What Touch Typing Can Do For You

Thinking of learning to touch type? Find out how long it takes and its many benefits, from enhanced efficiency to creating a competent impression.

Source: Pexels

Let’s be honest: some colleagues just don’t get it. One in particular stands out. He shows up in shorts and a T-shirt, as if business casual means “beach-ready.” His official role is to retrieve files from the archive, but due to our internal structure, he gets his own desk and computer. And because he has the equipment, he assumes he’s qualified to execute more complicated tasks.

So, we let him try.

With his glacial hunt and peck, a job that should take a minute drags on for hours.

But imagine one simple change. What if, instead of hunting and pecking, his fingers glided across the keyboard while his eyes remained fixed on the screen? He’d look like a different person.

He’d appear composed, competent, and in control.

With this one skill, who would doubt that he meets the basic standard an office role should require?

Why Touch Typing Is Not a Waste of Time

Maybe your hybrid system gets it done. Or your two fingers are just as fast as any 10-finger rigmarole.

But in truth, touch typing isn’t just about speed. It’s about rhythm, focus, and efficiency. There’s no glancing down, and no stopping to think about mechanics. It’s about presence; you occupy the task at hand. It’s seamless. That’s something no hybrid method—however fast—can replicate.

And it gets better.

You can’t list “fast two-finger typing” or “my own hybrid system” on your resume. But you can include touch typing. And it will get you noticed.

Why Touch Typing Gives You an Edge

Considering these huge advantages, isn’t it odd that formal education no longer teaches it?

When I was at school from the late 60s to the early 80s, it was encouraged only for girls. Soon after, the curriculum abandoned it completely despite computers and an even greater necessity for keyboard skills in the workplace. Instead of abandoning it, they should have extended it for boys.

But this is why it will give you an edge.

If a man can touch-type, it’s almost certain that he’s self-taught, which tells employers a lot.

It shows discipline and initiative.

If you’re new to the corporate world or returning after years away, it tells employers that you intend to do things properly and efficiently instead of just getting by. It also says that you’re ready for modern workflows. That can more than compensate for a lack of experience or age‑related employer bias.

Source: Pexels

Getting a Foot in the Door

In other words, touch typing helps you get a foot in the door.

Take me as an example.

How I Learned to Touch Type

I went straight from school into an admin role. Back then we didn’t have computers, and our handwritten documents were given to a typing pool. Later, I moved abroad, which meant switching to the hospitality sector. I loathed it but had to stick it out for 25 years. Why? In spite of having done reasonably well at school and later attaining a university-level qualification, I couldn’t get back into office work.

There was no evidence that I could use a computer. Nor of how efficient I’d be in a modern corporate setting.

When I was well into middle age, I began to work full-time as a freelance writer. Thousands of words a day with my two middle fingers for a pittance while smoking more cigarettes than I could afford. Then, one Sunday afternoon, just for fun, I tried out a free online typing course.

An hour later I could touch-type. It was a hundred times slower than my two-finger effort, but I could do it.

Learning by Repetition and Beating Plateaus

Here’s how it works.

Speed isn’t important while you learn. Consistency is.

Practice repetition exercises for at least half an hour a day—the more you do it, the quicker and more accurate you’ll become. Eventually, you’ll be faster with 10 fingers than you ever were with two. That’s the first hurdle.

Once you’ve cracked it, 60 words per minute is well within reach; it usually takes about three to six months.

Speed tests can help monitor your progress, but they’re otherwise a bit of a red herring. They don’t simulate real-world conditions. Most of us type with context and intention—not a ticking clock. Because this kind of artificial pressure makes you hectic, you lose speed and accuracy.

To regain it and overcome plateaus, reduce your pace, even if it feels awkwardly slow. Focus only on rhythm, and your speed will increase beyond its previous levels before you even realize it.

Round Off Your Training

Once my speed and accuracy were solid, I took free online courses in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint—there’s usually a small fee for certification. I then dared to apply for office jobs again. A week later, I was picked up by an employment agency and placed on a long-term assignment.

