How long does it take to touch type competently and get up to a good speed?

Question

I can touch type. Just learnt but I'm very slow and need to get up to a good speed. First of all I'm not actually sure what is a good speed (what do employers ask for?) I practice for about an hour a day. It would be brilliant if someone could reply who has learnt to touch type and talk from their own experience.

Answer 1

I think employers ask for around 80 wpm.  The best advice I think I can give is to just keep practicing!! I know its a bit corny but practice makes perfect.  It doesnt take that long to do but you just need to be able to get used to where everything is on the keyboard!

Answer 2

I learnt to touch type from those cd rom things you put into your computer. My speed wouldn't be too bad, if i didn't need to constantly go back to correct mistakes! I'm still working on that one, but i'm getting better.. Most companies ask for between 60-75 wpm. Some want even higher.

Answer 3

I have a friend that can type over 100 wpm and she never had any difficulty getting there once she learned to type. I had a job at an insurance company around 10 years ago where I just had to form type, and I got the job without knowing how to type at all. I really got much better when I got the net in '99 and starting using it all the time. I've been typing around 50wpm for 8 years or so. They say it's a matter of hand/eye coordination. My bf has a customer service job and does fine typing around the same amount I do. Most employers expect around that amount, but a medical transcriptionist or court reporter would probably be expected to type a lot faster. I would just keep on working at it. You are doing great putting in an hour a day.

Answer 4

Practice is the only way by which you can attain speed . If you 80 words per minute, then you can attain 100-120 wpm, very easily.Concentration and practice can help you in achieving this goal within 9 months !

Answer 5

The jobs that I've seen advertised ask for 50 to 65 wpm but they expect that to be accurate.  Higher speeds are great but bear it mind, that if you make a lot of mistakes, you're out.

I taught myself to type the summer before I started 12th grade.  I knew I would be taking a typing course and I didn't want to be the one slow typist in the class.  I got my mom's books out and started typing from them until I learned the key placement.  After that it was a just a matter of building speed while maintaining accuracy.

I finished school with a speed of 120 wpm.  Of course, no one asks for that speed.  It probably took me about 2 to 3 weeks to type without looking at my hands or what I had typed (after learning the the key placement).

Answer 6

It will take a while... My advice would be to do the same typing course again and maybe even a third time... It's boring as h**l but hey it'll be worth it! I did it twice and I went from 15wpm to 40wpm from that.. Then after maybe a year or two of casually using a computer (that is, not using the computer for typing practice but for simple enjoyment) I'm at a top speed of about 80 wpm!

Don't get into bad habits like I have (I never use a full stop, always ! or ... for example)

Don't take the easy route and look at the keyboard... That will just slow you down in the long run... It will take time but just use your computer a lot and you'll be used to it in no time! Plenty time on Answers!:P

G'luck!

Answer 7

the speed requirement is incumbent upon the job you're applying for.  Usually admin assistants are required to type @ least 40 words per minute.  Secretary on the other hand are normally required to type @ least 50-60.  My girl friend taught me and it took about 2 months to get up to 40 words with minimal mistakes.  Simply put, it's gonna take practice and patience.  Once you've gained the skill you will instinctively know when you make a mistake because it won't feel right once you've made the mistake.