Overall results (score 70)

According to Deb's test results, she would likely do well in a career as an administrative or clerical worker. Although she scored well on most scales, there are some areas that she could improve on. With a concerted effort, she could excel in this field. Overall, from a psychological point of view, she is well suited for a position in the clerical field. Read the detailed results to learn more about which areas could be improved.

Professionalism (score 72)

The manner in which Deb completes tasks depicts her level of professionalism, although there is still a little for improvement. Overall, her proficiency in this area makes it less likely that she will feel overwhelmed with the many tasks that the clerical field entails. Clerical workers are often the first line of defense in an office or other organization. They must answer phones, greet customers, and keep the office organized and running smoothly. Therefore, professionalism is required at all times. They must keep track of small details, manage their own time as well as assist others in the office, and maintain focus in the face of a myriad of distractions. Clerical workers must be able to concentrate despite having to perform what others sometimes see as mundane tasks, and perform duties as promised. Finally, professional workers understand that they must practice discretion, especially in regards to private information.

Focus (score 65)

Deb's test results indicate that she seems to have developed some tricks that help her zone in on important tasks. She is usually able to drown out the commotion around her to give her full attention to whatever it is she is doing. Considering the level of distraction and the vast number of details to consider with most clerical jobs, this is an advantage for her.

Detail Orientation (score 90)

Deb's results indicate that she is very attentive to detail. She strives to tie up all loose ends before declaring a project complete. To her, details are very important, and she makes sure to really pay attention and carefully go over her work. For clerical tasks, going beyond the minimum level of error-checking is important, as doing so is an essential part of the job. Presenting incorrect or incomplete information to the public or to colleagues can result in serious consequences.

Time Management (score 51)

Efficient workers look for ways to use shortcuts without sacrificing quality, do not procrastinate, and get their tasks done quickly yet carefully. Deb's score indicates that her time management skills are acceptable, but could still use some improvement. It would be well worth the effort to improve in this area.

Tolerance for Routine (score 50)

According to Deb's results, she is not the type of person who particularly enjoys routine work. She can handle it to a certain degree, but little to no variation in her tasks would likely bore her after a while, and perhaps even cause her to lose focus and motivation occasionally. Clerical jobs are, for the most part, fairly routine. Since her score was in the middle range, she may be able to tolerate this work environment, but it might not be ideal for her.

Dependability (score 87)

Deb's score on the Dependability scale indicates that she is usually a very reliable person. She can be counted on to live up to her word and fulfill the duties that are asked of her. As a clerical worker, she will need to take care of many responsibilities. The public, colleagues and managers all rely on clerical workers to keep things running smoothly and as such, dependability is a crucial trait in this field.

Discretion (score 88)

According to Deb's score on the Discretion scale, she recognizes that certain situations require discretion and therefore, strives to practice it. She is likely well aware that sharing private information could damage her reputation and that of the company she works for.

Emotional Stability (score 28)

Deb's score in this area indicates that her level of emotional stability may be problematic, and her performance is more likely to suffer as a result. In the course of their work, clerical workers can encounter many challenging scenarios. Heavy workloads, difficult customers, and fast-paced tasks are just a few of the challenges they might encounter. Clearly, this means that being emotionally strong is a major asset for clerical workers. Ideally, clerical workers have good control of their emotions, can calm themselves down when under stress, and stay composed when things get hectic. In addition, it is essential that they keep their cool in the face of conflict or criticism.

Comfort with Conflict and Criticism (score 26)

According to Deb's score, her emotional reaction to disagreement is generally counterproductive. She seems to become fairly defensive in response to constructive criticism and conflict. Perhaps she interprets such situations as an assault or threat to her character and as such, a common response would be to become upset. Encountering conflict and criticism is part and parcel of a professional career. What is important is to strive to stay calm, and deal with the situation objectively.

Ability to Handle Stress (score 37)

Deb appears to have some trouble keeping it together when things become stressful. Unfortunately, underdeveloped coping skills are a disadvantage in almost any job. Clerical workers, like most employees, will encounter a certain amount of stress in the course of their work, whether it involves dealing with difficult customers, heavy workloads, tight deadlines, or busy days. It would be helpful to learn more effective stress-reduction techniques that she can practice when work becomes hectic.

Emotional Control (score 22)

According to Deb's results, keeping her emotions under control appears to be a challenge for her sometimes. This could inhibit her ability to deal with difficulties at work. Even if she doesn't outwardly lose control of her emotions, internalizing negative feelings could result in additional stress, and make focusing on her work all the more difficult. It would be to her benefit to learn how to control and stabilize her emotions.

