Email, calendar, contacts: rules, advanced search, sharing, signatures.
Before starting, we run a 1-minute tech check — microphone, ambient noise, connection. If your setup isn't good enough, the test is fully refunded.
Stop listing 'Outlook' as a skill on your resume and actually prove it: rules, shared calendars, advanced search, and Microsoft 365 integration tested in a 15-minute AI oral exam.
The Plume Microsoft Outlook badge is a certified proof of your real-world Outlook proficiency, going far beyond knowing how to hit Send. Over 15 minutes, an AI examiner asks you spoken questions about the features that matter most in a professional environment: building and troubleshooting message rules (client-side and server-side), configuring multi-signature setups with images and disclaimers, running advanced searches with Outlook operators (FROM:, SUBJECT:, HASATTACHMENT:, RECEIVED:), managing shared calendars and delegate permissions, organizing contacts and distribution lists, and integrating Outlook with the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
What makes this badge different from a self-declared LinkedIn skill is the depth of the conversation. The AI examiner doesn't just ask 'do you know rules?' It probes whether you understand why a server-side rule (applied by Exchange/Microsoft 365) keeps running when your laptop is off, while a client-side rule doesn't. It checks whether you know the difference between a Shared Mailbox and a Distribution List, and when to use each. The full transcript is then scored by Claude Opus, which produces a 0-100 score, a certified level (Novice/Proficient/Advanced/Expert), and a detailed written report.
This badge is built for anyone who lives in Outlook all day and wants to show it: executive assistants, office managers, communications coordinators, IT helpdesk staff, digital transformation consultants, and career changers who want 'Microsoft Office proficiency' to actually mean something on an application.
Here are the concrete dimensions the AI examines during the 15-minute oral.
Build, prioritize, and troubleshoot Outlook message rules, including the distinction between client-side rules (stored locally) and server-side rules (enforced by Exchange or Microsoft 365) and how each behaves when Outlook is offline.
Use Outlook's search operators (FROM:, TO:, CC:, SUBJECT:, HASATTACHMENT:, RECEIVED:, CATEGORY:) and Search Folders to retrieve any message instantly in a high-volume inbox without scrolling endlessly.
Share calendars with precise permission levels (Reviewer, Author, Editor, Delegate), create recurring meetings, handle multiple time zones in Scheduling View, and manage Room and Resource mailboxes for meeting rooms.
Create and manage Contact Groups, Microsoft 365 Distribution Lists, and Shared Address Books, and explain the difference between a Contact Group, a Distribution List, and a Microsoft 365 Group.
Configure multiple signatures for new messages vs. replies/forwards, embed images and hyperlinks correctly, and use Outlook templates (.oft files) to standardize recurring communications across a team.
Structure a high-volume mailbox using folders, color categories, follow-up flags, Conversation View, and Focused Inbox, while understanding the performance trade-offs of deep folder hierarchies.
Explain how Outlook connects with Teams (joining and scheduling meetings), SharePoint and OneDrive (sharing files as links instead of attachments), Planner, and To Do in a real corporate Microsoft 365 tenant.
Manage MAPI profiles, understand the role of .pst and .ost files, diagnose sync issues with Exchange, configure Cached Exchange Mode, and know when to use the Outlook inbox repair tool (ScanPST).
Final scoring is performed by Claude (Anthropic), which reads back the full transcript and applies this weighted criteria grid.
Can you accurately describe how Outlook's core features work? Answers must reference the right settings, menus, and behaviors: not vague descriptions but precise explanations of rules, calendar permissions, search operators, and signature setup.
Do you understand what's happening under the hood? This includes client vs. server rules, MAPI/Exchange/IMAP protocols, Cached Exchange Mode implications, .ost file behavior, and how delegate permissions actually propagate.
Can you diagnose realistic Outlook issues? Examples: a rule that never fires, a calendar invite that auto-declines, a corrupted .ost file, a shared mailbox not showing up, or a signature that displays broken images in recipients' clients.
Do you know how to keep a mailbox healthy and efficient? This covers archiving strategies, retention policies, handling large attachments correctly (links vs. inline), folder naming conventions, and avoiding common inbox anti-patterns.
Do you understand how Outlook fits into the broader Microsoft 365 stack? This includes when to use a Teams chat vs. an email, how OneDrive sharing links work from Outlook, and the role of Microsoft 365 Groups vs. Distribution Lists.
A Plume session takes about 20 minutes, from tech check to badge delivery.
The AI confirms your microphone is working, you're in a quiet environment, and your connection is stable. No software to install: the entire session runs in your browser.
