The Dreaded Writing Test

Throughout my time in university, I have managed to overcome some of my greatest fears; however, there is one fear that I have yet to overcome — the written test. Whether it is in a job interview or in a class, tests cause me to have sweaty palms, heavy breathing, an accelerated heart rate, and overwhelming anxiety. I just think of one thing: ‘I need to finish.’ I repeat this like a mantra in my head as if my proverbial life depended on it. I have left tests too many times feeling like an inadequate and complete failure — I wasn’t prepared enough; I didn’t know what to expect; I didn’t finish the test; I didn’t get the position; I failed the class.

            Although I have always dreaded timed writing tests since I was young, my first real writing test — with any significant outcome — was my writing test to get into the Professional Writing Diploma program (PROW). After submitting my written portfolio, I thought the entrance exam would be a breeze — after all, how hard could a test possibly be that is designed for writers who are recently out of high school? After entering the room, I noticed that there wasn’t a clock; how could I possibly know how much time I was taking if I couldn’t watch the time ticking monotonously away?

After taking a year off from high school, my writing skills were rusty at best; although I have always had a natural talent with words, writing is a skill like all others where you can’t always rely upon natural talent. The first task was writing an article on whether Baby Einstein videos improve babies’ IQs when they watch them. They supplied some information and asked you to argue for or against; I spent 45 minutes, at least I think, writing the article. I was then asked to write an essay on the same topic; I was about two paragraphs into the essay when my now program counselor said, “Time’s up.” 

             I was looking for some sort of solace in her serious expression; all I could sense was pity. I knew I failed the entrance exam. I failed at my dream. I locked myself in my room for three days — amidst tears and copious amounts of coffee, I thought of all that wouldn’t be. I refused to answer my phone, petrified that my deepest fear would be confirmed. I didn’t check my voicemail; for two weeks I lived in a self-imposed exile, a darkness of thought and feeling.

To my surprise, a week later, my dad knocked on my bedroom door and told me that Grant MacEwan had called. I said that I didn’t want to know; I said that I didn’t want to hear. My father congratulated me and told me I had passed the entrance exam; I would be a student again and live out my dream. In a manic, happy panic, I checked my voicemail. I was in disbelief at the news; I didn’t even finish the test. With self-doubt, I checked the purported message. In astonishment, I realized it was true. If anything, what I learned from my first serious timed writing test was that an unfinished test is not synonymous with failure.

While my PROW entrance exam was my first real timed writing experience, it certainly wasn't my last. The last timed writing experience I had was for a job interview; it was my first interview that required a writing assessment. I was asked to write a press release; unfortunately, I didn’t expect to write the exam on a PC laptop — I’m used to using Word for Mac which is a lot different than Word for PC. Half of the time I spent trying to format my press release correctly, not taking into account research time for the release — I had to write on an Engineering Conference for the U of A.  For one thing, I know nothing about engineering; I had a simple understanding, at least after reading the organization’s website and the job posting. I finished the test but only after pretending that I didn’t hear her knock to signal that my time was up.

After the interview, I received an email and a voicemail; while I was not the chosen candidate, I was in the last round of decision making, between two finalists. She offered to keep my name on file for future job competitions at the U of A. She offered me a piece of invaluable advice, which I will in turn tell you: “It may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the PC/Windows environment so that you do not find yourself panicking in a test situation. The formatting was not a big issue in the end. In any case, I think testing just takes practice. Remember you have great interviewing skills, and these will factor into an employers’ assessment of you far more than minor issues related to a test.” From my experience writing written assessments,  I would recommend the following:

1.     Expect to be tested in an interview; think about what tasks they might ask you to do — specifically check the end of job postings, usually they are listed.

Make sure you are aware that many communications fields expect one to be able to work under pressure. A written assessment (though always difficult) shows employers whether you are able to work under pressure and under deadlines.

