The ACT WorkKeys Test | Overview, Sample Questions & Test Prep [2024]
JobTestPrep's ACT® WorkKeys Assessment Test covers all the important WorkKeys test sections needed for you to receive the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) and reach the platinum score range.
Start practicing for the 5 most important WorkKeys subtests:
- Applied Math
- Graphic Literacy
- Workplace Documents
- Applied Technology
- Business Writing interactive Guide with 8 grammar practice tests to sharpen your writing skills.
WorkKeys Assessment Tests
Total
What Is WorkKeys Test?
ACT's WorkKeys Test is a set of several assessments, each measuring a specific job skill. The questions are based on real-life working scenarios that employees experience daily.
Unlike most assessment tests, each ACT WorkKeys section features between 4-6 levels of difficulty. The levels are built on top of one another, each integrating the abilities assessed in the preceding level; thus, in level 5, you will need the skills from levels 3 and 4.
The test can be administered by computer or done by pencil-and-paper, depending on which section of the test you take and the testing center you registered at.
Passing the WorkKeys test will grant you the National Career Readiness Certificate, an official document certifying your workplace skills and demanded by employers across the United States. Achieving high on your WorkKeys assessment and getting a Platinum score (further explained below) will be an esteemed addition to your future CV.
What Does the WorkKeys Test Consist Of?
The ACT WorkKeys comprises 8 sections; each assesses an essential work-related skill –
- Applied mathematics – assesses your mathematical reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving techniques.
- Graphic Literacy – assesses your ability to analyze data displayed in graphical materials.
- Workplace Documents – assesses your ability to interpret written materials.
- Applied technology – assesses your ability to solve problems with machines and technological equipment.
- Business writing – assesses your writing abilities.
- Workplace Observation – assesses your ability to understand processes in the workplace.
- Fit – assesses your values and interests.
- Talent – assesses your work-related behavior and mindset.
💡 If you're looking for free practice, you can check our Free Workkeys Practice Test.
WorkKeys Applied Math Test
The applied math section of the Work Key exam measures mathematical abilities that are required in the workplace, such as mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
This assessment can be administrated in both computer and pencil-and-paper form, and you will be allowed to use the ACT WorkKeys formula sheet.
The applied math assessment is mandatory for receiving the National Career Readiness Certificate.
This section has 5 difficulty levels and comprises of 34 questions to answer in 55 minutes.
You will be presented with a word problem in which you will need to demonstrate skills such as –
• Adding and subtracting
• Conversion between decimals and percentages
• Solving problems that include tares and ratios
Let’s see a WorkKeys Applied Math sample question –
WorkKeys Applied Math Sample Question
Boston Fall is a new self-service salad restaurant. Dan went to the restaurant and asked for half a cucumber, one large potato, two carrots, three onions, three tomatoes, and one corncob.
The cost of one cucumber is a dollar; one large potato is 1⁄2 a dollar; one carrot is 3⁄4 of a dollar; one onion is 1⁄8 of a dollar; one tomato is 2 1⁄3 dollars; and one corncob is 3⁄8 of a dollar.
Dan came back with two friends: Michael asked for the same ingredients in his salad but with half the amount of each vegetable, and Brian asked for the same ingredients but with triple the amount of each vegetable. Dan offered to pay for everything.
• What is the difference between the price Dan paid for the three salads and the price Dan would have paid for his salad only?
Summarize the information given:
| Quantity | Vegetable | Price for One ($) | Paid in Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ | Cucumber | 1 | ½ |
| 2 | Carrot | ¾ | ¾ x 2 = 1½ |
| 1 | Potato | ½ | ½ |
| 3 | Onion | ⅛ | ⅛ x 3 = ⅜ |
| 3 | Tomato | 2⅓ | 2⅓ x 3 ⅓ x 3 = 7 |
| 1 | Corncob | ⅜ | ⅜ |
Calculate the price of Dan's salad:
Michael ordered half the amount of vegetables as Dan:
Brian ordered three times the amount of vegetables as Dan:
Instead of Dan paying only for his salad,
Dan paid for Dan's + Michael's + Brian's salad.
Therefore, the difference in cost is Michael's salad plus Brian's salad:
The difference between the price Dan paid and the price he would have paid for his salad alone is 35 7⁄8.
