IT tests-can anyone help?

[LizzyLiz]

Hi,

My youngest has just started school and I'm job-hunting. I applied for a local authority admin-based role doing and I have been selected for testing. I'm really excited and very nervous as it's been a few years since I last worked in an office.

Anyway, the tests will be verbal reasoning, copy typing and Word, Excel and Outlook. I've got no admin/IT qualifications and all my IT skills are self-taught, trial-and-error level though I was fairly good at what I needed to do with them in my last role.

I used to use Word and I did inputting on Excel and used Outlook for email at work but haven't used any really for the past 4 years. Does anyone know what sort of things I might need to be able to do? Excel is worrying me the most because I have never set up a spreadsheet and wouldn't know how to. I think the person I spoke to said the tests were 'basic'.

Please help! Thank you

I don't know specifically, but I would expect it will be very basic stuff. Do you have these products at home to have a practice on?

With Excel, I'd think opening and closing a spreadsheet, entering some values, maybe changing the format of a column, entering a formula in a cell. Oh and sorting on one or more columns.

With Outlook - creating an email, replying and forwarding, moving them to another folder. Maybe searching emails. And probably using the Calendar - setting up an appointment on your calendar, possibly inviting other people to a meeting.

Thank you. That's exactly what I need to focus my mind!

I don't have Excel or Outlook at home but will be practising on someone else's computer before the tests.

you might be able to get text books such as excel for dummies from your local libary

Good idea! A friend is going to run me through AMuminScotland's suggestions too.

I just wanted to update this. The test was 32 questions, most fairly basic and some a bit more complex but broadly along the suggestions above; opening and naming files, print previews and selecting print options, changing fonts, numbering pages in Word, formatting and sorting columns in Excel and relying to emails and using the calendar on Outlook to arrange appointments.

I got through fine and was offered an interview!

Thanks again for replying.