Photo Courtesy of The Guardian

2.     Expect a take-home test, an online test, or a test in the interview.

Many employers use different formats for the written assessment. They may send you home with an exam, test on you the spot, or give you a document to fill out and return within a certain time frame. If writing an online assessment, remember to save and remember that you are still being timed — even if it is online. If you are filling out a document at home, remember that you have the luxury to edit and rewrite your test. You have a much bigger time frame to polish your work than you do with an online or interview test.

 Photo Courtesy of Meme Generator

3.     Don’t panic about finishing a written test or if it’s not up to your usual high standards.

As I learned from writing my PROW entrance exam, not finishing a test does not always signal that you will fail or that you won’t get a position. Even after failing to finish my PROW entrance exam, I was admitted into the program. As well, although I was concerned about my press release’s formatting and quality, I was still competitive and was one of the top candidates for the position I applied for.

 Photo Courtesy of Texus A&M Health Science Center

4.     Remember, an employer (or your professor) is much more interested in your interviewing skills, your previous portfolio, your education, your previous work experience, and your writing quality.

As my interviewer said above, my interviewing skills and writing samples were much more important than my written assessment. And, in the end, the formatting wasn’t even a big deal. A written assessment, again, is mainly testing your stress tolerance. It is not indicative of your ability to write; most employers understand that you could do much better if given more time. That’s why your portfolio samples are so important!

Photo Courtesy of Dougles Chan

5.     Refamiliarize yourself with both PC and Mac versions of Microsoft Office — you never know!

As I found out, sometimes employers want you to type out your written assessment; while I am familiar with Mac platforms, I seldom use PCs. As a result, I was somewhat nervous when I was asked to write my assessment using Microsoft Word. So, before your test, make sure you know, at least basically, the main functions on both systems. Email your interviewer and ask what type of laptop you will be tested on. And, if worse comes to worse, bring your laptop with you to your interview and ask if you may write the test on that instead.

 Photo Courtesy of Cult of Mac

6.     Research each job posting and make sure you have at least a basic knowledge of the company before writing a written assessment.

It is important to research all organizations you apply for before you go in for an interview. The knowledge you acquire will be invaluable to you later, when you are writing your written assessment, as I discovered when I had to write on engineering mathematics.

Photo Courtesy of Wisconsin Alumni Association

7.     Make sure that you have the necessary qualifications and skills needed for a position.

Save yourself the time! Don’t apply for a position when you know that you don’t have the necessary skills and qualifications; it will save you from panicking when are asked to write something you have never done before or when you come across heavy, industry-related jargon that you are unfamiliar with. 

 Photo Courtesy of Willard Hypnosis

8.     Break your time up into segments — researching, writing, and editing— and roughly try to stay in your self-appointed time frame.

This technique has saved me time and time again. I usually am riddled with anxiety and nerves when I write a written assessment; however, roughly breaking up my time allows me to stay relaxed. And, although some might negate the usefulness of this, check the clock every five to ten minutes. Don’t get flustered in response to checking the clock; simply check to see if you are on time with your self-appointed schedule.

Photo Courtesy of Honest & Truly

9.     Remember practice makes perfect and to trust your education, talent, and skills!

I can’t stress the importance of this enough —you got into your program for a reason. You are naturally blessed as a storyteller; you have a natural aptitude for words. No test can ever take that away from you.  And although trite, the old proverb “Practice makes perfect,” is true. Although you may never truly embrace written tests, they are a fact of life. And, like all things, each one will become easier to write and you will be less stressed as a result — eventually you'll catch the ball!

Photo Courtesy of Damn LOL

10.  Remember to breathe; not getting a position or failing a test is not the end of the world!

Don’t succumb to self-imposed melancholy like I did! Failing a test or not getting a position might seem like the end of the world at the time; however, it’s not. There are always new opportunities that you can succeed at in the future; all you need to think is that this route didn’t work out. It’s time to pursue a new one. And, I hate to say it but, there is nothing worse than listening to friends whine about the end of their future because of failing a test or not getting a position. There will always be another position; there will always be other tests.

