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Click to see a demonstration of the Email Section of the Valpar Clerical Work Sample

Purpose: To assess a variety of clerical work skills, including those required in mail sorting, filing, telephone answering, computer operation and bookkeeping. The work sample simulates sedentary and light work and makes the following physical demands upon the evaluee: reaching, handling, fingering, hearing, near acuity, depth perception, and accommodation. General learning ability, verbal aptitude, numerical aptitude, clerical perception, motor coordination, finger dexterity, and manual dexterity are called for to perform the work sample exercises at a competitive level.

The work sample elicits information on several work-related characteristics, including the ability to follow instructions, concentration skills, communication skills, decision-making skills, and self-confidence, among others.

Design: Hands-on work sample in two main sections with six exercises. Work sample sections may be administered independently. Internet and power for the computer is required.

Special Features: Scores may be interpreted against criterion-referenced standards or locally developed norms. The work sample is appropriate for use with disabled or nondisabled persons.

Information Collected: The exercises of the work sample have been analyzed according to U.S. Department of Labor job analysis techniques. The analyses resulted in four lists of rated DOL work-related abilities and other factors that are required for successful exercise performance, called the Worker Qualifications Profiles or WQPs.

Valpar uses Methods-Time Measurement (MTM) to establish industrial work rate standards for the work sample exercises. For two of the exercises, learning curve adjusted error and work rate (in seconds) scores are used to determine whether the evaluee has demonstrated the WQPs. Unadjusted MTM standards are also provided to analyze single and multiple administrations of the exercises.

Procedures: In their standard format, the work sample exercises take approximately 40 minutes to administer.

The Mail Sorting exercise is the first of the three exercises of the General Clerical section and simulates the job of sorting office mail into designated mail boxes. The evaluee reads the names and titles of addressees on 100 cards and sorts them as appropriate.

The second exercise of the General Clerical section is Alphabetical Filing. This exercise requires the evaluee to file 100 addressed cards into a file box alphabetically.

The third exercise of the General Clerical section is the Telephone Answering exercise, which is administered simultaneously with the first two exercises. A MP3 File plays on the computer and periodically interrupts the work. When the “telephone” rings, the evaluee must stop working and record information onto telephone message forms. After this 5 messages are transcribed as an email message and sent to the evaluator using Google mail.

The Bookkeeping section of the work sample has three separate exercises that simulate various bookkeeping tasks. The bookkeeping exercises are completed on a computer using spreadsheets composed from Google Docs, similar to Microsoft Excel. Addition, subtraction and multiplication are completed using the spreadsheet.

Components: The work sample is composed of several elements, including a hinged box constructed of 1/2″ particle board and covered with blue plastic laminate. The top part of the box is divided into 12 “mail slots.” The bottom section is covered with a lid and stores materials used in the various work sample exercises. The work sample is completed using a computer with a mouse and keypad, MP3 file with recorded “conversations,” a manual, and various paper supplies.

Shipping Size and Weight: 24″ x 24″ x 18″ – 42 lbs.