How to hire an administrative assistant/payroll assistant

How to hire an administrative assistant/payroll assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step administrative assistant/payroll assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an administrative assistant/payroll assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative assistant/payroll assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an administrative assistant/payroll assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an administrative assistant/payroll assistant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an administrative assistant/payroll assistant that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of administrative assistant/payroll assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Administrative Assistant/Payroll Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Administrative Assistant/Payroll Assistant	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$14-27
   Administrative Staff	As the administrative staff, they primarily provide administrative and secretarial support for the department. Typically, they do report-writing, filing and scheduling, and payroll... Show more	$27-48

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Kronos
   • Office Equipment
   • Human Resources
   • ADP
   • Payroll System
   • Financial Statements
   • Process Payroll
   • Payroll Data
   • HRIS
   • Background Checks
   • QuickBooks
   • Administrative Functions
   • Travel Arrangements

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage accounts receivable using QuickBooks for several companies.
   • Work daily on the KRONOS and ADP timekeeping/payroll management systems.
   • Process payroll for employees using KRONOS timekeeping software.
   • Facilitate an online HRIS for information, paperwork, correspondences, and events.
   • Enter new associate information into HRIS system and keep it update with any changes.
   • Used QuickBooks preparing the payroll, inputting bills, and tracking equipment costs for each job

   More administrative assistant/payroll assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the administrative assistant/payroll assistant job description is a good way to get more applicants. An administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an administrative assistant/payroll assistant in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level administrative assistant/payroll assistant. Additionally, an administrative assistant/payroll assistant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary

   $42,400yearly

   $20.38 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$56,786	$27
   2	Oregon	$46,584	$22
   3	New York	$46,572	$22
   4	Nevada	$45,917	$22
   5	Illinois	$45,558	$22
   6	Maryland	$41,687	$20
   7	Minnesota	$39,726	$19
   8	Missouri	$39,170	$19
   9	Ohio	$38,298	$18
   10	Alabama	$38,220	$18
   11	Oklahoma	$34,259	$16

   Average administrative assistant/payroll assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Grunley Construction	$47,717	$22.94
   2	H&R Block	$42,838	$20.60	68
   3	MV Transportation	$42,212	$20.29	5
   4	ICONMA	$41,923	$20.16	2
   5	Randstad North America, Inc.	$40,373	$19.41	12
   6	Robert Half	$40,001	$19.23	406
   7	Heartland Payment Systems	$38,447	$18.48
   8	Meador Staffing	$34,915	$16.79
   9	Staffmark	$33,687	$16.20
   10	McLean County U5	$33,272	$16.00
   11	Bolthouse Farms	$31,121	$14.96	1

4. Writing an administrative assistant/payroll assistant job description

   An administrative assistant/payroll assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an administrative assistant/payroll assistant job description:

   Administrative assistant/payroll assistant job description example

   Secretary and Office Personnel/Payroll
   
   Date Posted:
   9/28/2022
   
   Location:
   Central Office (Bethel-Tate)
   
   Date Available:
   Immediately
   
   Closing Date:
   Until filled
   
   District:
   Bethel-Tate Local School District - website
   Administrative Assistant in charge of Payroll
   
   Primary Purpose
   Under the direct supervision of the Treasurer/CFO, to administer the school district's payroll function, including developing reporting procedures and internal controls; implementing procedures and processes; ensuring the accuracy of payroll-related data and compliance with school district and regulatory agency requirements and guidelines.
   
   Essential Functions Inputs and processes payroll information in accordance with established practices; assuring accurate program and funds distribution for timely and accurate payment of district employees. Authorizes manual payroll checks for the purpose of resolving problems and meeting special compensation requirements. Inputs and maintains all information into the payroll processing system regarding federal and state taxes, as well as all deductions (e.g., retirement, health insurance, dues). Sets up and maintains direct deposit system to ensure proper deposits of payroll checks. Coordinates with district personnel for the purpose of setting up and maintaining payroll services and/or programs. Develops reporting procedures and internal controls for timely and accurate completion of municipal (town), federal and state reporting requirements. Implements assigned programs and projects for the purpose of conforming to administrative, state and/or federal requirements. Recommends policies, procedures and/or actions for the purpose of providing direction for meeting the district's payroll objectives. Researches discrepancies of payroll information and/or documentation for the purpose of ensuring accuracy and implementing corrective measures, as necessary. Updates payroll information (e.g., changes to wages/salaries, deductions) annually as needed. Prepares and distribute all annual tax information (i.e., W-2 statements). Inputs information regarding attendance for posting and reporting. Composes a variety of materials (e.g. reports, memos, letters, procedures, manuals, etc.) for the purpose of documenting activities, providing written reference and/or conveying information regarding expenses, balances, etc. Additional Duties
   Performs other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the accounting system.
   Note: The above description is illustrative of tasks and responsibilities. It is not meant to be all inclusive of every task or responsibility.
   
   Equipment Uses standard office equipment such as personal computer, copy machine, fax machine, telephone. Uses calculating devices. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of federal and state wage and hour laws, and related regulations. Knowledge of accounting and bookkeeping principles. Organizational and time management skills. Ability to report work orally or in writing to supervisor as required. Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form. Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide, perform complex arithmetic operations and use calculators. Ability to understand, apply and use personal computers and software applications (e.g., Word, Excel). Ability to problem-solve job-related issues. Ability to process paperwork accurately according to standardized procedures. Ability to maintain confidentiality of information regarding school district financial and other information. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.
   Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards Works in standard office building environments. See the Summary of Physical, Sensory and Environmental Requirements Needed to Perform Essential Job Duties for this position. Qualification Profile
   Any combination of education and experience providing the required skill and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying. Typical qualifications would be equivalent to: Prio Accounting or related field, with course work in business, math, accounting, bookkeeping and record keeping. Some successful payroll processing experience preferred. FLSA Status : Non-exempt

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right administrative assistant/payroll assistant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your administrative assistant/payroll assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit administrative assistant/payroll assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with administrative assistant/payroll assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new administrative assistant/payroll assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect administrative assistant/payroll assistant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new administrative assistant/payroll assistant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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