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Work Tests & Certifications

LinkedIn Skill Badges Kenya: How to Get & Use Them

11 min read
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Easy Access Staff

LinkedIn skill badges are visible proof of your abilities that appear right in search results. For Kenyan remote workers, they can be the difference between being overlooked and being contacted by recruiters. Here’s how to use them strategically.

What Are LinkedIn Skill Badges?

Definition: Digital badges earned by passing LinkedIn Skill Assessments

What they show:

  • You scored in top 30% of test-takers
  • Verified proficiency in specific skill
  • Assessment standardized across all LinkedIn users
  • Competency recognized by LinkedIn

Where badges appear:

  • Your profile skills section (blue “Assessment Passed” badge)
  • LinkedIn search results (shows next to your name)
  • Messages to recruiters/connections
  • Job applications if skill is relevant

Impact on profile visibility:

  • 30-40% more profile views when you have badges
  • Higher appearance in recruiter searches
  • Builds instant credibility with connections
  • Differentiates you from unbadged competitors
LinkedIn profile showing skill assessments and badges display

How LinkedIn Skill Assessments Work

Format:

  • 15 multiple choice questions (most assessments)
  • 15 minutes total
  • Must score in top 30% to earn badge
  • Pass rate: Approximately 30% (by design)

Retake policy:

  • Can retake immediately if you fail
  • Unlimited attempts
  • Failed attempts NOT shown publicly
  • Only passed assessments appear on profile

Cost: Completely free

Assessment types:

  • Technical skills (Excel, Python, JavaScript)
  • Business skills (Customer Service, Marketing)
  • Soft skills (Time Management, Leadership)
  • Industry-specific (Accounting, HR, Engineering)

Privacy control:

  • You choose whether to display badges
  • Can hide badges anytime
  • Failed attempts only you can see

Top Skill Assessments for Remote Workers

For Virtual Assistants

Must-take assessments:

1. Microsoft Excel

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Formulas, pivot tables, charts, data analysis
  • Difficulty: Intermediate level
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why critical: Excel is fundamental for VA work
  • Preparation: 2-3 days practice

2. Customer Service

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Conflict resolution, communication, problem-solving
  • Difficulty: Moderate (scenario-based)
  • Pass rate: ~30%
  • Why critical: Core VA skill, shows client-facing ability
  • Preparation: 1-2 days

3. Microsoft Outlook

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Email management, calendar, tasks, organization
  • Difficulty: Easy to moderate
  • Pass rate: ~35%
  • Why important: Email management is daily VA task
  • Preparation: 1 day

4. Time Management

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Prioritization, scheduling, productivity
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~28%
  • Why valuable: Shows organizational skills
  • Preparation: 1 day

5. Microsoft Word

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Formatting, mail merge, styles, collaboration
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~30%
  • Why useful: Document preparation common task
  • Preparation: 1-2 days

VA badge strategy: Get 4-5 core badges, focus on most-used tools

For Content Writers

Must-take assessments:

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: On-page SEO, keywords, technical SEO basics
  • Difficulty: Moderate to hard
  • Pass rate: ~20%
  • Why critical: SEO writing is high-paying niche
  • Preparation: 3-4 days

2. Content Management Systems (CMS)

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: WordPress, content publishing, website management
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why important: Most content writers use CMS
  • Preparation: 2 days

3. Microsoft Word

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Document creation, formatting, collaboration
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~30%
  • Why useful: Professional document creation
  • Preparation: 1-2 days

4. Google Analytics

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Reports, tracking, analysis basics
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why valuable: Shows data-driven approach
  • Preparation: 2-3 days

Writer badge strategy: SEO + CMS badges most impactful for profile

For Graphic Designers

Must-take assessments:

1. Adobe Photoshop

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Tools, layers, masks, effects, optimization
  • Difficulty: Moderate to hard
  • Pass rate: ~20%
  • Why critical: Industry-standard tool
  • Preparation: 3-5 days (if already using Photoshop)

2. Adobe Illustrator

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Vector tools, paths, typography, effects
  • Difficulty: Moderate to hard
  • Pass rate: ~22%
  • Why important: Logo and vector design
  • Preparation: 3-5 days

3. Graphic Design

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Design principles, color theory, typography
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~28%
  • Why useful: Shows design theory knowledge
  • Preparation: 2-3 days

