What do they mean when they say they are going to test your abilities using MS Office

[NZMama]

Okay so Ive applied for a job and it sounds perfect. Very similar to my last role, which btw was 4 years ago
Its via an agency hiring on behalf of a company.
So they ask me if I have had testing done before? Erm no!
She tells me that they will have a test which will test my typing speed and ability to use MS Office. Which is fine because I am pretty proficient at both. However Im a perfectionist and want to be able to prep in some way shape or form for this test. BUT I have no idea of what would be tested and how.
Can anyone help me please?!?! I need to prep before 12 which is when I will be sitting on the train heading into the city......

SOS Guys!

[Milliner]

When I applied for my position a few years ago it was via an agency and I had to go to their office and do some tests.

They do a basic typing speed test you can practice this on the net, just do a google search. They will also test on word, excel, powerpoint and outlook. They normally have test's set up. For eg questions like format this cell to currency ect the questions do get harder as the test goes on. You should get the results at the end of the tests. Try a google search and see if there is one one line that you can practice on. I would just practice formatting ect on all programs to refresh your memory.

Good luck with it!!!

[NZMama]

Thank you soooo much for replying. Im so nervous and wondering if I can remember all the little tricks that the software programs have and how deep a knowledge they expect from me with things like Excel etc

Thats eased my nerves a little.
Is the test very hard at all? How did you go?

[sueliz]

I used to work in a recruitment agency and set people up on these tests. Basically they are tests which will ask you to perform tasks in certain areas of MS Office - eg on Word they might ask you to set up a mail merge, do a table, start a new document, edit a document and so on and so forth.
Some of the tasks are harder then others as the entire test will be testing you on a beginner's, intermediate and expert level to see your approx level of compentency on these tests.
I agree that you have a look through your programmes and refresh your memory - check out the tool bars and so on and maybe even phone the agency to make sure the package they use is the same as what you may have on your computer.

[tootiredtosleep]

I had to do some testing not long ago and it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I though it would be.
The tests are normally only one small part of getting the job.
You'll be surprised how it all just comes back to you when you need it to!

[EskimoMumma]

Yup, thats basically all they do NzMama so nothing to worry up

Good luck today!!!!!

[NZMama]

Thanks for all the info and support guys!
Im probably worrying for no good reason. I just dont like walking in knowing Im going to be tested and not having done some sort of preparation.
The interview part dosnt worry me but the thought of a test does.
The tests will be based on Word, Excel and Powerpoint.
I will be spending the next hour just having a nosy through the programs and tool bars refreshing myself with them.

Again thanks alot

[sueliz]

I know how you feel! I always get nervous doing any form of 'testing'! Even those psych profile tests that some comanies do make me nervous - I think it's just me not liking anything that reminds me of exam conditions!
Good luck with the tests

[NZMama]

Haha thats exactly how Im feeling at the moment....like Im back in Uni preparing for exams....urgh!
My typing is soo off this morning.....no pressure! lol

[NZMama]

Hi, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who replied to my thread. It was good to get an idea of what the test was going to be about.

I actually did okay in it although my nerves got the best of me when I first started...it def effected my typing speed test.
Final results were 70% in xcel, 90% in word....50wpm and 99% accuracy in typing.
So was relatively happy with that