Competences: Thing #6 - Word (Continued)

No matter what you do for a living, learning Word can also come in handy in your personal life. We're going to take a few weeks and concentrate on becoming proficient in Word. Note I said proficient, not professional. I do not expect you to know everything about the software, but I do expect you to be able to do the things on your competencies list. We'll be using an online tutorial website that you've used for other things.

To get started, visit this page. I want you to complete the items under "Working With Text." On the page for each lesson, you will see a file that you can download. This is your practice document. This is the document you will be emailing me to show your work.

If you have questions, feel free to ask!

I just wanted to let you know some things about how the competencies will be handled next year. You will be taking a competency exam in November or December of 2014. Just like the circulation competencies you must achieve a score of 85% or higher as part of your job. You will be provided with all the training you need to successfully pass the competency exam - but it is ultimately up to you to make sure you understand and grasp the things included in your competencies.

Why does the library do this? Aren't you just being mean?
No. The library is committed to excellent customer service. What that means for those of you working in the passport office is that you must be able to not only process passports and work your post office responsibilities, but also have basic skills in Word and Excel. You may be asked to put together a spreadsheet. You may be asked to make signs or use a template in Word. Starting now anyone we'd have to hire for the Passport Office would be expected to know these things in order to even be hired.

I'm worried...I'm afraid I won't pass the exam. I'm horrible at taking tests.
We really have taken this into consideration, which is why there are 2 parts to the test. The first part (demonstrative) is just you and I sitting down and my asking you to do something. For instance, I might ask you to make a sign using a template in MS Word. I may ask you to put together a simple spreadsheet. I may ask you to find something online - or put new toner in the printer.

The other part is a written exam. It is not timed so you can take as long as you'd like. This will text your internet skills as well as your knowledge of policies and procedures.

We are not trying to trick you or have you fail. We want you to pass your exam, but we are very serious about it. There will not be retests. An unsuccessful score will result in job termination. I do not foresee that happening - and, as I said, you will be given every opportunity to become proficient in all the competencies.

If you have a question or concern, you know my door is always open for you (as is my email inbox).
Penny