If you chose (A), you probably forgot to calculate the tomatoes. If you chose answer (B), you probably did not add up the vegetables correctly. If you chose answer (C), review your calculations.
The correct answer is D
WorkKeys Graphic Literacy Test
The graphic literacy section of the WorkKeys test measures your ability to identify, comprehend, and incorporate data displayed in diagrams, charts, and graphs.
This assessment can be administered on both computer and pencil-and-paper.
The graphic literacy assessment is mandatory for receiving the National Career Readiness Certificate.
This section has 5 difficulty levels and comprises 38 questions to answer in 55 minutes.
You will be presented with graphical information followed by a multiple-choice question, in which you will need to demonstrate skills such as –
• Identifying information
• Recognizing trends, relationships, and patterns
• Justify decisions using the information found in the graphic
Here is a WorkKeys Graphic Literacy sample question –
WorkKeys Graphic Literacy Sample Question
You work as a business manager for an advertising company. You are trying to understand which social networking tools are relevant for different age groups in various continents. Which continent uses, in 4th in popularity, a social network that is 2nd in popularity among women? (The answer is per 2011 data.)
WorkKeys Workplace Documents Test
The workplace document section of the Work Key exam measures your ability to read, interpret and use workplace written materials, such as letters, memos, contracts, and policies.
This assessment can be administered on both computer and pencil-and-paper.
The workplace documents assessment is mandatory for receiving the National Career Readiness Certificate.
This section has 5 difficulty levels and comprises 35 questions to answer in 55 minutes.
You will be presented with textual information followed by a multiple-choice question in which you will need to demonstrate skills such as –
• Identifying specific details within the text
• Extraneous information
• Identifying the rationale behind a document
Let’s look at a WorkKeys Workplace Documents sample question –
WorkKeys Workplace Documents Sample Question
Green Hills Country Club: Procedures for Daily Filter Backwashing
Due to the amount of use the pool gets, the size of pipework and filter, and the use of a liquid flocculant, the swimming pool at the Green Hills Country Club needs to be backwashed every day.
If not backwashed at night, the procedure will be postponed until the end of the next day unless the pool has not been backwashed for three consecutive days.
Standard backwashing procedure:
Note: If steps are not done in the correct order, the pool mechanism will automatically reset itself and the procedure must be started again. At any phase, the process can be stopped by calling the BioTech service center.
• First, close the two isolation valves, red handles quarter turn clockwise.
• Turn off main pool circulation pump by turning the key marked “Circulation” near the control box.
• Press the green button in the control box to start pump; water in Perspex dome will go cloudy.
• When water turns clear, which normally takes three to four minutes, turn pump off again by pushing the red button in the control box.
• Turn on pump again and let run for 20 seconds.
• Turn off pump.
• Finish by turning circulation back on and turning the isolation valves a quarter-turn counterclockwise.
You are responsible for backwashing the pool at Green Hills Country Club. What must you do after letting the pump run for 20 seconds?
JobTestPrep's ACT WorkKeys test PrepPack includes test-mimicking practice, detailed solutions, and study guides that will help you master the test and receive the National Career Readiness Certificate.
Workkeys Applied Technology Test
The applied technology section of the Work Key exam measures your abilities in four technology fields – electricity, mechanics, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics.
This assessment can be administered on both computer and pencil-and-paper.
This section has 4 difficulty levels and comprises 34 questions to answer in 55 minutes in the computer administrated test or 45 minutes in the paper-and-pencil test.
You will be presented with a diagram of technological information or processes followed by a multiple-choice question in which you will need to demonstrate skills such as –
• Identifying tools
• Applying technology principles
• Eliminating physical symptoms
Let’s view a WorkKeys Applied Technology sample question –
WorkKeys Applied Technology Sample Question
You are given the following circuit and asked to determine the value of the electric current on the resistor marked R. Unfortunately, your multimeter has just been broken by your clumsy intern.
However, you know that all the resistors have a value of 5 Ohm, and all the voltage sources supply 3 volts. In addition, you are familiar with the two Kirchhoff Laws:
∑ Iin = ∑ Iout and ∑ Vin = 0, which state that the sum of all currents coming and going from a single knot is zero. The same applies for the voltages.
