The things that I like in the test is that I can practice my reading comprehension in just 15 minutes.
Clerical Aptitude Tests
Clerical aptitude tests evaluate the skill level of candidates applying for clerical or administrative jobs. The skills assessed within these tests include verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, error checking, data filing and document management skills.
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Typical format & structure of clerical tests
Clerical aptitude tests incorporate numerous test types, since clerical jobs encompass a wide range of tasks and therefore require a number of different proficiency sections.
A typical test is 30–35 minutes long and is separated into short sections, usually around 2–3 minutes for each. Sections like verbal reasoning skills and data filing can be longer (perhaps 5–7 minutes).
Some employers prefer to use swift tests, which generally take fewer than 30 minutes to complete. As such, try to find out ahead of time the type of test you’ll be given.
SHL provides a clerical aptitude test known as the Personnel Test Battery, which sounds much worse than it really is. There are 12 tests in this category that assess the main skills needed in clerical and administrative work:
- Processing basic work correspondence
- Understanding written information
- Basic reasoning skills
- Straightforward calculation
- Proofreading
- Data checking
- Handling multiple sources of information and filing them correctly
PTBs are around 18 minutes long, which means that they don’t take up too much time, but the time restriction can difficult.
Generally, a combined score of 70% is the pass level for employers, though it can vary.

Within two hours of practice I have improved my score from 50% correct to 88%.Joseph used Practice Aptitude Tests to improve his numerical reasoning scores. Start your success story
Clerical Aptitude Tests Tips
1Read the questions thoroughly
Don’t let yourself be caught out by the wording or skip over an important step. You might feel pressured by the time restriction to rush, but being accurate and thorough is more important.
2Strategise
Through practice, you should be able to understand the test structure and where your strengths and weaknesses lie in taking it. Gather all the information you can in order to improve your performance – which questions do you answer the fastest? Which ones take you more time? Where do you tend to make mistakes? Make a mental plan of action so you can work through the questions most efficiently for you.
3Stay disciplined
Don’t let the stress get to you on the day and throw off the work you’ve done to prepare. Once you have your strategy worked out, stick to it. You understand how you work, so the way to do your best is to stay disciplined and trust your technique.
4Double-check your answers
When practicing, try to build in time to go through your answers at the end of the test. This can provide a crucial opportunity to spot any errors and make sure you've answered all the questions. Since many aspects of clerical aptitude tests are based on comprehension and analysing data, coming back to questions can give you the time you need to process and come to the right answer.
5Take the test with confidence
Any test can be a stressful event, but being confident in your skills and abilities can really impact on your performance. Trust your knowledge and attempt all the questions – even ones that initially seem most difficult. The best way to build confidence in your test-taking abilities is to practice, so the more you can do, the better you’ll feel.
Clerical Aptitude Video Tutorials
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Clerical Aptitude 01
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Clerical Aptitude 02
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Clerical Aptitude 03
20 Questions|20 Minutes
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Reviews of our Clerical Aptitude tests
What our customers say about our Clerical Aptitude tests
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Al Javier R. Morales
Philippines
April 26, 2023
Good reading comprehension questions
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Guzman Family
United States of America
September 16, 2022
I like being able to practice test!
I like that I am able to practice taking clerical tests, and I enjoy the fact that it is timed so I can really try my best to focus!
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Siamlalven
India
April 29, 2022
My aptitude in the clerical field and whether I'm well versed with its requirements.
The test was easy to comprehend and I was able to complete it smoothly. The questions were direct and I didn't face much difficulty as I had initially thought I would.
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Bethy George
India
March 28, 2022
Patience and quick-thinking are the most important qualities of a clerk
It was a very interesting test incorporating clerical works of wide-ranging fields. While providing knowledge of ways to deal with customers, it also provided knowledge on how we as customers are being lured into buying things by the tactics used in marketing.
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SARAH NICOLLETE
Kenya
March 17, 2022
Good Test Questions
I like the test as it ensures I use my critical thinking ability to answer some questions and also the questions apply to my daily life.
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Siyamthanda Ngece
South Africa
March 16, 2022
Clerical Aptitude Test
It is not that difficult – however, when one is tested on a timer, it takes longer to complete the test. Overall, it's a great test practice.
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Yvonne Njeri
Kenya
March 07, 2022
It was challenging
I like that it was challenging to reason logically from the passage to get the answers. Great.
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Roxe Lazaro
Northern Mariana Islands
February 23, 2022
First assessment trial test
As it's my first time, I don't have any idea. It's just very informative as it explains the answers.
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whitney estrada
United States of America
February 14, 2022
Not what I expected
Not what I expected for a clerical aptitude test. I would think the test includes less reading comprehension and more computer navigation skills assessment.
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Nancy Aguirre
United States of America
February 01, 2022
Made me think
I really liked this test. I couldn't rush through it. I had to go back and reference the original story for every question. Not too time consuming either. Good prompts used throughout. This is a good sample test for anyone interested in practicing for a clerical exam.