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Excel Testing for Employment

Excel is the most commonly used business analysis program on the market today. 81% of organizations use Excel, so it’s critically important that your job applicants have solid Excel knowledge. They won’t be able to function effectively with customers and co-workers if they don’t have those skills.

We offer these Pre Employment Excel tests:

  • Excel Beginner
  • Excel Intermediate
  • Excel Advanced

Try a Free Sample Test

TARGET JOBS

Admin Support
Sales/Customer Service
Accounting and Finance
Managers

QUESTION TYPE

Interactive Excel tasks that simulate an Excel program

DIFFICULTY

Basic, Intermediate, & Advanced

ADMINISTRATION TIME

25 minutes (estimated)

Excel tools to know

There are literally hundreds of Excel tools in the program, including 475+ formulas and functions, multiple charts and graphs (bar, scatter, pie and many more) plus editing and formatting tools.

Some are simple to use (Print, Bold, etc). But most features of the program require prior job experience or prior training to know. Even creating simple graphs can be challenging, if you don’t know how to do it.

That’s why, even though Excel tests have been overlooked in the past, they should be a standard part of any hiring process for most jobs.

Try a Free Sample Test

 

One tiny error = One Big Mess

One simple Excel error can cost your company thousands of dollars. If the wrong formula is entered, reports will show incorrect information, which can impact your business decisions. Wrong price quotes = lost customers.

Things can go bad quickly if your employees are making Excel errors. That’s why it’s important for your new employees to have solid Excel skills when they are hired. They need to be productive on Day 1.

Interested in learning more? We discuss the importance of Excel tests in more detail on our blog.

Pre-employment tests for job interviews

About Our Employment Excel Test

Our Excel exam for employment measure job applicants on the most common uses of Excel. The tests cover everything from Excel basics to advanced skills and you can pick which level you want, based on the needs of your job. The Excel questions require the user to perform the desired task in the simulated Excel worksheet. The user answers questions using the toolbars, shortcut keys or menus, whichever method they know best, where applicable.

The tests are available in Excel 365 (2019), 2016, and earlier versions. The test taker doesn’t need Excel installed on their computer. Our tests work in a regular web browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox).

We also have dozens of other pre-employment tests, including attention to detail tests, cognitive tests and other Microsoft Office tests (Word test, Outlook test) and basic skills tests.

Try a Free Sample Test See Pricing

Pre-employment tests for job applicants

Excel test topics & reports

  • Formatting – Borders, Columns, Paper Size and more
  • Editing – Insert Rows, Find/Replace, Undo and more
  • Functions – Pivot Tables, Autosum and more
  • Tools – Protecting Cells, Ranges, Zoom and more
  • Charts & Graphs – Creating, Using Different Types, and more

See Excel Topic Lists

View Sample Excel Score Report

 

Pre-employment tests for skills

Employment Excel test levels

The most commonly used Excel skills test is our “Intermediate” level, which gives an overall “snapshot” of Excel skills.

The Beginner Excel test includes basic editing and formatting tasks. The Advanced Excel test has questions on pivot tables, advanced customization, data validation and advanced charts.

While important, Advanced is less often used than Beginner or Intermediate level. You can use any level you need, as your job openings change.

We can customize tests to meet the exact requirements for the job (minimums may apply) and we have timed versions too.

Try a Free Sample Test

Pre-employment tests for job interviews

How Our Pre Employment Excel Test Help to Avoid Bias

Using pre-employment tests, such as the Microsoft Excel test, is one way to avoid bias in the hiring process. Bias can be conscious or unconscious and recruiters may not be aware that they have them.

Using research-based, validated pre-hire tests reduces bias that may come from work or educational experience.

Pre-employment tests for Excel skills
EmployTest FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Excel exam for employment

What kind of questions are on the excel exam for employment?

The Excel exam for employment includes questions on formatting, functions, managing data with pivot tables, generating charts, and using advanced features. These questions assess both basic and advanced Excel skills relevant to the job.

How to test job candidates for Microsoft excel proficiency?

Test job candidates for Microsoft Excel proficiency by using practical assessments that simulate real-world tasks. Include exercises on data manipulation, formula creation, pivot tables, and chart generation. These simulation based tests are preferred over multiple-choice questions on Excel functionalities, where the job candidate can guess among the answers.

How to help an employee with their microsoft excel skills?

