Automated Skills Assessment Testing

Shopping for a Job--Get ready for the software tests ahead of time

If you sign up with several employment agencies, at least half of them will have available automated tests for skills in the use of common software products. If you apply for office work, they will typically test you for your ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. These are normally canned interactive tests using a simulation program to give the normal look and feel of how you would actually be using the program on the job.

Many testing companies produce such products and some are poorly written, meaning if you get fancy with your use of the program, it may be marked as an error. Be sure to ask if the use keyboard shortcuts is allowed because computer may track how often you use the menu system, toolbar button shortcuts, keyboard shortcuts, and shortcut menus (the contextual pop-up menus you get when you right-click). It may also mark use of shortcuts as an error, each test is different. Try not to double-click anything, single-click and press OK instead. The tests may vary from say 20-50 questions in length. The help facility and the little popup help messages that you see when you hover over buttons will be turned off, so if you don't know your toolbar icons, don't guess, use the menus instead.

The questions will usually be structured in a very basic simple-minded way so that getting to the correct response is fairly quick and direct. Remember that studying how to use an elaborate feature of a program that involves a complex set of many steps will probably not be tested for. Typically there will be a question for at least one item in each button category on the toolbar.

Some of the companies that give tests actually publish the list of items that they test for on their web sites. Links are given below. Be aware, however, that agencies often do not have the current version of the software. If you are taking the test in 2005, you may be tested on software that ran under Windows 97 or possibly Windows 2000. This important because the design of some of the toolbar buttons and menu layouts has changed in many cases.

If you have friends that have looked for work recently ask them which agencies use automated testing or ask on the phone before you go in. Pick the smallest and least well-known agency that tests and go there first just to get used to the feel of taking this kind of test. They may be able give you a detailed printout of how well you did question by question that will help you study and improve your weaknesses. Be sure to ask since many agencies will allow you to take the test over to improve your score. The print-out may also tell you something else, that you never even finished the test because the time limit for the test was exceeded. It may not tell you this on the screen, it just stops asking. If if this happens, the printout may list the categories for the questions it would have asked so you can study these areas before you come back.

How do I study for Microsoft Office Suite tests?

Studying for the Microsoft Word test

Most computer-savvy users will know more about Word that any other program and will feel pretty comfortable in taking this test if the test is a short one. The biggest challenge will be mail merge. This will be on the test and the wording of the questions may be so convoluted as to be undecipherable. Get your terminology down solid before you walk in the door. There will probably only be one question on text formatting (bold, italic, or underline) and only one relating to justification (ragged left, centered, ragged right or justification). There are lots of lists on the internet of what is on this type of test, each one will have a different emphasis. Here is an example from Tracy's site:

• Basic Skills
  • Document Editing
    Open Document; Preview Document; Print Document; Save Document; Select Text; Copy Text; Paste Text; Use Undo
  • Using Automatic Features
    Check Spelling; Replace Text; Use Template
  • Text/Font Formatting
    Bold Text; Change Font; Center Text; Set Tab; Change Tab Type; Indent Text; Create Bulleted List
• Intermediate Skills
  • Document Formatting
    Change Line Spacing; Change Page Orientation; Insert Page Break; Change Margin; Add Header
  • Tables & Mail Merge
    Create Table; Add Border; Add Shading; Insert Row; Use Mail Merge Helper; Insert Merge Field
• Advanced Skills
  • Advanced Formatting
    Create Style; Apply Style; Create Template; Insert Form Field; Protect Form
  • Enhancing Documents
    Insert Graphic; Link Information; Create Table of Contents; Set up Document Revisions

Compare this with a test taken by Jack:

• BASIC QUESTIONS
  • Open Document, Preview Document
  • Copy Text, Paste Text, Use Go To, Find Text, Check Spelling
  • Change Line Spacing. Indent Text, Align Text,
  • Create Columns, Change Margin, Set Tab
  • Change Font, Apply Style
• INTERMEDIATE QUESTIONS
  • Create Bulleted List, Sort List
  • Print Envelope, Change Page Orientation
  • Align Table, Convert Text to Table, Insert Column
  • Insert Page Break, Add Page Numbering, Add Header
  • Create Merge Form Letter, Insert Merge Field, Run Merge
• ADVANCED QUESTIONS
  • Insert Symbol, Insert Picture, Add Page Border
  • Create Table of Contents, Update Table of Contents
  • Change Picture Text Wrap, Save New Version
  • Create Macro, Run Macro