4. Adobe InDesign

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Layout, text, images, publishing
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why valuable: Print and digital publishing
  • Preparation: 2-3 days (if you use InDesign)

Designer badge strategy: Photoshop + Illustrator most recognized, add specialty tool badge

For Developers

Must-take assessments:

1. JavaScript

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Syntax, DOM, events, async programming
  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Pass rate: ~18%
  • Why critical: Most common web language
  • Preparation: 5-7 days

2. Python (Programming Language)

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Syntax, data structures, functions, libraries
  • Difficulty: Moderate to hard
  • Pass rate: ~20%
  • Why important: Versatile, in-demand language
  • Preparation: 5-7 days

3. HTML

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Tags, attributes, forms, semantics
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why useful: Foundation of web development
  • Preparation: 2-3 days

4. CSS

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Selectors, box model, flexbox, grid, responsive
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why valuable: Web styling essential
  • Preparation: 3-4 days

5. Git

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Commands, workflow, branching, merging
  • Difficulty: Moderate to hard
  • Pass rate: ~22%
  • Why important: Version control standard
  • Preparation: 3-4 days

6. React

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Components, hooks, state, props, lifecycle
  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Pass rate: ~20%
  • Why critical: Popular framework
  • Preparation: 5-7 days (if using React)

Developer badge strategy: Language badges most important (JavaScript/Python), then frameworks

For Social Media Managers

Must-take assessments:

1. Social Media Marketing

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Strategy, content, engagement, ads, metrics
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why critical: Core skill demonstration
  • Preparation: 2-3 days

2. Google Analytics

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Reports, tracking, campaign analysis
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~25%
  • Why important: Data-driven decision making
  • Preparation: 2-3 days

3. Digital Marketing

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: SEO, SEM, email, content marketing
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~23%
  • Why useful: Broader marketing knowledge
  • Preparation: 2-3 days

4. Content Strategy

  • 15 questions, 15 minutes
  • Topics: Planning, creation, distribution, measurement
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Pass rate: ~27%
  • Why valuable: Shows strategic thinking
  • Preparation: 2 days

SMM badge strategy: Social Media Marketing badge + Google Analytics most impactful

Preparation Strategy

Step 1: Choose Your Assessments (Day 1)

Prioritization criteria:

  1. Directly relevant to your job title

    • VA → Excel, Customer Service
    • Writer → SEO, CMS
    • Developer → JavaScript, Python

  2. Skills you actually have

    • Don’t take Python test if you don’t code Python
    • Be honest about proficiency level

  3. High-value badges for your niche

    • Excel badge valuable across many roles
    • SEO badge valuable for writers/marketers
    • Photoshop valuable for designers

  4. Achievable with 2-5 days prep

    • Don’t attempt assessment for skill you’re beginner at
    • Focus on intermediate+ skills

Select 3-5 assessments to pursue initially

Step 2: Learn Assessment Format (Day 1)

Before studying content, understand test:

Common question types:

Definition/Terminology: “What is a pivot table?” A. A table that rotates B. A data summarization tool C. A type of chart D. A database query

Correct: B

Practical application: “To create a chart from selected data, you would:” A. Insert → Chart B. Data → Chart C. Format → Chart D. View → Chart

Correct: A

Scenario-based: “A client is unhappy with delivery time. You should:” A. Apologize and offer discount B. Explain it was out of your control C. Listen to concern, propose solution D. Escalate to manager

Correct: C (most professional, problem-solving approach)

Code/Formula: “Which formula finds the average of A1:A10?” A. =AVG(A1:A10) B. =AVERAGE(A1:A10) C. =MEAN(A1:A10) D. =SUM(A1:A10)/10

Correct: B (and D also works, but B is the Excel function)

Step 3: Study & Practice (Days 2-7)

Daily study structure (1-2 hours):

For each assessment:

Day 1-2: Foundation

  • Review core concepts
  • Watch tutorial videos (YouTube)
  • Read LinkedIn skill guides
  • Take notes on key topics

Day 3-4: Practice

  • Practice problems/exercises
  • Use actual software (Excel, Photoshop, etc.)
  • Create cheat sheet of common tasks/formulas
  • Identify weak areas

