excel/word online tutorial

November 16, 2006 7:44 PM

My girlfriend is going for an interview where she will be tested on Microsoft Word and Excel. Is there an online tutorial where she can take some sample tests or run through some applications? We've googled a few, but they seem to stop at beginner levels and to be rather cumbersome. Just wondered if anyone had some first hand knowledge of a site to head to. Regards/p &k
posted by patrickje to computers & internet (5 comments total)

What about this?
posted by tremolo1970 at 7:47 PM on November 16, 2006

Go to AppleOne, schedule an interview (you don't need to keep the interview if you don't want). Call the branch up and tell them that you'd like to take the tests in advance of the interview if possible and ask them to set you up on whatever tests you think you're going to want to take.

I know that would be a very cumbersome way to do it, but you could have your pick of 800 tests to take.
posted by willnot at 8:14 PM on November 16, 2006

My husband used the Personal Trainer series from O’Reilly to get caught up before his new job. They look silly, but they are quite good if you want to work at it for a while.

If she wants an overview primer, try the Free Online Tutorials here, or try the sample tests here, or maybe the Microsoft Assessments.

I can tell you the type of stuff we test for in our applicants:

Word
-Able to use styles to quickly format a document
-Able to create labels and envelopes
-Knows how to mail merge using Word and Excel together
-Knows how to create and use document templates
-Knows how to insert and place tables/tables of content/figures/pictures
-Able to use the help file to figure out things they don't already know

Excel
-Able to sort and quickly format a worksheet
-Able to use filtering and advanced data sorting tools
-Knows how to use formulas
-Able to create graphics and charts from data
-Able to use the help file to figure out things you don't already know

Pretty basic, but you would be surprised at how many people write "Expert-level Office Suite User" on their resumes, and don't' know how to use styles for formatting, how to view paragraph marks, or how to filter data.

However, what she is expected to know probably depends a lot on the position. When I took Word and Excel tests right out of school, it was a bunch of automatic tests that checked how well you knew the menu/toolbars, basically. It asked you to go to a specific function, and graded you on picking the right menu, not on actually doing the work.

Good luck at the interview!
posted by gemmy at 8:30 PM on November 16, 2006 [2 favorites]

It's all about Lynda.com.
posted by JPowers at 11:33 PM on November 16, 2006

Office staffing temp companies almost always test new hires on Word and Excel. If you gf can get in for an interview before the one she already has, the test at the temp place can be a practice.

A note about the tests: you usually get a second chance at any given task on the test. If you get it right on the second chance, it shows up as correct on your overall score. Make sure she follows the test directions carefully, and if she's asked if she wants to retry a question, choose Yes - it helps your score.

Also related to reading the directions carefully: some tests do not allow you to use keyboard shortcuts, and some tests give you only one chance to choose the right drop-down menu from the toolbar. She should be able to improve her score by studying the layout of the drop-down menus - which function is under which command.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 7:03 AM on November 17, 2006