Additional listings of test contents:

janzentech.com, assess.com, qwiz.com ICT Skills benchmark (XP)

Word 2003 MOUS core, brainbench.com Word 2002

expertrating.com - actual free online sample exam

 

Studying for the Microsoft Excel test (Tracy)

• Basic Skills
  • Creating a Worksheet
    Edit Data; Save Workbook; Open Workbook; Begin Formula (typing the equals sign); Multiply Cells; Use the SUM Function; Sum Automatically; Preview Worksheet; Print Worksheet
  • Editing a Worksheet
    Select Range; Cut and Paste Data; Copy Formula; Clear Range; Use Undo; Insert Row; Change Column Width; Check Spelling
• Intermediate Skills
  • Formatting Data
    Change Number Format; Change Font Size; Bold Range; Add Border; Align Text; Center Text over Columns (Merge and Center)
  • Using Workbooks
    Freeze Titles (Panes); Go To Cell; Move Between Worksheets; Name Range; Link Data; Link Data; Add New Worksheet
  • Formatting a Worksheet
    Change Page Orientation; Add Header; Insert Page Break
• Advanced Skills
  • Presenting Data
    Sort Range; Create Chart; Edit Chart
  • Automating a Worksheet
    Create Macro; Run Macro

Compare this with a test taken by Jack:

• BASIC QUESTIONS
  • Clear Range, Delete Range, Insert Row
  • Find Text, Go To Cell, Check Spelling
  • Begin Formula, Edit Formula
  • Use SUM Function. Change Number Format
  • Change Font Size, Align Text
  • Preview Worksheet, Save Workbook
  • Move Between Worksheets, Move Formula
  • Change Column Width, Sort Range
• INTERMEDIATE QUESTIONS
  • Insert Page Break, Add New Worksheet
  • Name Range, Filter List
  • Add Border, Add Footer, Center Text Over Columns
  • Freeze Titles (split rows), Change Page Orientation
• ADVANCED QUESTIONS
  • Apply Style, Create Scenario, Link Data
  • Create Chart, Change Chart Type, Add Chart Title
  • Record Macro, Run Macro

Additional listings of test contents:

janzentech.com, assess.com, ICT Skills benchmark (XP)

Excel 2003 MOUS core, brainbench.com Excel 2002

expertrating.com - actual free online sample exam

 

Studying for the Microsoft PowerPoint test (Tracy)

• Basic Skills
  Start PowerPoint; Create New Presentation; Add Title; Save Presentation; Open Existing Presentation; Move to Next Slide; Edit Slide; Print Presentation; Copy and Paste Text; Close Presentation; Add Bulleted List Slide; Delete Slide; Use Undo; Change View
• Intermediate Skills
  Search and Replace; Check Spelling; Change Font Size; Change Font Style; Change Bullet Level; Change Bullet Type; Change Slide Background; Change Color Scheme; Add Table; Center Table Data; Add Clip Art; Change Slide Layout; Add Chart
• Advanced Skills
  Change Chart Type; Edit Organization Chart; Rotate Object; Change Object Border; Stack Objects; Align Objects; Animate Text; Add Transition Effect; Start Slide Show; Navigate Slide Show; End Slide Show

Compare this with a test taken by Jack:

