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Pre-Employment Testing of Clerical/Administrative Support Candidates

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Reviewed Date: May 16, 2017

Original Author: 
Stokes, Richard
Date Created: 
Aug 16, 2012


Subjects:
Personnel--Selection and recruitment--Tests
Personnel--Surveys
Personnel--Testing

Pre-Employment Testing of Clerical/Administrative Support Candidates

Summary: 
Fourteen cities were asked questions about their pre-employment testing of clerical/administrative support candidates.

Knowledgebase-Pre-Employment Testing of Clerical/Administrative Support Candidates

CLERICAL / ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TESTING SURVEY

1. Does your organization conduct pre-employment test as part of your selection process for clerical/administrative support candidates?

City/Agency
Yes/No
Brentwood
No
Jackson
No
Hendersonville
Yes
Knoxville
Yes
White House
Yes
Athens
Yes
Farragut
Yes
Chattanooga
Yes
Martin
No
Columbia
Yes
Lawrenceburg
Yes
Sevierville
No
Tullahoma
No
Pigeon Forge
Yes


If no, please briefly explain why not?

City/Agency
Why Not
Brentwood
Use prior experience and reference checks
Tullahoma
Small clerical staff and no significant turnover. Would be interested in survey results to consider testing for future openings.


If yes, please respond to the following:

City/
Organization
Job Title(s)
Test(s) Administered
Minimum Score(s) Required
Knoxville Office Assistant I & II Written Exam & Typing Exam 70% correct on written; 35 wpm typing
Principle Secretary Written Exam & Typing Exam 70% correct on written; 35 wpm typing
Data Entry Operator Written Exam & Typing Exam 70% correct on written; 35 wpm typing
City Court Assistant Written Exam & Typing Exam 70% correct on written; 35 wpm typing
White House Billing Clerk Grammar, Computations, spreadsheets, computer usage
Police Clerk Grammar, Computations, spreadsheets, computer usage
Secretary Grammar, Computations, spreadsheets, computer usage
Athens Department Secretaries Microsoft Word, Excel, Customer Service 70
CM Admin Asst. Microsoft Word, Excel, Customer Service 70
Farragut Admin Assistant Word, Excel, PowerPoint No minimum; Score is used as one part of total interview score
Chattanooga Admin Support Specialist Clerical written; keyboarding 40 WPM keyboarding w/90% accuracy
Admin Support Assistant 1 & 2 Clerical written; keyboarding 40 WPM keyboarding w/90% accuracy
Customer Service Representative 1 Data Entry 4500 KPH; 90% accuracy
Tax Specialist 1 & 2 Data Entry 4500 KPH; 90% accuracy
Accounting Technician 1 Acct Principles written; data entry 4500 KPH; 90% accuracy
Payroll Assistant 1 Clerical written; data entry 4500 KPH; 90% accuracy
Court Operations Asst. Clerical written; data entry and keyboarding 4500 KPH; 90% accuracy
Personnel Asst. Clerical written; data entry and keyboarding 4500 KPH; 90% accuracy
Columbia Administrative Secretary Grammar, Spelling, Math, Microsoft Office 70%
Police Records Clerk Grammar, Spelling, Math, Microsoft Office 70%
Accounting Clerk Grammar, Spelling, Math, Microsoft Office 70%
Executive Secretary Grammar, Spelling, Math, Microsoft Office 70%
Court Clerk Grammar, Spelling, Math, Microsoft Office 70%
Lawrenceburg Admin Assistant National Career Readiness Certificate,
Typing Test for Speed, Word & Excel Proficiency		 75 – 100

25 WPM
70 – 100
Pigeon Forge All Clerical Typing, Computer Usage (Memo’s, Memorandums, and letters Depend on Dept and type of testing being done


2. Who administers the above test(s)? (check one)

City/Organizations
Staff
Outsource Agency
 Others
Hendersonville
Yes
Yes
Knoxville
Yes
White House
Yes
Athens
Yes
Farragut
Yes
Chattanooga
Yes
Columbia
Yes
Lawrenceburg
Yes
Pigeon Forge
Yes
Yes


3. Does your organization create a qualified candidates’ pool list from your clerical/administrative support test results?

City/Organization
Yes/No
Hendersonville
Yes
Knoxville
Yes
White House
No
Athens
Yes
Farragut
No
Chattanooga
Yes
Columbia
Yes
Lawrenceburg
Yes
Pigeon Forge
No


Additional Comments

City/Organization Additional Comments
Hendersonville We use job specific testing. It may be drafting a letter that relates to that function; preparing bank deposits; excel spreadsheets….whatever is actually done on the job. We use typing tests and base those scores on nature of the work.
Farragut We only test applicants who are interviewed
Chattanooga Also test Permit Clerk, keyboarding test only, passing same as above
Lawrenceburg We have Admin Asst. in every department but have not hired anyone in a very long time. These answers reflect how we intend to hire in the future


Contact Information:

Contact Person City Name Phone Number Population No. FT Employees
Mike Worsham Brentwood 615.371.0060 35,000 250
Lynn B. Henning Jackson 731.425.8252 65,000 671
Kaye Palmer Hendersonville 615.264.5314 50,000 300
Matthew Bradburn Knoxville 865.215.3052 178,874 1550
Cheryl Lewis Smith White House 615.616.1008 10,000 90
Rita Brown Athens 423.744.2703 13,458 108
Janet Curry Farragut 865.966.7057 21,000 46
Susan Dubose Chattanooga 423.757.4856 170,136 2280
Celeste Taylor Martin 731.587.3126 11,515 147
Connie Etzkin Columbia 931.560.1565 34,681 387
Doug Edwards Lawrenceburg 931.762.4459X222 15,000 126
Kristi Inman Sevierville 865.868.0908 11,757 275
Casta Brice Tullahoma 931.455.2648 18,655 142
Kathy Valentine Pigeon Forge 865.429.7307 5,875 260


Thank you for your sharing your time, knowledge, and information.

Attachment(s):
PDF icon Survey Results - CLERICAL test survey 2012.pdf

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MTAS letters and publications were written based upon the law at the time and/or a specific sets of facts. The laws referenced in the letters and publications may have changed and/or the technical advice provided may not be applicable to your city or circumstances. Always consult with your city attorney or an MTAS consultant before taking any action based on information contained in this database.