Typing Assessments For Jobs: Why You Need It & How?
Did you know? Individuals who type faster are 45% more likely to land their dream job. Typing faster might be the secret weapon you didn't know you had in the job market. In this blog, we'll figure out why typing assessments have become a benchmark for jobs.
Strong typing skills are more than just a convenience now. They are crucial not only for you to land a job but also for those hiring for a job. From administrative roles to creative fields, efficient typing has become an asset. So, take a stroll with me as I uncover the impact it can have on your professional life.
Types of Typing Assessments
Employers use various typing assessments for different job roles. I'll explain a few of them below
-> Typing Speed Tests: These tests are designed to evaluate how fast a person can type in a given time. The results are shown in WPM. This type of test serves as the bar and a limit is set; anyone below that limit isn't considered for the role.
-> Accuracy Test: These tests evaluate the accuracy of the typist. It is done by giving a typist something to type within the given time; after the typist is done typing, the software notes how many mistakes the typist made. The results are displayed in %. Let's say a typist is asked to type 100 words and makes 1 mistake; his accuracy score will be 99%.
-> Combined Typing Test: This assessment evaluates both speed and accuracy. As a typist, I know this is the most commonly used typing test. It gives you two results at the same time. The results are then shown as WPM (words per minute) and %.
Industry-Specific Typing Assessment
Typing is a crucial factor in various industries. In the early 2000s, only a few industries required computer knowledge. Fast forward two decades later, and every employee is expected to be able to type quickly and accurately. Typing requirements vary for different professions. A transcriptionist needs to focus on accuracy, while a programmer may need to focus on speed. Industry-specific typing assessments are tailored according to the requirements. You can get a complete understanding of typing tests and evaluations in my detailed article below.
-> How Typing Tests and Evaluations Can Improve Your Skills
There are many online resources that you can use to prepare for a typing assessment.
Typing Resources
Online typing resources have been a game changer when it comes to typing practice and assessments for your dream job. They have multiple typing lessons that cover various typing requirements. You can choose industry-specific lessons like transcription practice, alphanumeric practice for data entry, and paragraph typing practice for the legal field.
You can also customize the typing test according to your needs. These online typing software allow you to customize the typing tests; you can then choose what you want to focus on more. It can be any area of weakness; maybe you're not quite proficient while typing with your non-dominant hand. So, you can choose which hand you want to use for typing practice. Below is a list of some popular online typing resources.
- Typing Mentor
- Typing.com
- 10 Fast Fingers
- Type Racer
- Nitro Type
Click here to see the pros and cons of these and many other typing resources. Some of these typing resources are a game. This can help maintain your focus since typing can be boring at times.
Overcoming Typing Anxiety
Taking a typing test that can decide your future always made me anxious. If that's the case for you, I have just the remedy for it.
- Use mindfulness techniques like deep breathing. Whenever you feel the anxiety kicking in, just sit down, close your eyes, and take long breaths. Inhale as much air as you can and exhale it slowly. This will calm your nerves.
- Visualize what you want to achieve by taking the test. Start visualizing a few days before and then do it once before the test. Let go of all the negative thoughts and visualize positively. You can combine it with deep breathing for better results.
- Always make sure to manage your time properly. You'll only know that if you practice for the test. Practice will give you a general idea of how long you take to complete a specific segment of the test. This will give you an idea of how to tackle the test.
Conclusion
There are multiple typing assessments for jobs. Each job has a test relevant to it. You can practice more than 3 dozen typing tests by using online typing resources like Typing Mentor. The most common types of typing tests are speed tests, accuracy tests, and combined tests. These tests can then be modified according to the demands of the industry. Taking typing tests for jobs was a very anxious task for me. If you feel the same, you can benefit from my experience. Use mindfulness techniques like deep breathing; it'll calm your nerves. Then, use visualization and visualize what you want to achieve from the test. Always visualize positively. You can also combine visualization with deep breathing for better results. Last but not least, practice regularly. This will give you an idea of how to manage your time while taking a test.
