Tens of thousands of businesses across the nation use MS Office products. This number will continue to rise, especially since Microsoft transitioned from a traditional product purchasing model and adopted a per-user subscription model. Businesses can now access Microsoft 365 products for only a few dollars per month per employee. This scalability makes Microsoft Office applications a more viable option for small businesses with less robust technology budgets.
Due to the popularity of Microsoft Office applications among U.S. businesses, Microsoft Office proficiency is one of the most sought-after skills employers look for when screening candidates.
While there are several ways to gauge an applicant’s abilities with these productive solutions, eSkill’s Microsoft Office Suite proficiency tests are one of the most trusted. Countless employers turn to eSkill when they need to verify an applicant’s knowledge of Microsoft apps like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
What Is a Microsoft Office Proficiency Test?
A Microsoft Office proficiency test is a screening tool designed to measure an individual’s knowledge of Microsoft Office products. These skills tests include a series of questions of varying types, such as multiple select, simple select, and select all that apply.
Microsoft Office proficiency tests may cover multiple Microsoft Office applications or focus on a specific program, such as Microsoft Excel. In addition to standard question-based skills tests, eSkill offers simulation-style skills tests which require applicants to perform real-world tasks.
Users can administer eSkill’s MS Office proficiency tests through a convenient online testing portal. To assign a test to an applicant, hiring personnel only need to log into the portal. Once the test is assigned, they can easily email a login link to each applicant so that the applicants can complete their assigned skills tests.
After applicants complete their tests, hiring personnel can immediately review the results. They can access detailed reports on each candidate’s performance and determine which applicants are most proficient with the Microsoft Office software.
What Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency Tests Are Available?
eSkill offers skills tests for various generations of Microsoft Office, which is helpful if your organization uses an older version of the program. Skills tests are available for Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Additionally, eSkill offers several variations of skills tests for each iteration of products. For instance, eSkill’s testing library includes an MS Office 2019 Excel skills test and the more technical Excel Simulation and Excel Functions tests. Whereas the basic skills test covers general topics, the Functions and Simulation variants can determine whether candidates possess advanced working knowledge of the popular spreadsheet program.
Another example comprises the various Microsoft Word skills tests eSkill provides our clients. The basic version of the test measures rudimentary skills needed for entry-level clerical or administrative work. However, the intermediate and advanced Microsoft Word skills tests cover more in-depth topics. There is also a simulation skills test available for Microsoft Word.
These skills tests make eSkill the most trusted source for measuring candidates’ proficiency with Microsoft products. Employers can obtain valuable insights regarding an individual’s Microsoft applications skills and abilities.
If none of eSkill’s pre-built MS Office proficiency tests align with the needs of your business, you can create your own tests. When building a custom test, you can select from our library of hundreds of questions, each of them written by Microsoft Office experts. You can build a test that quizzes applicants on multiple MS products or a single application.
What Differentiates eSkill’s MS Office Proficiency Tests from Other Solutions?
eSkill’s MS Office proficiency tests are vetted screening tools that have been created and reviewed by subject matter experts. Verifying the efficacy of skills tests is essential for two key reasons.
First and foremost, our vetting process ensures that all skills tests measure relevant job skills. This assurance allows the tests to improve your hiring practices and help your team identify top candidates. Our proficiency skills tests provide your team with quantifiable data regarding each applicant’s MS Office skills. This quantifiability eliminates hiring issues created by discrepancies between applicants’ listed skills and their actual abilities.
Secondly, while skills tests are invaluable screening tools, they must fairly and equitably gauge a candidate’s abilities. eSkill’s creation and review processes ensure that this occurs, which helps to protect your business from the civil liability associated with unfair hiring practices. Our skills tests are designed specifically for pre-employment screening and ability measurement purposes. We construct them following Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines and established fair hiring practices.
In addition to providing clients with quality proficiency skills tests, eSkill also offers a user-friendly testing platform. With our assistance, you can effortlessly administer skills tests remotely. This remote capacity expedites the screening process while also granting your team access to relevant applicant data to guide hiring decisions.
Do you want to learn how Microsoft Office Suite proficiency tests can help you improve hiring outcomes? Contact us to request a demo.