Which path must you trace (calculate) to determine the current in the most effective way?
WorkKeys Business Writing Test
The business writing section of the WorkKeys test measures your writing skills and ability to produce an original and articulate response to work-related scenarios.
This assessment can be administered on both computer and pencil-and-paper.
This section has 5 difficulty levels and comprises 1 prompt to write in 30 minutes.
You will be presented with a workplace situation, and you will need to write a response letter in which you will need to demonstrate skills such as –
• Structuring sentences
• Writing coherently using correct grammar and without misspelling
• Displaying language style and developing ideas
Let’s have a look at a WorkKeys business writing sample question –
At your company, employers are allowed to work remotely and according to their own schedule as long as they attend frontal or online meetings.
However, your manager says the employees never show up to the office and never see each other face to face.
She wants all employees to arrive at the office three days a week.
Write a letter to your manager explaining whether or not you are in favor of this requirement and why.
---
WorkKeys Workplace Observation Test
The workplace observation section of the Work Key exam measures your ability to observe, understand, and evaluate work processes and demonstrations.
This assessment is administrated only by computer.
This section has 5 difficulty levels and comprises 35 questions to answer in 55 minutes.
You will be presented with 12 scenarios followed by a multiple-choice question in which you will need to demonstrate skills such as –
• Paying attention
• Recognizing cause and effect
• Applying instructions to new situations
Let’s see a WorkKeys workplace observation sample question –
WorkKeys Workplace Observation Sample Question
The manager of Market Fresh sent the following memo to all of the supermarket’s employees:
Our new cash registers are simple and easy to use. Workers should always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Here are the instructions explaining how to enter a sale:
• First, load the tape of the cash register into the machine.
• Then, type the product’s barcode on the keypad.
• Second, enter the amount of sales tax.
• After entering the price, you can hit the subtotal button.
• If there is any discount on the sale, hit the discount button and press the subtotal button again.
• If you don’t know what the right thing to do is, please come and see me in my office and I will explain.
Have a good day,
Todd
What is the last action you need to take for any kind of sale?
---
WorkKeys Fit Assessment
The fit section of the WorkKeys test assesses your values and interests and how they match into a working environment.
This section has two parts –
• The ACT Interest Inventory – evaluates six fields of interest: Business Operations, Administration and Sales, Technical, Science and Technology, Social Services, and Arts.
• The Work Values Inventory – evaluates 18 common values, including Autonomy, Order, Public Contact, Influencing Others, Creativity, Precision, and Intellectual Stimulation.
This assessment is administrated only by computer.
This section comprises 102 questions to answer in 20 minutes.
In the Work Value Inventory section, you will be presented with a list of work-related values, and you will need to indicate how important each of them is to you on a scale of “Not important at all” to “Extremely important.”
In the Interest Inventory section, you will be presented with a list of activities, and you will need to indicate how much you would like to do each of them on a scale of like to dislike.
Here is a WorkKeys Fit sample question –
WorkKeys Fit sample question
Rate the following activities:
Analyzing data
Giving presentations
Brainstorming with friends
---
WorkKeys Talent Assessment
The talent section of the WorkKeys test assesses your work-related behavior and attitude.
This assessment is administrated only by computer.
This section comprises 165 questions to answer in 35 minutes.
You will be presented with a list of statements, and you will need to indicate how well each describes you.
Let’s take a look at an ACT WorkKeys talent sample question –
Rate the following statements:
I tend to analyze people
I pick my words carefully
Selling comes easily to me
As in the fit section, although you should answer genuinely, you need to emphasize the competencies and tendencies required in the line of work you want. considering what the answer you choose says about you. For example, if you intend to work in the customer service field, you should point out your selling skills and interpersonal relations abilities and indicate the statement “I pick my words very carefully” as “Strongly Agree.” On the other hand, although the statement “Selling comes easy to me” can seem like a good quality, it can come off as over-confidence, and should be marked as “slightly Agree.”
💡 Learn more about the ACT WorkKeys Talent test
---
Each section holds unique challenges. To score high on the WorkKeys assessment test, you need to understand what is required of you in all sections' different difficulty levels, locate your weak spots, and practice accordingly.
Our WorkKeys Assessment PrepPack includes everything needed to ace the test, from test-mimicking questions, detailed answers, guides, and score reports, helping you understand where to emphasize your studying.