• BASIC QUESTIONS
  • Create New Presentation, Open Existing Presentation
  • Copy Text, Paste Text, Save Presentation
  • Add Title, Edit Text in Slide, Add Slide
  • Add Clip Art , Move to Next Slide
  • Change Bullet Type, Change Bullet Level
  • Change Font, Format Paragraph
  • Check Spelling, Print Presentation
• INTERMEDIATE QUESTIONS
  • Find Text. Change View, Delete Slide
  • Display Slide Master, Change Color Scheme
  • Add Text to Object, Add Table, Align Table Data
  • Edit Organization Chart, Change Chart Appearance
• ADVANCED QUESTIONS
  • Stack Objects, Change Object Border, Rotate Object, Align Objects
  • Change Slide Background, Apply Template
  • Add Transition Effect, Add Animation Effect
  • Start Slide Show, Navigate Slide Show, End Slide Show
  • Use Pack and Go Wizard

Additional listings of test contents:

assess.com, ICT Skills benchmark (XP)

Powerpoint 2003 MOUS core, brainbench.com PowerPoint 2002

expertrating.com - actual free online sample exam

 

Studying for the Microsoft Access test (Jack)

•  BASIC QUESTIONS
  • Open Existing Database, Open Database Object
  • Change View, Move Between Records
  • Copy and Paste Data, Use Undo
  • Select Record, Delete Record
  • Find and Replace Data
  • Sort Records, Add Record, Find Record, Edit Record

 

• INTERMEDIATE QUESTIONS
  • Filter Records. Remove Filter, Save Filter as Query
  • Run Query. Add a Sort to a Query, Run Modified Query
  • Preview Report, Change Page Layout, Change Font
  • Create Mailing Label Report, Print Report,

 

• ADVANCED QUESTIONS
  • Create Blank Database, Create Table
  • Add Field to Table, Assign Data Type
  • Set Primary Key, Display Relationships Window
  • Add Integrity to Relationship
  • Create Form, Select Control
  • Change a Field's Enabled Property
  • Add Form Header and Footer, Move Control
  • Close and Save Form

Additional listings of test contents:

assess.com, ICT Skills benchmark (XP)

Access 2003 MOUS core, brainbench.com

Software Skills Assessment Testing Companies

www.software-x.com/software/skills-assessment.html - The big players

Computers/Software/Human_Resources/Testing_and_Evaluation - lots more

www.assess.com/SkillCheck/SKTestMaker.htm

www.talentstrategy.com/index/index/pvtitles.htm

www.qwiz.com

www.princeton.edu/hr/manager/qwiz.htm - QWIZ note from Princeton

www.skillcheck.com.au/

ICT Skills benchmarks

www.expertrating.com/examlist.asp - free exams, certifications offered

www.brainbench.com - tests for office skills

www.brainbench.com - tests for technical software skills

www.brainbench.com/xml/bb/common/testcenter/freetests.xml - free tech tests

www.craftsystems.com - pre-employment selection tests,  test our employment test free

Microsoft MOS Certification

MOS Certification / MOUS Certification - links from certification-crazy.net

MOS Certification - sample questions from past exams collected by TestKing

Microsoft Office Specialist Certification Requirements - links to skill standards

www.palomar.edu - cornball MOUS promo video watch it slow medium broadband

 

Other Tests

www.typingtest.com - free online typing test and demo software (java must be turned on)

www.humanmetrics.com - free online Jung Typology test based on Myers-Briggs

More online personality tests from Google Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, Emotional IQ

www.librarysupportstaff.com - nicely arranged links for personality and career tests

www.psychology.org - Tests and Measurement in Psychology; annotated link collection

 

Free Basic Office Tutorials

SoftwareMadeSimple Word2k.pdf, Excel2k.pdf, Power2k.pdf, Access2k.pdf

Office 2000 Basic Information Word2k.doc, Excel2k.doc, Powerpoint2k.doc

4 Office Tutorials (as pdf files) - Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access

 

Free Test Cram Reference Sheets

CustomGuide.com preview sheets - Word 2003, Excel 2003, Powerpoint 2003, Access 2003

Video Clip Tutorials

Mail Merge - sample free video from Profile Technology Group

Professor Teaches - watch, listen and interact style ($9.95 up) - highly recommended

LearnKey - watch and listen style ($39.95 up)

Lynda.com - watch and listen style ($50 each or $25/mo unlimited access)

VTC - watch and listen style ($100 each)

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