Typing Speed for Administrative Assistants

Why speed matters for a administrative assistant

Typing is not the job, but it is the medium of most of the job. Minutes taken during a meeting, correspondence drafted between calls, notes written while someone is still speaking — all of it is bounded by how fast you can commit words without looking down. Sixty words per minute is the threshold that appears most often in listings, which is why it is worth clearing rather than approaching.

What the typing actually looks like

Continuous prose, heavy on ordinary business vocabulary, punctuation and capitalisation. Shift usage matters more here than in numeric work, and so does the comfort of long unbroken passages.

Proving it to an employer

A number on a CV is a claim. TypeCred’s evaluation is invigilated in the browser — pasting is blocked, the window must stay in focus, and the keystroke stream is checked for machine-generated timing — and it issues a signed PDF whose QR code resolves to a page that detects any edit to the name, speed or date. That is something a recruiter can check in a few seconds without taking your word for it.

Common questions

What typing speed do administrative assistants need?

Listings most often ask for 60 WPM, with the broader range running from about 50 to 65. Accuracy is usually expected to be high but is less often stated as a number.

How do I prove my typing speed on a CV?

State the figure and make it checkable. A self-reported number carries little weight on its own; a certificate with a verification link lets a recruiter confirm it in a few seconds, which is the difference between a claim and evidence.

Requirements for other roles

• Data Entry Jobs45–60
• Medical Transcription65–90
• Customer Service and Live Chat40–60
• Virtual Assistants50–70
• Legal Secretaries55–75