Understand Your WorkKeys Test Scores
The WorkKeys test score is a composite of the number of questions you answered correctly in each assessment. The correct answers are converted into a composite score ranging from 1 to 36.
This overall score is divided into two parts –
- Scale Score – ranges from 65 to 90.
The scale score reflects your growth over time and indicates if there are benefits from educational programs. - Level Score – ranges from 3 to 7.
The level score indicates the levels of difficulty you reached in the different sections of the test.
Passing the WorkKeys Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy sections of the test with a level score of 3 and above will grant you the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC).
💡 Learn more about WorkKeys® Test Scores
ACT National Career Readiness Certificate
The ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) is a formal document that validates that you have the skills and abilities essential in the workplace.
The NCRC is not just a way to enhance your resume; it has become a mandatory requirement for applying to many colleges and educational programs, as well as organizations and employers.
To gain the NCRC, you need to receive a score of 3 and above on the Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents sections of the test.
The NCRC is issued at four levels, according to the levels of difficulty you passed in all three assessments–
- Bronze – score 3 or higher
- Silver – score 4 or higher
- Gold – score 5 or higher
- Platinum – score 6 or higher
ACT vs. SAT
The ACT® and the SAT are both standardized assessment tests that help colleges, universities, and educational institutes evaluate your knowledge and learning abilities and how prepared you are to take college-level courses.
All colleges and universities in the US accept both tests, which are used to assess admissions and scholarship applications.
They both cover similar learning abilities, such as math, reading, writing, and comprehension, and both take similar time limits – around 3.5 hours for the ACT and 3 hours and 50 minutes for the SAT.
However, the ACT and the SAT differ in several aspects:
- Location – the popularity of each test can depend on where you live. For example, the SAT is more common in California, Florida, and the Northeast, and the Pacific Northwest, while the ACT is more common in the Midwest, and southwestern states such as Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and the Carolinas.
- Time limit – ACT and SAT comprise several sections, each with a different time limit. The ACT has a stricter time limit than the SAT, thus requiring you to answer more quickly. However, the SAT questions tend to be lengthier and thus require more reading and comprehension time.
- Math section – both tests have a mathematical ability section, but the ACT has only one, while the SAT has two.
- Score – the ACT composite score ranges from 1 to 36 and comprises a scale score ranging from 65 to 90 and a level score ranging from 3 to 7. The SAT score ranges from 400 to 1600 and comprises the score you received in each section, which ranges from 200 to 800.
WorkKeys FAQ
The ACT WorkKeys assessment test evaluates your skills and capabilities as a potential employee. It assesses basic skills and knowledge in math, graphic reading, and verbal comprehension, as well as more complex topics of technology, science, business, and personality.
Successfully completing the Work Key Exam will allow you to receive the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), which is demanded by many employers nationwide and is part of your college application.
The results of your ACT WorkKeys assessment test will usually be available within two or three weeks of taking the test, but sometimes it can take up to eight weeks.
Your business writing assignment results will arrive approximately two weeks after the results of the other multiple-questions sections of the test.
The passing score of the WorkKeys test ranges from 1 to 36, which is further divided into two parts – 65 on the scale score section and 3 on the level score section, which also grants you the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate.
After receiving your WorkKeys scores and your ACT National Career Readiness Certificate, you can add them to your college application, resume, and job application. This will show the recruiters your working skills and competencies.
You are the only one who can send your results to the recruiters.
No, once you receive your ACT National Career Readiness Certificate, it has no expiration date. However, renewing your certificate after five years is recommended because the test’s requirements and scoring method may change over time.
You will need to pay for every test section separately, between $15-$ 40 each.
You may be required to pay an additional fee for late registration, additional score reports, score verification, etc.
You can take the WorkKeys test at appointed dates throughout the year. You can register for the test through your high school or college or a test center close to you.
You can locate the nearest testing site with ACT® WorkKeys Test Site Lookup.
Yes. Many colleges and educational institutes use your ACT score and National Career Readiness Certificate for admissions and merit scholarships.
Yes. For the ACT WorkKeys applied math section, you are allowed to use a 4-function, scientific, or graphing calculator.
Calculators are not allowed in the applied technology sections.