- Are you familiar with the Fair Labor Standards Act?
- What are some of the most important things you do as a timekeeper?
- How do you keep track of time when you are working with a team of employees?
- What is the most important thing you have learned as a timekeeper?
Chief Timekeeper interview questions
Ideally you can handle all three well, but you may have a personal preference for one or a few. The key is to make sure you understand what the job is looking for and to pair your answer with that (assuming its true)
Bad Answer: Going negative – if the candidate starts trash talking other candidates, its a sure sign of a bad attitude. Also, if they cant provide a solid answer, it may show that they lack thorough knowledge of the skills the job requires, and an understanding of where they fit in. Good answer: The candidate can name specific skills, abilities or understandings they have that apply directly to the job that other candidates are unlikely to have, or are in short supply.
If you truly believe youre a 10, you better be able to explain why with examples / stories. If you believe youre a great contributor and have room to grow, say 8 or 9. If youre below that, explain what you would do to improve yourself to get the ranking you believe you can be.
No one likes to answer this question because it requires a very delicate balance. You simply cant lie and say you dont have one; you cant trick the interviewer by offering up a personal weakness Regarding Timekeeper that is really a strength (“Sometimes, I work too much and dont maintain a work-life balance.”); and you shouldnt be so honest that you throw yourself under the bus (“Im not a morning person so Im working on getting to the office on time.”)
There may be several good answers. Some include: youre able to set realistic, yet aggressive goals that push you and youre able to achieve them, you go the extra mile on all projects, client satisfaction is high, your boss is elated at your performance on all projects, etc.
The scope of a timekeeper’s duties depends on the size of the payroll and the established timekeeping system. If you applied for a timekeeping position and are called in for an interview, you probably will be asked questions that relate to your timekeeping skills and experience. To increase your chances of getting the job, obtain an idea of the questions that you will be asked and figure out appropriate responses.
Depending on the company, you may be required to perform both payroll and timekeeping duties. For example, larger companies generally have timekeeping clerks who perform only timekeeping duties and a separate staff for payroll tasks. Smaller companies may require the timekeeper to handle payroll duties as well. To be a proficient timekeeper, you must have a keen eye for detail and excellent time management and organizational skills.
To test your mathematical abilities or the depth of your timekeeping knowledge, the interview might ask you to demonstrate rounding procedures and calculations relating to overtime and breaks and lunches. An understanding of federal or state labor laws in such instances is useful. For example, under federal law, you may round time card hours up and down to the nearest quarter hour. Work hours that exceed 40 for the week are treated as overtime hours. Breaks are regarded as paid time and lunch periods as unpaid.
The interviewer might probe your knowledge of time card adjustments. For example, some employers pay hourly semimonthly workers current for 86.67 hours, which is 2,080 annual work hours divided by 24 semimonthly pay periods. If an employee worked less than 86.67 hours, the excess hours and the overpayment would be deducted from his next paycheck. Questions relating to retroactive pay calculation may also arise. For example, explain how you would calculate retroactive pay based on the pay period and the effective date of the pay increase.
You might be asked to explain some of the ways that employees’ time can be recorded, monitored and managed. For example, in larger companies, employees are typically required to use swipe cards, hand print or another automated method to clock in and out. The system records the punches and you make the necessary edits before the hours are transported into the payroll system. In smaller companies, employees are usually required to fill out weekly time sheets or punch a standard time clock; in such instances, you manually calculate the time card data. You may also be responsible for tracking vacation, personal, sick and leave time.
In a small company, the timekeeper may perform both timekeeping and some payroll duties. In a large company, her role might be restricted to timekeeping. If you were fortunate enough to obtain an interview for a timekeeper position, be prepared to answer a set of standard timekeeper questions.
Grace Ferguson has been writing professionally since 2009. With 10 years of experience in employee benefits and payroll administration, Ferguson has written extensively on topics relating to employment and finance. A research writer as well, she has been published in The Sage Encyclopedia and Mission Bell Media.
F5 employees attributed a compensation and benefits rating of 4.1/5 stars to their company. Read what they think about their salaries on our Compensation FAQ page for F5.
The lowest-paying job at F5 is an Administrative Assistant with a salary of $100,100 per year.
The average F5 salary ranges from approximately $100,100 per year for an Administrative Assistant to $226,859 per year for a Director. The average F5 hourly pay ranges from approximately $48 per hour for an Administrative Assistant to $97 per hour for a Product Manager. F5 employees rate the overall compensation and benefits package 4.1/5 stars.
FAQ
What skills does a timekeeper need?
What is the role of timekeeper?
How do you manage your time interview answer?
- Accept that being late is not acceptable.
- Work out why you are always running late.
- Watch and learn.
- Be prepared.
- Make realistic plans.
How can I be a good timekeeper?
- Accept that being late is not acceptable.
- Work out why you are always running late.
- Watch and learn.
- Be prepared.
- Make realistic plans.
