Written assessments are often included to ensure that both a required standard of literacy is held by the participant, as well as an ability to create a suitable argument/case for some issue relevant to the role and/or organization.

It's critical to get your head clear about the tactics you are going to adopt to achieve your goal - a successful episode in the whole assessment center process, so it's time to set your written assessment activity up properly.

Why would you struggle with a written assessment? Well, we sometimes do seem to freeze when in stressful situations and we are always keen to do well. Throw in a mix of instructions; unsuredness and other people watching and the ingredients for concern are set. So it's as well to be prepared.

And you can be! Here's a great tip to get you going:-

**Read the instructions carefully.

As with any form of assessments, it's vital to ensure that you comply with the minimum standards expected of you.

With written assessments, it's even more of a core activity that you need to pay full attention to.

Often you will only have what you hear from the instructions given verbally as well as what is written down in front of you - there may be no opportunity to ask further questions.

You will find it of great value to make notes when you are being verbally told what you are supposed to do.

Then, when it comes to reading the instructions you are given in writing as part of the assessment paper, if that's how they do it, make sure that you do four things:-

- Read the instructions quickly once through, so that you have an overview

- Read again slowly and take notes of key points as you go.

- Review the key points and ensure that you have them clear - pay special attention to the simple parts of any instructions as these are often the ones that go wrong!

- Cross check what you have written, with the notes you took from the instructions that were given verbally

Finally, although you were given these instructions and may feel uncomfortable about asking for clarification, if you really don't follow something, do ask.

You may find that you are not the only one and that others are puzzled too. It won't do much harm if you ask, even if you are rejected!