Start with the job announcement
Before choosing a test, note the required text type, time limit, minimum speed, accuracy rule, correction policy, and accepted evidence. If an item is missing, ask the hiring organisation. A reference to “40 WPM” alone does not tell you how errors are counted or whether a practice certificate is accepted.
A specific US federal example
The US Office of Personnel Management’s General Schedule qualification standards include a typing proficiency requirement of 40 words per minute on a five-minute sample with no more than three errors for the relevant positions. This is a scoped US federal example, not a minimum for all clerical jobs. Check the current standard and your announcement together.
TypingNova’s keystroke accuracy percentage is not the same as an agency’s permitted-error rule. A percentage from this site cannot establish that you met that rule. See our scoring method before comparing numbers.
Turn the instructions into practice
- If the task is five-minute prose, start the five-minute English test.
- If it involves transferring records into forms, use structured record practice.
- If it names a numeric keypad, use the 10-key exercise.
- Review errors, practise one category, and repeat the same format and duration.
Check certificate acceptance before paying
An announcement may require an approved or supervised provider. TypingNova’s optional certificate is an unproctored practice record: identity and testing conditions are not independently verified. It is not a civil service typing certificate. Its verification link confirms a record issued by TypingNova, not agency acceptance.
What to record in your preparation notes
Keep the announcement link, assessment name, date checked, duration, and exact scoring description together. Alongside your practice speed, record accuracy, material, and keyboard used. This makes a later comparison more useful than a single unexplained WPM number.