I don’t want to ever hear that I don’t go the extra mile (no pun intended) to help you in your CIPS training. This week I have gone so far as to get a car fine of £150 to teach you all a very valuable lesson for your exam.
Basically, I parked in a car park which used to be free for up to 3 hours. However unbeknown to me, this had changed and it was now no longer free. I saw the sign and assumed it was the same sign I had read before and when I glanced it looked like it was saying 3 hours free, so locked up and ambled on my way down the street to a meeting. Three hours later I returned to my car to see the aggressive red and yellow letter stuck on my car. I opened it up and saw that it was £150! Private land means that they can charge what they want, but if I paid within the first 24 hours I could pay only £65.
I went to read the sign again, and it very clearly now said parking is no longer free for 3 hours, you must pay or you will be fined. I wanted to kick myself for being so stupid and for now paying ten times the amount that I would have if I had just taken the time to read the sign properly. I was stressed, worried about being late, and thought I just needed to get out of here. I paid for that – literally!
I’m taking one for the team to learn this lesson, so you do not pay for it in your exam. My not reading the sign properly = you not reading the question properly in the exam. Either failing to see the context and examples required, or simply answering the question you want it to be – not what it actually is. Another issue is being stressed and just wanting it done, so not checking over everything properly. Therefore my advice this week is…
- Read the question at least twice before answering. If you are struggling break it down, what is it asking for, what topic could it be covering from the learning outcomes
- Plan, Plan, Plan. This does not have to be a detailed list, but brainstorming some bullet points of what you are going to say will make you more structured and faster.
- Do not leave early and rush out. Take your time and double-check everything you have written to make sure it is coherent and you have answered everything.
- Apply back to the case. Remember my framework statement, explanation, example. In a case study question each paragraph should have half theory, half application to the case as a rough guide.
- Manage your time. The majority of your marks come from the middle section of your essay, if you are running out of time leave the conclusion and move on!
Remember, everything you write in your exam is a chance to get a mark, and could be the difference between a pass or a fail.
A resit will also cost you, just like my parking fine – make sure you do everything you can in that exam time.
Good luck – you’ve got this!