Typing Speed on Your CV: A UK Guide to WPM

Put your typing speed on your CV only when the job asks for it or clearly depends on it, and state it precisely: net words per minute, accuracy and when you took the test, for example "Typing: 52 wpm net, 97% accuracy (5-minute test, September 2026)". Use a recent result you can repeat under pressure, because many employers test you at interview. If the advert asks for a speed you don't reach yet, a few weeks of short daily practice can make a real difference, but there is no shortcut to accuracy. This guide is written for UK job seekers, school leavers and apprentices.

Which UK jobs ask for a typing speed?

For most jobs, employers want general IT skills rather than a number. Typing speed becomes a stated requirement in roles where a large share of the day is spent producing text or keying data, and even then the figure is set by each employer in each advert.

Legal work is the clearest example. The National Careers Service profile for a legal secretary says some employers look for 50 words a minute or higher, that all employers value accuracy and that you may be tested as part of an interview task. Courts set their own figures too: a recent HM Courts & Tribunals Service advert for a Clerk to HM Judges asked for an accurate typing speed of at least 35 wpm, tested at the assessment day.

In healthcare, audio typing is the key skill. NHS Health Careers describes the medical secretary role as needing excellent keyboard skills and notes that employers may ask for typing or word processing qualifications. Individual trusts can be more specific; a 2026 NHS advert for a senior medical secretary in King's Lynn, for example, asked for proficient and accurate audio typing at a minimum of 60 wpm, or RSA Level III or equivalent.

Data entry adverts often care as much about the numeric keys and accuracy as about raw speed. Customer service, reception and general admin adverts, on the other hand, more often ask for "good IT skills" or "accurate keyboard skills" without any number, with word processing and spreadsheet skills mattering more than a speed. Adverts change constantly, so always read the one you are applying for.

What about the Civil Service?

We have not found a single published typing speed that applies across UK Civil Service jobs. Where a speed is needed, it is set in the individual advert, as in the court clerk example above. Be wary of websites that quote one fixed figure for all government jobs, and treat the advert you are applying for as the only reliable requirement.

How should you state your typing speed on a CV?

A number on its own invites doubt; a number with context shows you understand what employers measure. Start with net speed. Most typing tests count a "word" as five characters, including spaces, so that results are comparable across texts. Gross WPM counts everything you typed, while net WPM subtracts errors, and employers care about net speed because uncorrected mistakes have to be fixed later. If your test only shows gross speed, say so, or use a test that reports net speed.

Always add accuracy, which is often more important than speed. A line such as "60 wpm, 89% accuracy" can do you more harm than "48 wpm, 98% accuracy". Then give the test length and the month you took it: a one-minute burst is easier than a five-minute test, and stating both shows the result is recent and realistic. The difference between a weak line and a strong one looks like this:

"Fast typist" becomes "Touch typist: 55 wpm net, 98% accuracy (5-minute test, September 2026)".
"Typing: 80 wpm" becomes "Typing: 62 wpm net, 96% accuracy (3-minute copy typing test, August 2026)".
"Good with computers" becomes "Microsoft Word and Excel; audio typing; 45 wpm net, 97% accuracy".

Put the line in your skills section, close to related software skills. The National Careers Service advice on how to write a CV recommends tailoring your CV to the skills the employer asks for, so if the advert names a speed, make your figure easy to spot. For typing-heavy roles you can also mention it in your cover letter and, briefly, in your personal profile.

Finally, don't round up. Quote a speed you can reach on a normal day, not your best ever result. If the employer tests you and you fall well short of your CV, it undermines everything else you have written.

Will an employer test your typing?

Often, yes. Many employers in admin, legal and medical work check typing speed as part of selection, and recruitment agencies frequently run their own tests. The most common format is copy typing, where you retype a printed or on-screen passage for a fixed time. Medical and legal secretaries are often given audio typing instead, typing from a recording, while data entry tests ask you to key names, numbers and codes into a form, where accuracy and the numeric keys matter most.

You may have to use an unfamiliar keyboard, and spell check may be switched off. Practise on a similar setup and without autocorrect so the test holds no surprises. Our guide to the admin typing test in the UK covers what employers check in more detail.

How can you improve your typing speed in four weeks?

Four weeks of short daily practice is enough to make a noticeable difference for many people, especially if you already type with several fingers. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes a day, split into two sessions if that is easier.

Week	Focus	What to do
1	Baseline and technique	Take a 3-minute typing test or a 5-minute one and record net WPM and accuracy. Learn or refresh the home row and finger positions. Slow down until you stop looking at the keys.
2	Accuracy	Drill the letters and words you get wrong most. Do not chase speed yet; aim for 96% accuracy or better on every exercise.
3	Speed with control	Push your pace in short bursts, then return to normal speed. Add numbers and punctuation if the job involves data entry.
4	Test conditions	Practise the format the employer uses (copy, audio or data entry) and take a full-length test every other day. Record your best typical result for your CV.

If you are starting from two-finger typing, expect the first week to feel slower than your old habit; that dip is normal and usually passes once your fingers learn the home row. For more ideas, see our 10 tips to improve typing speed.

Where Kluppy fits

Kluppy is one option for practice. It works in the browser with nothing to install and no adverts. The free typing test needs no sign-up, so it is a quick way to get your baseline. A free account covers the finger-placement level and levels 1 to 7 of the course with no card required (see the free typing course), and paid plans from level 8 add AI-generated exercises built from your own errors. Prices in pounds are on our pricing page.

If you want a record of a result to share, Kluppy's typing speed certificate is verifiable, so anyone can check it is genuine. It records one test result; each employer decides what evidence it relies on, and many will still ask you to sit their own test.

Frequently asked questions

Should I put typing speed on my CV if the job doesn't ask for it?

Only if it is relevant and strong. For admin, data entry, secretarial and transcription work it helps. For jobs where typing is a small part of the role, a line such as "touch typist" in your skills section is enough.

What is a good typing speed for a UK admin job?

There is no single figure. The examples in this guide range from about 35 wpm for some clerical roles to 60 wpm or more for some secretarial roles. Use the speed in the advert as your target and aim a little above it, because an unfamiliar keyboard and test nerves can pull your score down.

Can I quote a result from an online typing test?

Yes, as long as it is honest: give net WPM, accuracy, test length and date. Be ready to repeat the result if the employer tests you.

Will employers take an online typing certificate into account?

It depends on the employer. Some may consider a verifiable record as supporting evidence, while others rely only on their own test. Check the advert or ask the recruiter.