This page is dedicated to giving out advice for the Business English world.
Test Taking Anxiety Tips
Saturday, November 24, 2018 by Michael Rincon | Tests; Anxiety; Confidence
In today's post, I am going to share 3 test-taking anxiety tips so that when you are faced with your next test or exam, you will have the tools you need to compose yourself instead of freaking out and not being able to focus.
These tips will help you regardless of your age, background, or career. Even as a 30-year-old data analyst and consultant, I'm regularly taking tests.
What is causing anxiety?
The answer will be different for each person and for each scenario, but in general, it's about the unknown, about uncertainty. Tony Robbins likes to say; "When you are absolutely certain, you have no fear."
If you are looking for help with a specific problem or challenge, feel free to leave a comment or send me an e-mail. Subscribe to my blog posts to receive updates when new videos come out.
Without further ado, let's get started:
Tip #1: Prepare early and often.
With standardized tests like SAT or IELTS, you usually have a few months before you must take the test to progress your career.
You can take advantage of this time by preparing and practicing in advance. For example, IELTS.org has sample questions you can review. Tutors and coaches can also help you by assessing your sticking points and blind spots that you could not accomplish through self-study.
It's also pretty common to get assigned tests without much time or material to prepare for them.
How do you prepare for these tests when you have less than a day to study?
It's okay to ask what kind of questions you can expect on the test. What I've done is use google and youtube searches for the tests, and for how to complete specific tasks such as Index Match in Microsoft Excel. That's how I passed the test for Microsoft Access even though I had never used it before.
Tip#2: Let Go Of Perfectionism
If you are feeling nervous, part of the reason might be because you feel that failure is not an option.
So I recommend two things here;
First, I recommend giving yourself permission to fail.
This might sound counterintuitive, but this will alleviate some pressure For the English Proficiency tests, most students have to take it 2 or 3 times to pass.
Secondly, you should have contingency plans.
In my line of work, sometimes I get handed tests that I have little chance of passing. Earlier this year, I got a SQL Developer test asking me questions that were well beyond my knowledge.
I was really frustrated at first but then I reminded myself that its okay if I fail, I can apply for other jobs or do more training after the test, and then when I finished the test, my contingency plan was to explain why I think I failed this test and how I have used SQL in my past roles so I can show that I'm still good for this position.
This allowed me to calm down, focus and finish the test instead of procrastinating. I ended up passing the test despite my lack of confidence.
Tip #3: Slow Down
When you are feeling anxious, you might be tempted to try and complete the test as fast as possible, because you don't want to feel the anxiety. It's actually in your best interest to do the opposite.
I live by the mantra "Accuracy over Speed."
One of the most important things you can do is carefully read the directions.
In both the English proficiency tests and some of the assessment tests I've taken, they have these things called "distractors" which provide misleading information and are intended to catch people who rush the test.
An example question that comes up is something like, "Which of the following is not a step in the process?" If you are not careful, you will misread the question and answer incorrectly.
To Recap: I provided an overview of what causes anxiety for tests and I provided 3 tips for dealing with tests.
Homework: I would like you to think about the next test is coming up and see how you can apply these tips. If you don't have any tests coming up, think about the last time you had to take a test and what problems you struggled with and why? Did you give yourself time to prepare? Were you too focused on the outcome? Did you rush through the test?
Write a comment or send me an e-mail. If you have experiences like these I would love to hear them. Subscribe to my posts to receive updates when new videos come out.
If I can help you in any way I'd be happy to do it.
Best Regards,
Michael Rincon
Michael@Michaelsbusinessenglish.com
