What's on a PowerPoint skills test, and how to prepare
A PowerPoint test checks whether you can build tidy, consistent slides without fighting the software. It's common for administrative, marketing, sales and executive assistant roles. Your design sense usually matters less than whether you use the right tools.
Slides and layouts
Start with the basics, because everything else builds on them. A common mistake is adding loose text boxes instead of typing into a layout's placeholders.
- Adding slides with the right layout
- Reordering, duplicating and deleting slides
- Formatting text, bullets and font sizes
- Applying a theme or background
Objects, tables and charts
- Inserting pictures and shapes
- Aligning and distributing objects so they line up exactly
- Grouping objects so they move together
- Adding and editing tables
- Inserting and updating charts
Consistency and presenting
More advanced tests look at features that keep a whole deck consistent and ready to present.
- Slide Master, which changes every slide from one place
- Transitions and animations
- Speaker notes
- Starting a slide show from the beginning or the current slide
Slide Master is the one to learn if you've never touched it. It's a clear sign of an experienced user, and there are only a few things to learn.
How to prepare
- Build a short deck from scratch using only layouts and placeholders
- Practice aligning objects with the Arrange tools rather than by eye
- Learn Ctrl+M for a new slide, and F5 to start a slide show
- Run through everything under a time limit
When in doubt, keep it simple. Tests look for accuracy, so one clean animation is better than five flashy ones.
More guides
DeskReady is an independent practice tool, not affiliated with any software vendor or employer. Tests vary, so use this as a general guide.