So, here's how to make the best of your hard-earned opportunity.

1. Get Your Pre-work Done

You may be asked to either submit work in advance of the Assessment Center, or take something with you. If so, make sure you clearly understand the instructions and if you don't, get clear in good time (preferably not the day before it's due in!).

Submit whatever it is in exactly the format requested and if, for some reason you cannot, talk to them about it rather than send it knowingly incorrect. They want to have an easy time sifting through submissions, so make it easy for them and they will love you before you get there!

Here's a reminder, if you are working hard on a presentation, save it to at least two locations and not just on your computer. Save as you go along and save to a USB pen drive as well, at least. You might even copy to a CD and another computer as well! It really is better to be safe than sorry!

Paranoid maybe, but you can always e-mail a copy to your Yahoo/MSN/Hotmail e-mail address as well and file it there too! So, don't work your socks off and then lose it - it is all to easy to do.

If you print it out for them, make a second copy and if you are taking it on the day, put a copy in your bag to take in with you and keep a copy in the boot of your car too.

Pre-work for an assessment center takes a lot of sweat and effort - it will pay you to do it well, do it safely and protect what you've got!

2. Understand and Follow Instructions - To The Letter!

You will be excited about your opportunity, that's for sure. And there's a load of stuff to take in. So make sure that you keep all the information sent to you in one place and in one envelope somewhere safely.

Then read it all carefully at least twice. Especially the information about the assessment center day itself. It can be so easy to mis-read or misunderstand what has been sent to you, so take great care here.

It might sound stunningly obvious - and it is - and the detail is vital. It is not unknown for people to turn up at the wrong time, wrong date and wrong place.

So the onus is on you, despite this being such a simple challenge, to get this bit right without fail. Then in the knowledge that it's all going to happen where you think it is, you can focus on getting right what you need to get right.

And focus on a successful assessment center outcome!