payroll course?

morganedge

I'm trying to find a job.

I've mainly worked in various warehouse jobs my whole life.

I think i'd like an office based job.
I've thought so hard and taken so many online personality tests etc to give me an idea of a career that might not make me want to shoot myself, but it's futile.

So, my thinking is that my best grade at school was maths.
I know how to work a PC.
There's always jobs in my area for payroll staff.
I'm not 100 per cent what a payroll administrator even does but i'd like to give it a go.

All such jobs want previous experience. Can't get experience without getting a job.
So, I thought about taking a payroll type course?

I've found this one:
http://www.learnpayroll.co.uk/online-payroll-courses/

Anyone else done a similar course? Did it increase your chances of gaining employment?
Does that course above seem OK?

System

I always find courses without experience to back them up are a waste of time. People are more interested in experience than courses.

You need to look for a trainee position.

Personally I would apply for a normal administrator position at a company and use that as a springboard to moving into payroll administration.

They are relatively easy jobs to get and you can gain experience by joining a temping agency for 6 months as they will have no trouble getting you work in that area.

AP007

Never do a course in payroll. You will not get a job with no payroll experience. If you are wondering how to get payroll experience you need to enter as a junior or get an accounts job where its an all round job doing sales ledger, purchase ledger and payroll etc

morganedge

thanks for replies.

However, I have found absolutely nothing in terms of, as you say, trainne payroll type jobs to get me some experience.

In fact, the only ones that I have found advertised in my area as 'trainee payroll clerks' want experience in payroll!
(a trend i'm noticing more and more in all jobs, is that even trainee jobs want you to have qualifications/experience in that role!)

Nobody in favour of payroll courses such as the one in my OP?

thanks

[Deleted User]

I am a Payroll Clerk. I love my job. I like most people just fell into payroll by chance 18 years ago after applying for an Office Junior Role. I am currently doing my Foundation Degree in Payroll Management with CIPP (Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals). The training they offer is excellent and they may be able to place you on an apprentice or graduate scheme. Have a look at their courses and maybe ring them for advice. http://www.cipp.org.uk/

DomRavioli

Hi OP,

Why not volunteer somewhere to get payroll experience? Most places are desperate for volunteers, and will usually train you (not professional training, but on the job training). It is usually a good way to see where you would fit into an office environment, as there are quite a number of jobs which deal with numbers which don't require accounts training.

morganedge

DomRavioli wrote: »

Hi OP,

Why not volunteer somewhere to get payroll experience? Most places are desperate for volunteers, and will usually train you (not professional training, but on the job training). It is usually a good way to see where you would fit into an office environment, as there are quite a number of jobs which deal with numbers which don't require accounts training.

thanks for that.

Having been looking at job advertisments etc all day, I was literally just about to scrap the whole idea and think about some different sort of job. (never had the slightest clue what to do with my life 'work wise' so just do slave labour in warehouses and factories)

Every job, no matter how 'junior/entry level' seems to want lots of experience and training in accounts/bookeeping etc.
(I think times have changed and articles suggesting you can just walk-in to such jobs are antiquated!)

Your suggestion gives me one last avenue to check.

regards.

AP007

morganedge wrote: »

thanks for that.

Having been looking at job advertisments etc all day, I was literally just about to scrap the whole idea and think about some different sort of job. (never had the slightest clue what to do with my life 'work wise' so just do slave labour in warehouses and factories)

Every job, no matter how 'junior/entry level' seems to want lots of experience and training in accounts/bookeeping etc.
(I think times have changed and articles suggesting you can just walk-in to such jobs are antiquated!)

Your suggestion gives me one last avenue to check.

regards.

There are junior roles with no experience needed at all.

PinkPrincess83

I have worked in payroll for 8 and half years (well I did until January when I went into a HR job), but I started as a temp (no previous payroll experience, it was more of a general office assistant doing jobs such as filing and data entry) and then after 3 months had the opportunity to take a permanent roll and once I had done that for a while I then did do a payroll qualification.

A few people in my work had started as data entry clerks and then progressed into payroll assistants so it may be worth looking into what data entry clerk jobs there are as this could be a way in for you.

brightonman123

I did a Sage accounts course (city & guilds), at the time most jobs required this.. hardly see mentioned now?

davenport151

Hope this helps!
My background was mainly caterting. Then after wanting to get back to work I was looking to change.
I did a computing course to get keyboard and processing skills up to date and learnt excel. I did a maths refresher with Learn Direct to get my basic skills up to scratch.
I was lucky as I got a chance to prove myself where I work now (Admin in a care home) Apparently they thought I would 'fit in' and were happy to put the effort into on the job training.
Though thinking about it I would be quite keen to go into payroll too.