Typing Test Preparation: Practice, Tips & Information
With so many jobs requiring computer skills, it's important to have your typing abilities up to par. One way employers check a candidate's typing skills is by having them take a typing test. JobTestPrep provides test practice, tips, and more to help you improve your typing abilities.
Typing Practice
- Realistic typing test simulations
- Detailed score reports & explanations
- Money back guarantee – see terms and conditions
Typing tests are used to measure how quickly and accurately you can type in a given amount of time. Speed and accuracy are the key factors for determining your WPM (words per minute). Once a passage is presented, candidates have a given amount of time to type the passage as quickly and accurately as possible. Once the time is up, the test is immediately scored and candidates or employers can view and analyse the results.
As more companies begin to require typing tests during the pre-employment process, it's important to be aware of where your typing abilities rank so that you know if it's necessary to improve your skills or to work on maintaining them. Test your skills with our typing simulation practice.
Jobs That Use Typing Tests During the Hiring Process
Typing tests are typically given out to candidates during the pre-employment process as this is a way for employers to distinguish between qualified and unqualified candidates.
Different professions require different typing skills. Some jobs are more concerned with overall speed, while others focus on accuracy. Other jobs require both categories to be near perfect.
These are the average WPM scores of different professions:
- Clerical jobs: 35-40 WPM
- Administrative jobs: 35-40 WPM
- Civil service jobs: 40 WPM
- Typists and legal secretaries: 50-60 WPM
- Computer coders: 60 WPM
- Transcriptionists: 60-75 WPM
- Data entry: 70-75 WPM
- 999 operators/Dispatchers: 80-85 WPM
- Stenographer: 200 WPM (they use a stenotype)
Keep in mind that some of these jobs have different typing levels within them (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and that the average adult types 40 WPM.
Our typing test preparation package has a variety of texts and test lengths to choose from, ensuring you receive the best preparation possible.
Typing Test Format
Most typing tests are formatted similarly; however, not all typing tests are the same. Typically, they differ in the text they use, the duration of the test, and the way errors are corrected and counted.
Typing Text
The passages on typing tests can vary. Sometimes the passage reflects the job position and company, while other passages are randomly selected. Another aspect of typing tests is that some passages only focus on letters and punctuation, while other passages include letters, punctuation, numbers, and symbols.
Duration
Another aspect of typing tests is the duration. Typical typing tests are either in 1, 2, 3, 5, or 10-minute increments. However, something to keep in mind is that if you're using your typing test results for employment purposes, most employers will only accept results from a test that is five minutes or longer. Longer typing tests are preferred because it gives employers a more accurate account of someone's typing skills.
Test Mistakes
Some tests do not allow you to use backspace, which prevents you from correcting an error, while other tests will not let you precede unless the error is corrected. This being said, it is very important to read the directions of each test.
JobTestPrep took all of these components into account when creating the typing test preparation package.
What Is Assessed on a Typing Test?
Accuracy and Words Per Minute
Typing accuracy means being able to type words and sometimes characters (symbols and numbers) correctly. This may sound simple, but most typing tests only consider a word to be a unit of five characters or more.
For example, the word 'typed' would count as one word because there are five characters, the phrase 'type quick' would count as two words because there are 10 characters (including the space), but the phrase 'the' would not be counted because it is only three characters. However, typing accurately is only half the battle; speed is the other component to increasing WPM count.
Speed
Speed means being able to quickly type the correct passage. However, there are two different measurements of typing speed: gross and net typing speed. Gross typing speed refers to the total amount of words typed, including errors. Net speed is the total amount of words typed after the deduction of errors.
Typing Test Tips
It's always a good idea to brush up on your typing skills. Here are several ways you can improve your typing score.
- Familiarise yourself with the keyboard.
- Use all your fingers instead of peck typing (using one or two fingers).
- Read the test directions and know how you can correct errors, if at all.
- Practise before taking the typing test.
- While taking the test, try to read a word or two ahead.
- Try not to look at the keyboard.
- Pace yourself if you're taking a longer typing test.
- Sit up and set your hands to home row position (place your left index finger on the 'F' key, your middle finger on the 'D' key, your ring finger on the 'S' key, and your pinky on the 'A' key. Now, place your right index finger on the 'J' key, your middle finger on the 'K' key, your ring finger on the 'L' key, and your pinky on the 'semicolon' key).
Prepare for Your Typing Test
JobTestPrep's customised Typing Test PrepPack™ is centered on a typing test simulation. In addition to the simulation, we have provided you with information regarding test content, typing certification, jobs that use typing tests, along with their specific requirements, and typing tips. All of this material has been included to help you pass your typing test. Start preparing for your typing test today with JobTestPrep's customised Typing Test PrepPack™.