            In my life, I have learned to trust and embrace serendipitous moments. Maybe a written assessment is simply another avenue of fate; you either pass or fail. However, how you accept your fate and react is simply up to you. 

 Photo Courtesy of TXM World

Is Freelance Work Right For You? Decisions, Decisions...

So you decide to go to University. Then you decide which University. Then you look at all

the different types of programs, and finally settle on one. 

Communications. After all, you have a penchant for words, a love for writing and copious amounts of creativity. The choice feels like a no-brainer. 

And just think of all the career opportunities. There's corporate communications, media relations or community relations. You could do copywriting, screenwriting or technical writing. The list goes on and on. 

And you thought the difficult choices were over. Silly you.

So it's back to the drawing board to make more decisions. What exactly do you want to do with your communications degree? Don't worry, it's just your future we're talking about here. No pressure. I'll wait here for you.


Done yet? 
No? Take your time.


So after some deep soul-searching and perhaps a little self-doubt and hair loss (don't worry, that's common) you have settled on a more specific career path. Let's use editing as an example.

You love the idea of crafting words into a perfectly polished form. You revel at the thought of a beautifully written manuscript that was possible because of your talent with grammar and mechanics. 

Congrats! You've started your beautiful journey into the world of words. And rewriting of words. And then rewriting those words again. And then again after that. 

So now that you decided that editing is your calling, there's still a few more important decisions that need be made. One last choice before heading into the professional world is much the same in many areas of communications, and that is the choice between freelance or in-house work.

Maybe you start to think that freelance is the direction you want to go. But your still unsure of the logistics of it all. 

Let's break down the pros and cons of freelancing and hopefully give you a better idea and see if it would be the best fit for you. 

Pros

Flexible schedule 
Working as a freelance editor allows you to dictate your own hours and work at your own pace. This could be especially important for people with young children or other time-consuming commitments. 

Can work from home
Working from home has lots of perks. No travel time, no parking expenses and possibly less car maintenance costs. And yes, you could work in your pajamas if you really want to. 

Setting your own rates
While getting established as a freelancer may take some time, it gives you the opportunity to constantly work and improve your skills. And as you improve, you have the privilege of setting your own rates based on your quality of work and what you think your skills are worth.

Choice of Clients 

This one may go unrealized at first, but it's a biggie. Working as a freelancer affords you the opportunity to work with the people you want and on the projects of your choosing. When you first start out you may not be able to afford or want to turn down any job, but as you get more established you may be able to pass on high-maintenance clients or less desirable projects. 

Networking opportunities 
Working as a freelancer means constant connection with various clients across all areas of the business. These type of connections could come in handy if you ever wanted to branch out into other areas of the industry. Perhaps you will meet a future employer or coworker through your freelance work. Marketing yourself through networking can lead to so many other things. So it's important to keep it a priority. 

Cons

No guarantee of work 
This one might go without saying, but with any freelance job, you can never be sure if there will always be work. Again, getting established can be the tough part. So starting out may be difficult, but the hope is that once you get a few opportunities, things will snowball from there. But you have to be prepared for times of little work, and in turn, little income.


Long hours
While one pro that was mentioned was the fact that a freelancer can dictate their own hours, this isn't to say that they won't be long hours. A freelance editor must be prepared to meet numerous deadlines, and this might mean burning the midnight oil on certain projects if necessary. 

Lack of Benefits
One huge plus of working for an employer is the possibility of benefits. So this means that as a freelancer, one may miss out on these benefits. Things like healthcare or dental care can cost thousands of dollars a year, and a freelance worker must be prepared to foot the bill for any of these costs or alternate coverage plans. 


Getting clients / Getting Established
The idea of getting established has popped up a few times already, and that's because it's so necessary to the success of any freelance worker. You must be constantly promoting yourself to gain and maintain a solid client base. In addition to your actual editing workload, marketing yourself and your talents is a job all on its own. So you must be prepared for the double duty of self-branding and promotion.

