What typing screenings actually look like

Typing tests used in hiring come in a small number of formats. Knowing which one you will face lets you practise the right thing instead of typing random passages.

The 60-second business passage

Used by BPO, chat-support and back-office employers. A short paragraph of plain business English appears and you type it for one minute. Scored on net WPM and accuracy. The common requirement is 35 WPM with 90 percent accuracy, with chat roles often asking for 40 or more. Practise with the Office and BPO format.

The timed long passage

Used for transcription, content and administrative roles. Three to five minutes, passages with punctuation and proper nouns. The test checks whether your speed holds up and whether you handle capitals and commas without slowing down. Practise with the paragraph format.

The exam-style stamina test

Used by government clerical and data-entry-operator exams. Ten minutes at a fixed passage, often 35 WPM in English or a lower figure in a regional language. The first two minutes are easy; the test is really about minutes six to ten. Practise with the government exam format and build up to the full ten minutes over two weeks.

On the day

• Do two warm-up runs on this site before the real test. Cold fingers score lower.
• Ask whether backspace is allowed and whether errors are counted after correction.
• If the test is on an unfamiliar keyboard, spend the first thirty seconds of any practice time finding the shift and punctuation keys.

Requirements vary by employer. Treat the figures above as common patterns and check the job description for the exact number.