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Anyone taken a typing test for other than MT work? - tiredhands

Posted: Jun 30, 2010

Well, I finally got an interview for a job...not totally thrilled as it's with a temp agency but it is an "open to permanent" position as a medical administrative assistance.

I'm worried about taking the typing test! With all my shorthands, I have them ingrained in my brain and I'm afraid I'll flub up and want to make shortcuts when I need to be worried about my timing on the test.

Has anyone taken a test for something other than an MT position and did okay??

Suggestion - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
Focus on typing LETTERS, not words. Don't "read" the text you are typing . . . there is no need to do that. Just type the letters.

The typing test isn't going to require "improving" the material--just creating an exact copy of it. Every deviation will be marked wrong. So, you have to copy it letter for letter.

If you are typing "The quick brown fox . . ." you should think "Capital T" and hit shift-t, "h" and hit h, "e" and hit e, "space" and hit space, "q" and hit q, etc.

This will eliminate any tendency you have to use your shorthand because you won't hear anything in your head to trigger it. You'll just type letters.

There is one school of thought in teaching typing that has students hearing a word and typing a word, then eventually hearing phrases and typing entire phrases. This was thought to be faster, but it isn't. It's the method that gets you the most errors, in fact, and it limits your speed.

The better way is to type letter by letter. Back in the days of champion speed typists, that was what they did. They don't even hear what they are typing, and "understanding" the material doesn't matter.

One excellent typing tutor, the Cortez Peters series, employs typing drills that do not make sense in English so that you cannot try to make sense out of it. You're forced to type letter by letter.

Also concentrate on typing as slowly as possible so that you make NO TYPOS. On the typing test, typos may be penalized heavily. The software they use might not allow you to back up and correct, but it's always faster if you do not make a single error that you have to fix, regardless of how easy you think it is to fix them.

You might practice this before the test. Chances are very good that you will be able to type faster than they require. Concentrate on typing error-free text that exactly duplicates the sample. Even if you do not like the way the sample is written, COPY IT EXACTLY.

Exceeding their "expected speed" might not win you any brownie points, especially if you exceed the speed of the HR person or supervisor. I typed 90 on a test once and didn't get the job. They made me do the test over to prove that I hadn't cheated, and then they suggested the job would be too basic for someone of my extreme ability, so let that be a warning to you.

Most MTs can blow everyone else away while still typing "slowly" (to them!), so keep in mind that your speed "clock" is set too high. Practice typing slowly enough that you make no errors AND that you do not exceed reasonable speeds of 60 or 70 wpm.

Redpen
The Andrews School

This may sound nuts BUT... - Hayseed

[ In Reply To ..]
If you do "FaceBook", there are actually typing quizzes, contests, games and such that are awesome free practice tools. One called "Typing Race" comes to mind. It'll help you not only re-learn to type old school, but it will pit you against other people and that pressure you experience will be something you can learn to deal with (maybe anyway!). Good luck!

thank you redpen and hayseed, really great advice - tiredhands

[ In Reply To ..]
and just what I needed...wish I had more time to practice before tomorrow's appointment!!

When ARE you gonna write the book "Bales of Wisdom...sm - Goollllly!

[ In Reply To ..]
From Hayseed" - ????? I'm always so impressed with your pearls of knowledge! Glad to see you back!!!

free typing games - MarineMom

[ In Reply To ..]
http://www.freetypinggame.net

I did well - tiredhands

[ In Reply To ..]
not as fast as I would have liked, but I went a bit slowly so I would be accurate. I preferred accuracy over speed. I also had a blinding headache this morning, figures.

Anyhow, this was for a position as a medical administrative assistant for a university pediatrics research department. Pays well, good benefits...they said I would be a great fit..I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

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