At a certain juncture of your career education, it’s usually time to take a licensing exam. Many career roles require licensing, from physicians to plumbers, depending on where you live. Regardless of the exam you’re taking, you’re probably nervous and trying to cram as much studying in as possible to prepare. You may want to be careful about how much cramming, procrastination, and stress you’re under, as it can significantly affect your exam performance and career prep. Thankfully, the most common career exam mistakes are easily avoidable once you learn what they are.
Avoiding Food or Drinks
Many people avoid drinking or eating too much before the test to prevent unnecessary bathroom breaks or worrying about digestive issues. While it’s true you should avoid eating or drinking foods that will unnecessarily aggravate your stomach or make you feel ill, you shouldn’t skip food and drinks entirely. Food provides us with energy to perform daily activities, helping our bodies work at peak performance, including the brain. A lack of energy can translate to a lack of brain power, making it difficult for you to focus or remember important facts for your exam. Drinks like water help keep you hydrated; dehydration can lead to excess fatigue, headaches, and other symptoms, which can result in a poor testing experience. Get a healthy, balanced meal complete with a good beverage. You can always excuse yourself to the restroom if needed.
Staying Up All Night or Last Minute Studying
Some say any studying is better than no studying to justify cramming the night before. However, sleep is just as important as studying when it comes to test day. You may have been able to run on limited sleep in younger years, but it gets harder the older you get. Lack of sleep can lead to headaches, extreme fatigue, and memory problems. Cramming your studies may be counterproductive, as you may forget what you’ve just learned! Get as much sleep as you can before the test. Avoid last-minute studying to prevent the need for late-night or all-night cramming.
Brushing Off Prep Classes or Practice Testing
You may feel like you don’t need preparation or practice tests if you study well. However, prep classes and tests help prepare you for the entire exam process, not just the content. You can familiarize yourself with the format, question types, and length of your exam before taking the real thing, which can help eliminate anxiety from unfamiliarity. Preparation classes will give you all the tools you need to succeed. Don’t skip them!
Ignoring Exam Specifics
Many career exams have specific instructions, lengths, or rules. Some exams are in a particular format, even requiring written essays or oral answers. Assuming all exams are multiple choice can lead to preparation issues that may result in failure. Learn about what your exam will look like by reading instructions and taking practice tests.
Using Out-of-Date Materials
Industry standards and regulations change frequently, sometimes even annually. You don’t want to study with out-of-date materials. You will want the most up-to-date approved materials you can get your hands on to eliminate any confusion or preparation issues. Staying up to date also helps you gain more relevant knowledge as an important bonus.
Underestimating the Exam
Many people assume that the exam will be basic and simple. While good habits and study practices will increase your chances of passing, underestimating the exam can prove fatal. Assume the exam will be difficult, and your study habits will likely be adequate to pass. If you assume the exam is easy, you may not study as hard as you should. Always be prepared!
Not Preparing for Renewal
Your education or test prep shouldn’t stop once you obtain your license. Staying up to date with industry trends, renewal requirements, and continuing education can help you maintain a thriving career. If your industry requires license renewal, you will want to know the requirements far in advance. You may even need to continue your education in order to renew your license, depending on where you live.
Georgia
There are many industries in Georgia where licensing renewal is required, especially for trade careers like plumbing or electrical. Georgia electrical continuing education not only helps you practice and understand an electrical license exam, but four to eight hours of it is also required for renewal. Medical licenses must be renewed with continuing education as well, but not for the first renewal. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license renewal is also necessary in this state, but it doesn’t require an exam. Requirements vary by industry; check yours for tailored results.
California
California also requires continuing education for many license renewals, including medical, electrical, and CPA. The amount of continuing education will vary depending on the industry and how long you’ve held your license. Other trades, like plumbing, do not require additional education hours to renew a license.
Florida
The state of Florida requires CPAs, physicians, plumbers, and electricians to take a certain amount of continuing education to renew their licenses. However, plumbing doesn’t require continuing education for licensing in many other states, including those mentioned earlier. It’s important to check your industry and location’s specific requirements, but preparation is key.
Conclusion
Proper preparation for your career exam is important not only to pass but also to prepare for a thriving career. If you’re not properly licensed or tested on your skills and knowledge, you may not be able to perform the job correctly. You can lose clients or even your license if you’re not thoroughly equipped to be tested on your industry knowledge. Good luck!