Agreeableness (score 59)

A position in the clerical field involves lots of contact with others. Members of the public, colleagues and managers all interact with these essential members of any organization. Therefore, it is essential that these individuals possess at least a certain degree of agreeableness. Ideally, clerical workers are considerate individuals, are accommodating and empathetic in order to work well with others, and can deal with conflict in a mature manner. Deb's results seem to indicate that it is generally fairly easy for her to get along with others. There may be a few occasions however, when her demeanor and social behavior could often cause friction with those she works with. Refer to the results below for information on areas that will need improvement.

Kindness (score 66)

According to Deb's results, she tries to be patient with others and cooperative when given a task. People might turn to her when they need support and encouragement because they know she would likely be willing to lend a hand. Her natural desire to help and support others will help her in a clerical position because of the necessity of social interaction in the field.

Flexibility (score 33)

Getting along with other people almost always involves cooperation. Whether it involves disagreements or the manner in which tasks are completed, clerical workers must be willing to adjust to the needs of the company and clients. Deb's tendency towards inflexibility could negatively impact her performance as a clerical worker.

Empathy (score 68)

According to Deb's results, she has little difficulty empathizing with others. Being able to sense what others are feeling from non-verbal clues and being aware of how her actions can impact other's feelings can make all the difference between smooth communication and misunderstandings. Empathy is key to maintaining positive relationships with others, and understanding their needs.

Constructive Conflict Resolution (score 14)

Resolving disagreements with others will be a challenge for Deb. She does not seem to be entirely comfortable dealing with conflict, and doesn't appear to be very willing to compromise. Being the first line of communication in a company, it is likely that she will encounter at least some conflict situations with clients and perhaps even colleagues. It is thus essential that she strives to resolve these types of issues in a mature and professional manner.

Clerical Aptitude (score 80)

Deb scored extremely well on the Clerical Aptitude section of the test and therefore, will likely require very little, if any additional training in this area. Clerical workers must be able to understand how to use office automation tools as well comprehend basic formulas, calculations and filing methods to complete certain tasks they may be given.

Proofreading Skills (score 80)

According to Deb's performance on the proofreading exercise, her skills in this area are superb. Clerical workers often need to verify very important documents in which good grammar and spelling are essential, so it is crucial to be as meticulous and accurate as possible.

Data Entry Skills (score 78)

Deb's score on the Data Entry component of this test was good. According to her results, she is generally able to accurately enter information into a database. She seems to be fairly familiar with the layout of the computer keyboard and data, and was able to complete this task at a reasonable pace.

Typing Skills (score 83)

Deb's score on the typing exercise was very good. Overall, it appears as though she has very little difficulty typing with speed and accuracy. These types of tasks are quite common in this field, so it is important that she continue to keep up her skill.

Short-term Memory Skills (score 84)

According to Deb's results on this scale, she is able to store and retrieve information, meaning that she employs excellent memorization techniques. She also seems to be very good at processing new information quickly, which could help her to solve problems involving many variables without difficulty. The short-term memory acts as a scratch pad for retrieving temporary information, such as names and numbers. Deb's ability to properly encode these in her memory means that she rarely, if ever, forgets such information.

Arithmetic (score 50)

Deb's performance on the arithmetic component of the test was satisfactory. Arithmetic is a branch of mathematics that generally deals with the application of the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of numbers. Arithmetic is a valuable skill for both everyday life and for careers requiring computation of any kind, as in the bookkeeping area of the clerical field.

Filing (score 75)

Deb's performance on the filing exercise was good. It's easy to misplace a document by putting it in the wrong place but it may not be so easy to find again. This can be very frustrating especially if the information is important and needed right away. The purpose of filing is to be able to store information in an organized and neat manner, and retrieve it easily and quickly when needed. Even though filing systems may differ from company to company, Deb would like be able to catch on fairly quickly.

Reading Comprehension (score 88)

Deb appears to be extremely good at understanding written materials, identifying the most important information and drawing appropriate conclusions based on the facts provided. Given that many of the tasks in the clerical field will require a strong comprehension of the written word, this is a great strength to have.

Graph and Chart Reading (score 91)

Deb's responses indicate that she is very capable of understanding graphs and charts, and rarely runs into difficulty. When working in the clerical field, it is important to be familiar with the structure and components of charts so that she can recognize potentially important information.

Impression Management (score 20)

This scale assesses to what degree the results on this test are distorted or manipulated. Many people will try to present themselves in a better light, especially if the stakes are high.

Test-takers' answers are compared to responses obtained from a large sample of the general population. When someone systematically selects socially desirable responses that are rarely endorsed by others, there is a good reason to believe that a positive self-presentation bias is at play. A score that is suspiciously high may indicate that a person was lying, which may invalidate the whole test.

There was little or no indication in Deb's results to suggest that she was either lying or trying to present herself in a favorable light. Therefore, her results can be seen as accurately reflecting who she is.