So as you can see, deciding to work in communications is really just the beginning of your tale. But if you get to the point where you are truly considering taking a stab at the freelance world, as an editor or otherwise, it's important to consider both sides of the coin. It is the hope that this list will flesh out some of the finer details and help make the decision process a little easier. After all, we could all use a little help in making those big life choices. 

The Importance of Business Cards

The business card is a way of saying hello, remember me, and so much more. Today, it seems like everyone from your kid sister's babysitting business to the ubiquitous "mommy blogger" has his or her own business card. But business cards have a long and varied history that extends long before the term "blog" even existed. Once part of a formal royal visitation in 15th Century China according to this infographic from MOO Inc., a printing company, business cards now have many, many different uses and purposes.

Infographic Courtesy of Moo

But are business cards something you really need as you enter the workforce? It's common knowledge that a well-written resumé and cover letter are essential if you want to get a job. A diverse portfolio certainly doesn't hurt, either. But where do business cards fit in all of this? There has to be a reason they've been in use for hundreds of years, but what purpose do they serve now? And should students, especially, be forking over money for these ephemeral objects that are then going to be given away for free?

What it really comes down to is memorability and branding. A business card acts as a personal ambassador. It makes you look good; it provides your information in a quick, easy-to-access way; and it represents you when you're not there. A business card makes it easy for you, instead of the 50+ other applicants, to be remembered. While it is true a resumé, cover letter, and portfolio do the same thing, none of those objects fit into a pocket or a wallet.

Carrying around copies of your resumé is simply impractical. You really never know when an opportunity will present itself, and business cards allow you to always be prepared. Imagine sitting next to someone on a plane who casually mentions that his or her company has a job opening that is basically your dream job. If you have a business card you can hand to him or her, before it's even read that business card is already doing its job of making you look good. Writing your contact information down on a scrap piece of paper or pulling a crumpled resumé out of a bag just doesn't have the same professional impact.

Image Courtesy of MOO Inc. 

Business cards do more than represent you, though; they also create relationships. It is rare for the offer of a business card not to be reciprocated. All of a sudden, a job interview becomes a networking opportunity. Even if you don't get the job, you know that whoever interviewed you, personally, has your information and he or she felt you were important enough to get his or hers in return. That person you sat next to on a plane? He or she is probably going to offer you a business card in exchange for your own. That dream job is even more of a reality.

The relationships that business cards can help foster are not all professional. Even if the person sitting next to you on a plane doesn't have a job opening at his or her company, you may still want to stay in contact. In Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic Little House on the Prairie book series, business cards are simply "name cards" and are given to friends and potential suitors. Just because the name of the card has changed doesn't mean it can't be used in the same way.

Image Courtesy of The Design Inspiration

Business cards, as their history has proven, are extremely versatile. They don't have to be a standard size or shape. They can be fun, functional, and even truly artistic.  And despite the increasing digitization of so much print material, business cards seem to have found an existence that straddles digital and physical.

Image Courtesy of Juke Box Print

Business cards can now have QR (Quick Response) codes that, when scanned by a smart phone camera, will open a specified website. Most business cards list an email or an email and a website, and some print companies are even looking into NFC (Near Field Communication) enabled business cards that contain a small microchip. When tapped to a smartphone, these cards tell the phone to download information, open a webpage, save a photo, or any number of simple tasks.

QR Code

All these new technologies have essentially ensured the business card's survival as the world becomes more and more digital. Unfortunately, there's no getting around that business cards do cost money, but that doesn't mean there aren't options for those who can't afford to spend a hundred dollars on something they're going to give away. Moo offers a 20% student discount, and VistaPrint will print a run of 25 cards for under 5 dollars. And never overlook the option of printing them yourself. Many stationary supply stores like Staples sell pre-perforated business card printer packs that allow you to print business cards with any standard home printer.