LinkedIn’s Skills Assessments allow you to showcase your professional skills by taking short quizzes to verify your abilities. Once completed, these assessments will display on your LinkedIn profile, signaling to recruiters and hiring managers that you have hands-on experience in that skill. In today’s competitive job market, Skills Assessments are a great way to stand out and attract new opportunities. But to take full advantage, you first need to know where to find Skills Assessments on LinkedIn. Here’s a quick overview of how to access and complete LinkedIn Skills Assessments.
Locating the Skills Assessments Tab
LinkedIn has made it simple to discover their full library of Skills Assessments. On LinkedIn’s desktop site, you can find the tab by clicking on the “Skills” dropdown menu under your profile photo. On LinkedIn’s mobile app, tap the “My Network” icon at the bottom, then choose “Skills” from the menu. This will bring you to the Skills page. Across the top, you’ll see a tab labeled “Skills Assessments” – this is where you can browse and take assessments.
Skills Assessments Library
Once in the Skills Assessments tab, you’ll find LinkedIn’s full library of professional skill quizzes. The available assessments cover a diverse range of topics, from software proficiency to soft skills. LinkedIn is constantly developing new assessments too, so check back often to see what’s been added.
You can scroll through the list or use the search bar to find assessments. When you select a specific skill, you’ll see details like the number and format of questions, average completion time, and overall difficulty level. This info helps you gauge whether a quiz aligns with your abilities.
Taking an Assessment
To take a Skills Assessment, simply click the blue “Take Assessment” button on the skill page. You’ll be asked a series of multiple choice and true/false questions testing your knowledge. LinkedIn does not permit hints, backtracking, or cheating – you only get one attempt to pass.
For most assessments, you’ll need to score at least 70% to pass and add the skill to your profile. Some quizzes require an 80% though, so be sure to check the pass rate before starting.
Leveling Up Skills
Passing an assessment is a first step, but the true value comes from reaching advanced levels. Skills can be ranked from Beginner to Expert based on the percentage you scored on the assessment. The higher your score, the more advanced your Skills level.
For instance, achieving 70-79% would likely qualify you as Intermediate, while scoring 95%+ would mark you as an Expert. These distinctions help demonstrate your depth of knowledge versus other LinkedIn members.
Adding Assessments to Your Profile
Once you pass a Skills Assessment with at least the minimum required score, the skill will automatically be added to the Skills section of your LinkedIn profile. You’ll see the skill name and proficiency level.
You can also choose to showcase your skills in other profile sections, like your Summary, Experience descriptions, or Featured Skills. Be sure to include the skill name, your achieved proficiency level, and the fact that it was verified through LinkedIn’s assessment.
Retaking or Removing Assessments
If you don’t achieve the minimum passing score on your first try, you’ll have the chance to retake the assessment after one week. Use this time to brush up on your skills before attempting the quiz again. You can also opt to remove a skill from your profile if needed. Just click the three dots next to the skill and choose Remove.
Why LinkedIn Skills Assessments Matter
In a job market saturated with candidates, it can be challenging to stand out. Hiring managers are often inundated with profiles boasting of skills, certifications, and competencies. This makes it hard to assess candidates’ true abilities.
LinkedIn Skills Assessments address this issue by providing verified proof that you actually possess the skills listed on your profile. Rather than vaguely claiming you’re an “expert” in Microsoft Excel, you can quantify your ability by achieving a 90% score on their Excel assessment.
This objectivity gives recruiters immense confidence in your capabilities. In fact, LinkedIn research found that prospects who passed Skills Assessments were over 30% more likely to land jobs versus those who didn’t take assessments.
Clearly, Skills Assessments provide tangible value in separating your candidacy. The proof of your skills can set you apart from other applicants relying on unverified claims or outdated credentials. If you’re in the job market, passing relevant Skills Assessments should be a top priority.
Top Skills Assessments to Take
With over 140 assessments available, which skills should you focus on first? The right choice depends on your industry, career goals, and current abilities. But generally, here are 10 of the most valuable LinkedIn Skills Assessments:
Microsoft Office
Office skills like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are nearly universally valued. These assessments confirm your ability to competently use what many regard as the professional standard for software. Excel skills in particular are highly sought-after by employers.
Customer Service
Whether in sales, retail, hospitality, or other industries, customer service skills are critically important. This assessment proves your knowledge of best practices for interacting with customers and addressing issues.
Project Management
From planning to budgeting and goal-setting, project management requires various capabilities. This assessment covers key PM methodologies, tools, metrics, and processes.
Data Analysis
As data becomes increasingly vital for business decisions, data skills are in major demand. This assessment validates your ability to collect, interpret, visualize, and glean insights from data.
JavaScript
For developers and programmers, coding language skills are essential qualifications. JavaScript assessments can demonstrate your hands-on programming expertise.
Marketing
For marketing professionals, this assessment covers important processes like developing campaigns, segmenting audiences, positioning products, and measuring ROI.
IT Infrastructure
Knowing how to install, configure, and manage IT systems is expected for many IT jobs. This quiz tests your technical knowledge of infrastructure elements.
Financial Accounting
Accounting skills are highly valued across many roles. This assessment measures your understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting, statements, and more.
Graphic Design
For creative positions in marketing, media, and more, design skills are critical. This quiz evaluates your knowledge of design software, typography, color theory, and tools.
Human Resources
HR pros have a broad skillset spanning hiring practices, compensation, training, labor relations, and more. This assessment covers the breadth of essential HR capabilities.
Tips for Acing Skills Assessments
How can you make sure you score highly on LinkedIn’s Skills Assessments? Here are some top tips:
– Review LinkedIn’s tips in the right sidebar of each assessment page – these provide insight into the content you’ll be tested on.
– Thoroughly read through all possible answer choices before making a selection.
– Skip any questions you’re unsure of and return to them at the end.
– For multiple choice questions, eliminate clearly wrong answers first.
– Watch the remaining time and don’t rush if time is running low.
– Slow down and think logically rather than relying on gut instinct.
– Reflect on past training and experiences related to the skill.
– If you fail, thoroughly review the material again before reattempting the assessment.
Conclusion
In today’s job market, you need to maximize your competitive edge. LinkedIn Skills Assessments provide quantifiable proof of your capabilities that catch recruiters’ attention. Seeking out and passing relevant assessments should be central to your job search or career advancement strategy.
To get started, simply locate the Skills Assessments tab on LinkedIn, browse the available quizzes, and choose skills to be tested on. Prepare using the best practices outlined above. Aim to achieve high scores demonstrating your advanced proficiency. With demonstrated skills, you’ll be noticed and win more opportunities.