To help an employee with their Microsoft Excel skills, offer advanced training sessions and provide access to online tutorials and resources, including free resources like YouTube. Encourage hands-on practice with real-world tasks and create opportunities for applying new skills in daily work. Making continuous learning a priority, along with practical application of the tutorials, will significantly enhance their Excel proficiency.

Why are Microsoft excel skills important for business?

Strong Excel skills are crucial for businesses because they help employees to efficiently analyze datasets, automate tasks, and produce data-driven insights. Proficiency in Excel supports financial forecasting, budgeting, and reporting, which makes decision-making easier.

Which Microsoft excel skills should business prioritize when hiring?

Businesses should prioritize Microsoft Excel skills such as proficiency with formatting, formulas and functions, data analysis, and pivot tables. Job candidates should also be skilled at creating and formatting charts, managing large datasets, and using advanced features like VLOOKUP, INDEX-MATCH, and conditional formatting. These skills ensure that employees can efficiently analyze data, generate reports, and make informed business decisions.

How do Excel skills tests benefit businesses in evaluating candidates?

Excel skills tests benefit businesses by providing a clear, objective measure of a candidate’s ability to perform the essentials within Excel. This shows that new hires can handle the Excel based parts of their roles efficiently, reducing onboarding time and increasing productivity.

Excel testing for employment

How are the excel testing for employment measured?

Excel testing for employment is measured by evaluating job candidates’ skills in tasks involving formatting, data manipulation, formula creation, and chart generation. The assessment score reflects effectiveness and efficiency in completing these tasks. Candidates are scored based on their ability to use Excel features effectively within a set timeframe, which shows a comprehensive measure of their proficiency.

Employment excel test

How does employment excel test help businesses ensure quality?

An employment Excel test ensures quality by verifying job candidates’ ability to perform essential Excel tasks accurately and efficiently. Strong knowledge of Excel will help employees manage data, reduce errors and improve effectiveness of data-driven decisions.

Excel assessment test for job

Why do businesses use excel assessment tests for job hiring?

Businesses use Excel skills tests in hiring to make sure candidates have the ability to use Excel effectively. These tests help identify candidates who can be productive from day one, which reduces the cost and time associated with additional training.

Pre-employment excel test

What is a pre-employment excel test?

A pre-employment Excel test evaluates job candidates’ proficiency with Microsoft Excel, focusing on their ability to use its features for formatting, analysis, and reporting. This Excel assessment test for job applicants helps employers determine if the job candidates have the skills to perform tasks efficiently and accurately in a workplace setting.

How do pre-employment tests assess candidates' Microsoft excel skills?

Pre-employment tests assess candidates’ Microsoft Excel skills through practical simulation based questions. Practical tasks simulate real-world scenarios, using an interactive Excel test, which requires knowledge of formatting data analysis, formula use, and chart creation. This provides a thorough summary of Excel skills.

What specific Microsoft excel skills are covered in your pre-employment tests?

Our pre-employment tests cover essential Excel skills, including formatting, formulas, data analysis with pivot tables, and generating charts. These tests ensure that job candidates possess a broad and deep understanding of Excel functionalities that are relevant to your company’s needs.

Why is your pre-employment test valuable for assessing Microsoft excel skills in candidates?

Our pre-employment test is valuable because it ensures job candidates have the necessary Excel skills for effective data management and analysis, before you make hiring decisions. By assessing both basic and advanced Excel functions, the test helps identify candidates who can perform complex tasks accurately and efficiently, reducing training time and improving overall productivity, to help you avoid a hiring mistake.

How can your pre-employment assessment ensure candidates meet our microsoft excel skills requirements?

Our pre-employment assessment ensures candidates meet your Microsoft Excel skills requirements by providing detailed performance reports on their ability to use the Excel program.. These reports highlight candidates’ strengths and areas for improvement, enabling you to identify those who can effectively use Excel for your specific business tasks. This targeted Excel assessment test for job candidates helps in selecting the most qualified candidates.

Why should businesses prioritize Microsoft excel skills in pre-employment tests?

Microsoft Excel skills are essential for data management, analysis, and reporting, which are key to making correct business decisions and operating efficiently. By prioritizing these skills in pre-employment tests, businesses can ensure that new hires are capable of handling complex data tasks, leading to improved productivity and reduced training time.