One thing led to another, and today I’m in a highly lucrative position in the finance sector.

That could be you.

Touch typing isn’t just a technical checkbox. It’s a qualifier. It’s a signal to employers that you’re capable of working efficiently and without supervision. That alone unlocks more opportunity than most people realize.

Where to Use Your New Skill

Start with Temping Agencies

Temping agencies are often your best friend. You show up, you test, you demonstrate readiness—and touch typing is instantly visible in those assessments. It’s self-evident.

It sets you apart from others who still peck at the keyboard and shows you’re not afraid of tools, systems, or screens.

While in a temp role, you’re gaining real-world experience that carries weight when you apply for permanent positions.

By the way, I didn’t expect the company I’d been placed with to offer me a permanent role, but they did. By aiming for a flawless reference, I made myself too valuable for them to let go of. You have nothing to lose by doing the same.

Security Companies

Security companies offer another great opportunity for men. This doesn’t have to be about standing around all day (or night) in public buildings or keeping hooligans under control at soccer matches.

In many modern workplaces, especially office environments, security guards double as front-facing administrative support.

This means:

• Operating a visitor log or sign-in system
• Managing appointment schedules or internal call lists
• Filing daily incident reports or shift handovers
• Communicating clearly with staff, tenants, or clients, often via email or shared platforms like Microsoft Teams

All of these tasks assume a basic fluency with computers—and more specifically, typing.

If a man on the desk uses a keyboard confidently and accurately, he looks like he belongs there. Not just holding the space, but handling the space. On the flip side, someone who fumbles through simple tasks or pecks out visitor names with two fingers sends a very different signal. The suit and earpiece may say “professional,” but a lack of keyboard skills says “barely coping.”

Touch typing in these roles doesn’t just enhance performance; it enhances perception. It lifts the role from security guard to security professional. From body at the door to representative of the workplace.

That’s what employers want.

Why “Online Work” Often Isn’t the Answer

I’ve tried this with zero success.

The trouble is, many “make money online” paths are either:

• Overcrowded
• Race-to-the-bottom pricing
• Designed to serve platform owners more than freelancers

Reputable sites like Upwork can be profitable, but usually for those with:

• Years of experience
• A niche service
• Willingness to underprice themselves early on

Instead of wasting time, aim to build something solid. Touch typing brings you into physical offices, agencies, and legitimate workflows where being present, competent, and efficient matters more than a flashy profile pic or a five-star rating you’ll probably never get a chance to earn.

Source: Pexels

Get Started: Free Courses to Build Core Office Skills

Touch typing isn’t just the beginning; it’s a strong foundation. If you’re ready to build fluency that employers notice, these free resources will help you level up right away:

Touch Typing

• TypingClub — Interactive, gamified lessons with progress tracking
• Typing.com — Lessons for all levels, plus speed tests and certificates
• TypingTest.com Trainer — Step-by-step course with smart drills

Microsoft Word

• Alison – Word Courses — Beginner to advanced, free with optional certification
• Udemy – Word Tutorials — Taught by instructors, sorted by popularity
• Coursera – Word Projects — Short, guided learning paths with certificates

Microsoft Excel

• TrumpExcel — Over 12 hours of training, no login required
• Simplilearn – Excel Basics — 7-hour course with completion certificate
• Coursera – Excel Courses — From beginner to advanced

Microsoft PowerPoint

• Great Learning – PowerPoint — Beginner-friendly and practical
• Coursera – PowerPoint Projects — Build real-world presentations and learn design
• SkillScouter’s Roundup — A curated guide to top free and paid options

In a noisy world, few skills speak as clearly as touch typing. It’s not flashy. It’s not new. But it’s powerful. It signals readiness, confidence, and a willingness to do things properly. And that might just be the difference between staying stuck and stepping forward.

© 2025 J. Richardson