Day 5-6: Test simulation

  • Take practice quizzes (search “[Skill] quiz” online)
  • Time yourself (15 minutes, 15 questions)
  • Review wrong answers thoroughly
  • Retake practice tests until 80%+

Day 7: Final review

  • Quick review of cheat sheet
  • Don’t learn new concepts (confusing)
  • Rest and prepare mentally

Study resources:

For Microsoft Office skills:

  • GCFGlobal.org (free Excel/Word tutorials)
  • Microsoft Learn (official documentation)
  • YouTube: “Excel for beginners” → “Excel intermediate”

For programming:

  • W3Schools (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
  • Python.org tutorial
  • FreeCodeCamp
  • Practice problems on HackerRank

For Adobe tools:

  • Adobe’s official tutorials (free)
  • YouTube: “[Software name] for beginners”
  • Practice with free trial if needed

For soft skills (Customer Service, Time Management):

  • Search best practices articles
  • Think through common scenarios
  • Review your own experiences
  • Understand professional responses

For marketing/analytics:

  • Google Analytics Academy
  • HubSpot blog
  • SEMrush blog
  • Think with Google

Step 4: Take the Assessment (Test Day)

Optimal conditions:

  • Quiet environment
  • Stable internet
  • Desktop/laptop (not phone)
  • 20 minutes of uninterrupted time
  • Morning when fresh (if possible)

Taking the test:

1. Read instructions completely

  • Understand scoring (usually top 30%)
  • Note any special rules
  • Check time limit

2. Answer what you know immediately

  • Don’t overthink easy questions
  • Trust your knowledge
  • Move through at steady pace

3. Eliminate wrong answers

  • Cross out obviously incorrect options
  • Narrow to 2-3 possibilities
  • Choose most likely answer

4. Watch the clock

  • 15 questions in 15 minutes = 1 minute each
  • Don’t spend 3 minutes on one question
  • Better to guess than leave blank

5. Review if time permits

  • Unlikely to have review time
  • Don’t second-guess unless you find clear error

If you fail:

  • See your score (LinkedIn shows percentage)
  • Retake immediately OR
  • Study weak areas identified, retake in 1-2 days

If you pass:

  • Badge appears automatically
  • Add to Featured section (optional)
  • Share to feed (one-time only)

Strategic Badge Display

On Your Profile

Skills section:

  • Add skill if not already there
  • Take assessment
  • Badge appears next to skill automatically
  • Pin top 3-5 skills to top of section

Featured section:

  • Share your badge post to featured area
  • Increases visibility
  • Shows recent accomplishment

Headline (optional):

  • “Virtual Assistant | LinkedIn-Certified in Excel & Customer Service”
  • Use sparingly (1-2 badges max in headline)

About section:

  • Mention key badges naturally
  • “Excel-certified with 5 years VA experience”
  • Don’t list all badges (overkill)

In Job Applications

LinkedIn Easy Apply:

  • Relevant badges auto-show if skill matches job requirement
  • Increases profile match score
  • Hiring manager sees badge in your application

External applications:

  • Mention in cover letter if highly relevant
  • “LinkedIn-certified in SEO with proven content ranking results”
  • Include badge link if possible

Resume/CV:

  • Can add to Skills or Certifications section
  • “LinkedIn Skill Assessments: Excel, Customer Service, SEO (Passed)”
  • Include year earned

In Messages to Recruiters

Opening message:

  • Mention badge if directly relevant to opportunity
  • “I’m a LinkedIn-certified React developer with 3 years experience…”
  • Don’t lead with badge (lead with experience)

Follow-ups:

  • Reference badge as supporting evidence
  • “My LinkedIn SEO certification backs up my track record of…”

What Badges Actually Mean to Employers

What employers see:

  • You’re in top 30% of people who took the test
  • You’re confident enough to test publicly
  • You’re proactive about validating skills
  • You stay current with your field

What they don’t think:

  • Badge ≠ Years of experience
  • Badge ≠ Substitute for portfolio
  • Badge ≠ Guarantee of competence

Employer perspective:

  • Badge + experience + portfolio = Strong candidate
  • Badge alone = Interesting but need more proof
  • No badge + experience + portfolio = Still viable
  • Badge for unrelated skill = Ignored

Value ranking:

  1. Highly relevant skill badge + proven experience = Very valuable
  2. Relevant skill badge + beginner = Moderately valuable (shows commitment)
  3. Unrelated skill badge = Low value (clutter)
  4. Many badges without focus = Negative (looks scattered)

