key to payroll as it is crucial that pay dates are met.
To make things more intricate, every payroll company has their own version on how their payments are to be processed. This means we must be flexible to mould ourselves around our client’s needs. There is a high level of interaction with customers to verify these needs are being met.
My time at Dataplan
To prepare me for this mass of knowledge, when I started I was enrolled on a week-long training programme to achieve a BTEC in Payroll Administration. This was just the start of many more training sessions.
Alongside these courses I also have an experienced mentor who guides me, allowing me to shadow her and learn the various aspects and specific payroll requirements. Starting on the smaller payrolls allowed me to ease into the processing, gradually I assisted others on more complex payrolls. Now, after 6 months of being at Dataplan I have a portfolio of my own payrolls, both weekly and monthly. I have gained a vast amount of knowledge in this short space of time.
The Future
I believe this is the way things will carry on through my time at Dataplan. Training on more intricate subjects and expanding my knowledge of payroll. Gaining a larger portfolio of payrolls.
I have enjoyed learning about payroll as it is exceeded my initial expectations. I feel payroll is a great opportunity for graduates, learning vital skills for transitioning from education to the working world.
