When I was a management trainee such tests were not commonplace.  I was one of ten candidates for selection to take part in a new FastTrack program.  Only two would be chosen and they would benefit from intense training and the chance to achieve rapid promotion.  I knew it was a great opportunity to launch my career and achieve my ambitions.

I can remember it well.  The students who would normally have been at the college must have been on holiday because the building was deserted and the Great Hall where they sat for examinations was available.  There was a certain eeriness about the place as we were ushered in and told to sit down.  With just 12 in a room that could obviously accommodate many more, it was very imposing and I felt nervous.

As the huge clock on the wall ticked loudly we were told that we were required to complete a test paper in just 30 minutes.  It was said that this might prove difficult but we were advised to allocate sufficient time to read the instructions in full before we began to answer the questions.  The test papers were handed out and placed face down in front of us.  The Adjudicator then passed slowly around the room giving out the instructions which were also put in front of us, face down.  Moving back to the front of the room, he stood before us and announced, “remember the instructions you have been given.  You have 30 minutes to complete the test paper and the time starts … now.”

As you can imagine, the atmosphere was tense.  I began to read, as instructed.  After a couple of minutes I was wondering why so much emphasis had been placed on reading the instructions, they seemed pretty straightforward.  I looked around and saw that other people were looking up too, probably thinking the same as me.  Some had even begun to write.  Just one guy continued to read studiously.  I am a slow reader and as I was already most of the way through the instructions I decided to continue to the end, as we had been told.

I had almost finished reading when I heard the sound of papers being shuffled together and then a chair scraped on the floor.  The guy who had been reading so intently passed me as he walked to the front and handed his test paper to the Adjudicator.  Seconds later the door closed gently behind him.  Everyone was now looking at one another.  After a few seconds we all returned to what we had been doing before his apparently premature exit.

I would have carried on reading from where I had left off but, for no particular reason, I moved straight to the last paragraph.  I scanned it until I saw what he had seen.  The last sentence of the instructions read, “You are not required to answer any of the questions.  Please hand your uncompleted test paper to the Adjudicator as you leave the room.

He was waiting for me when I got outside.  Paul and I became good friends as we spent the next 12 months on the intensive training program.  It was really hard work but it stood us in good stead for the challenges we faced throughout the rest of our careers.

I know it is sometimes frustrating to have to do it but I have always invested a lot of time to make sure I completely understand any question I am asked ever since, particularly if it's part of a tender submission.  Precisely what does the questioner want to know?  How will your response be scored?  How much does the reader want to know about you and your business?  In your responses make sure you stick very closely to the question and answer it in the sequence in which it is asked.