← All guides · Updated 14 October 2026
Typing tests for jobs: how to prepare
Many jobs in administration, data entry, customer service and transcription include a typing test. Here is what to expect and how to prepare.
What a job typing test looks like
Most employment typing tests last between 1 and 5 minutes. You type a passage of text, and the test reports your speed in words per minute and your accuracy. Some tests deduct errors from your speed, others report them separately. Jobs with a lot of number work may add a 10-key test on the numeric keypad, measured in keystrokes per hour (KPH).
What speed do you need?
It depends on the job and the employer, so check the listing. Common ranges are around 40 to 60 WPM for office jobs, 45 WPM or more for data entry, and 70 WPM or more for legal and medical transcription. Most employers also expect high accuracy, often 95% or better. Read more about typing speeds.
How to prepare
- Find your starting point. Take a 5 minute typing test, since job tests are often this long. Note both speed and accuracy.
- Practise with text, not just words. Real tests use sentences with capitals and punctuation. Use the passage mode on our typing test, or switch on punctuation and numbers.
- Work on accuracy. Employers often care more about accuracy than speed. If you are below 95%, slow down.
- Fix your weak keys. Use our weak-key practice to target the keys you miss most.
- Practise every day for the week or two before the test.
On the day
- Ask how long the test is and whether you can correct mistakes.
- Check the keyboard and chair before you start. Adjust what you can.
- Start at a pace you can hold. Rushing the first minute usually costs more later.
- Don't stop to fix every small error unless the test requires it. Keep your rhythm.
Show your result
After a test on our site, you can print a certificate with your name, speed and accuracy. It is a record of a test you took in your browser, not an official certification, so use it as a supplement to the employer's own test.