Typing Tests for Employment: The Complete Recruiter’s Guide

Typing assessments are one of the most reliable ways to evaluate on‑the‑job readiness for roles that involve frequent written communication or data entry. This guide explains when to use typing tests, what to measure, and practical steps to make results actionable in your process.

When typing tests make sense

Customer support and chat‑based service
Data entry and operations
Medical/legal transcription
Administrative assistants and coordinators

What to measure

The two core metrics are words per minute (WPM) and accuracy. For most roles, accuracy should be weighted at least as highly as WPM. Track errors and time‑to‑first‑keystroke to detect second‑screening and copy‑paste attempts.

Setting fair thresholds

Calibrate to job context. A general baseline for entry‑level support roles is 40–50 WPM at 95% accuracy; specialized roles may require higher accuracy with moderate WPM. Pilot thresholds using a small candidate sample before making them hard gates.

Design principles

Use realistic, role‑specific prompts (customer service, legal, medical).
Provide 1–3 minute durations; longer tests add fatigue, not signal.
Eliminate bias by standardizing content and instructions.
Record keystrokes for transparent feedback and coaching.

Making results actionable

Combine pass criteria with coaching notes. If a candidate narrowly misses the threshold but shows consistent accuracy, consider a retake or probationary ramp plan. Share anonymized benchmarks with hiring managers to align expectations.