The AI asks you to briefly describe your daily Outlook setup: which version you use (Microsoft 365, Outlook 2019, Outlook on the web), your typical email volume, and whether you're in a corporate Exchange environment or a smaller setup.
The core of the exam. The AI digs into rules, advanced search, calendar sharing, signatures, categories, distribution lists, and Microsoft 365 integration. Questions adapt to your answers in real time to find where your knowledge actually stops.
You're given a realistic troubleshooting scenario, such as: 'A colleague says they stopped receiving emails from a specific domain after you set up new rules for them. Walk me through how you'd diagnose that.' Think out loud.
Claude Opus reads the full transcript, generates your 0-100 score, certified level, and a detailed report highlighting your strengths and the specific Outlook areas where you can improve. Your badge goes live on your Plume profile.
Your score out of 100 translates into a level a recruiter can grasp at a glance.
You can send, receive, and reply to emails, create basic calendar appointments, and manage simple attachments. You haven't configured rules, set up calendar sharing, or built a signature with images. Outlook works for you, but you use maybe 10% of what it can do.
You've set up message rules, use color categories and folders to organize your inbox, and can share your calendar with basic read permissions. You know how to create a signature and run a simple search. You handle day-to-day Outlook tasks independently without Googling every step.
You're comfortable with complex rules (including server-side rules on Exchange), advanced search operators, delegate calendar permissions, .oft templates, and Outlook's integration with Teams and SharePoint. You can troubleshoot most common issues without IT support and onboard colleagues to shared mailboxes.
You have deep knowledge of Exchange/Microsoft 365 mechanics: MAPI profiles, .pst/.ost file management, Cached Exchange Mode vs. Online Mode, retention policies, Microsoft 365 Group vs. Distribution List architecture, full mailbox delegation, and advanced sync troubleshooting. You're the person the IT team calls when Outlook acts up.
No degree or years of experience required to take the badge. Here are the profiles it makes the most sense for.
You manage multiple executives' calendars, set up delegate access, and handle shared inboxes daily. This badge proves to employers you can hit the ground running without a week of Outlook onboarding.
You manage distribution lists, send internal newsletters through Outlook, and maintain branded email signatures across the team. A badge makes this invisible skill visible to hiring managers.
Everyone claims 'Microsoft Office proficiency' on their resume. An Outlook badge with a real score and level instantly separates your application from the pile and gives recruiters something concrete to evaluate.
You don't have years of professional experience yet, but you can prove right now that you won't need three weeks to figure out how to set up a rule or share a calendar, which is exactly what hiring managers worry about.
You deploy and support Outlook for clients or internal users. The badge validates your end-user expertise and complements technical certifications like MS-900 or MD-102 with a proven, communication-friendly credential.
Where and how your Microsoft Outlook badge will help you day to day.
An office manager role requires 'strong Outlook skills.' Instead of just ticking a box, you attach your Plume badge link to your cover email. The recruiter sees an Advanced-level score before the first interview, and your application goes to the top of the pile.
The hiring manager asks how you'd set up delegate access for a CEO's calendar. Your Expert badge on Plume is already proof you answered that question correctly in front of an impartial AI examiner, which gives your verbal answer in the interview extra credibility.
You're pitching a Microsoft 365 migration project to an SMB. Including your Outlook badge score in the proposal document shows the client you know the end-user experience, not just the admin console, and helps justify your day rate.
You want to move from an individual contributor role to a project coordinator position that requires managing shared team calendars and group inboxes. The badge shows your manager you're already equipped for the extra responsibilities.
You run Outlook training sessions for a company rolling out Microsoft 365. The Plume badge acts as a pre- and post-training assessment, giving you an objective, comparable measure of each learner's progress.
After a two-year career break, you want to show your Outlook skills are current, especially with new Microsoft 365 features. A recent badge with a date and score is far more convincing than 'familiar with Outlook' on a resume.
A few minutes to check you have everything you need.
At the end of your session you don't just get a score — here's everything that awaits you.
You get a 0-100 score and one of four certified levels (Novice, Proficient, Advanced, Expert), based entirely on what you said during the oral, not on a multiple-choice quiz.
Claude Opus pinpoints exactly which Outlook capabilities you nailed (rules, search, calendar permissions...) and which areas still have room to grow, with concrete and actionable recommendations.
Your oral session recording is stored securely. You can choose to share it with a recruiter or employer to prove the exam was authentic and unscripted.
A public URL lets you display your Outlook badge on LinkedIn, your online resume, or in a job application email. Recruiters instantly see your score, level, and the date of the exam.
Discover related skills you can validate with Plume.
A 15-min oral exam with an AI, a shareable badge for your recruiters.
Choose this badge · €19.99