Advanced Badge Strategies

The “Niche Specialist” Strategy

Approach: Get 3-5 badges in narrow niche

Example (Excel Specialist):

  • Microsoft Excel (passed)
  • Microsoft Access (passed)
  • Data Analysis (passed)
  • Microsoft Power BI (passed)

Result: Profile screams “Excel expert” to recruiters

Best for: Established workers deepening niche credibility

The “Well-Rounded VA” Strategy

Approach: Get badges across common VA skills

Example:

  • Microsoft Excel (passed)
  • Customer Service (passed)
  • Microsoft Outlook (passed)
  • Time Management (passed)

Result: Profile shows versatility and competence across VA core skills

Best for: VAs competing for broad role opportunities

The “Technical Credibility” Strategy

Approach: Get 3-4 badges in technical stack

Example (Frontend Developer):

  • JavaScript (passed)
  • React (passed)
  • HTML (passed)
  • CSS (passed)
  • Git (passed)

Result: Validates technical skills without years of experience

Best for: Junior developers building credibility

The “Missing Piece” Strategy

Approach: Badge the skill clients most question

Example (Writer with weak SEO cred):

  • Get SEO badge
  • Feature prominently
  • Use in proposals: “SEO-certified writer…”

Result: Fills credibility gap clients identified

Best for: Addressing specific objection to hiring you

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Taking irrelevant assessments

  • Content writer taking Java test
  • Waste of time
  • Dilutes focused profile
  • Better: Only take assessments relevant to target jobs

❌ Showing too many badges

  • 20+ badges looks like badge collector
  • Loses impact of strong badges
  • Looks unfocused
  • Better: Show 5-8 most relevant badges

❌ Taking assessment you’re not ready for

  • Repeated failures waste time
  • Discouraging
  • Better: Prepare thoroughly, take when confident of 70%+ chance

❌ Bragging about badges excessively

  • Don’t mention in every message
  • Don’t spam feed with badge posts
  • Better: Let badges speak quietly from profile

❌ Ignoring retake opportunities

  • Failed first time, giving up
  • Missing free credibility boost
  • Better: Study weak areas, retake until pass

❌ Not practicing beforehand

  • Taking assessment cold
  • Lower pass rate
  • Better: Study 2-5 days, practice tests, then take assessment

Timeline to Badge Portfolio

Week 1: Foundation

  • Day 1: Choose 5 target assessments
  • Day 2-7: Study for first 2 assessments (easier ones)
  • End of week: Take 2 assessments, likely pass 1-2

Week 2: Building

  • Day 1-7: Study for next 2 assessments
  • End of week: Take 2 assessments, pass 1-2
  • Total badges: 2-4

Week 3: Completion

  • Day 1-7: Study for final assessment
  • Retake any failed assessments
  • End of week: Have 4-5 badges

Week 4: Optimization

  • Optimize profile with badges
  • Feature key badges
  • Update headline if relevant
  • Share 1-2 badge achievements to feed

Total time investment: 30-50 hours over 1 month Result: 4-5 verified skill badges on profile Impact: 30-40% increase in profile views, higher recruiter contact rate

ROI of LinkedIn Badges

Time investment: 6-10 hours per badge (study + test)

Financial investment: Ksh 0 (completely free)

Results:

  • Increased profile visibility: 30-40%
  • More recruiter messages: 20-30% increase
  • Higher perceived credibility: Significant
  • Competitive advantage: Moderate to high

Payback:

  • First recruiter inquiry worth: Potentially Ksh 20,000-100,000+ project
  • Time to first result: 1-4 weeks after badges added
  • Long-term value: Badges work 24/7 to build credibility

Best ROI badges for Kenyan remote workers:

  1. Microsoft Excel (broad applicability)
  2. SEO (high-value skill)
  3. Customer Service (many role types need)
  4. JavaScript (tech roles)
  5. Social Media Marketing (growing demand)

Start with one badge this week. Take an assessment in a skill you already have confidence in. Pass it, see the badge appear on your profile, and feel the momentum. Then systematically work through 4-5 core skills over the next month. Each badge is another door opening to opportunities, another signal to recruiters that you’re the real deal. And best of all, it’s completely free.