5 Minute Typing Test
Five minutes is the length many employers and recruitment agencies use for typing tests. Type random passages for five minutes and get the WPM and accuracy figures you'd put on a job application.
Practice for a job typing test
Administrative, data entry, transcription and customer support roles often ask for a typing score, and five minutes is one of the most common test lengths. Practicing at the same length means no surprises: you'll know how your speed holds up and what accuracy you can keep for the full five minutes.
What employers usually look for
Requirements vary, but general office work commonly asks for about 40 WPM, data entry roles often 50-60 WPM, and transcription or specialist typing roles more. Accuracy matters just as much, many employers expect 95% or higher, and high speed with lots of errors rarely passes.
How to pace five minutes
Think of the test in three parts. In the first minute settle into a rhythm slightly below your top speed. In the middle three minutes keep that rhythm and protect your accuracy. In the last minute push a little only if your hands still feel relaxed. People who start at full speed tend to lose more in the second half than they gained in the first.
Before a real assessment
Practice on the kind of keyboard you will be tested on, a laptop keyboard and a full-size one feel different. Take a couple of full 5-minute tests on the days before rather than cramming on the morning itself, and warm up with a short test first. In the test, read the instructions carefully: some employers score net speed, which subtracts errors, and say how corrections are handled.