Preparing for Competitive Typing Exams

By Lesson 45, you can endure five minutes of typing. Next, you need to learn to cope with pressure. No plan for Competitive Typing Exam preparation is complete without “Stress Inoculation.” This means practicing with stress so that the real exam is perceived as relatively “easy.”

“The Noise of the Room”

One of the biggest challenges in a government exam is the sound of the other test takers. It can create a “false rhythm” that disrupts your flow. To simulate the conditions of a real exam for your Competitive Typing Exam preparation, practice this lesson while listening to a busy office or a typing hall. This will help you learn to block the extra noise and focus on the sound of your own keys. In crowded exam centers, this ability to ignore surrounding noise will give you a significant advantage.

Coping With Time Pressure

During a 2-minute test, the clock feels like it is moving faster. In a 5-minute test, it may feel like you have “plenty of time,” leading to a false sense of security. Then you suddenly remember there are 60 seconds left, and that is when the panic hits. We don’t want you to clock watch. We want you to practice “Clock Awareness.” The ideal time to look at the timer is 2.5 minutes, which is the halfway point, and 1 minute. These are the two most important time marks for you to adjust your pace to without incurring the anxiety of clock watching.

Implementing The “Final Five”

The most mistakes in any task occur in the last 5% of it. When there are 15 seconds left on the 5-minute test, your mind shifts to the outcome. That is when a “Premature Celebration” or a “Premature Disappointment” happens which causes fingers to slip. In Lesson 45, you are expected to practice the “Strong Finish.” Tell yourself “The test isn’t over until the screen freezes.” Maintain your focus and form until the last millisecond. This is the level of finish that distinguishes top performers in the highly competitive graduate recruitment market.