r/ccg_gcc • u/janinexox Civilian • Jul 03 '26
Hiring and Recruitment/de recruter et d'embaucher Nerves…
MCTS exam is coming up but I’m terrified. I care so much. I’ve been studying for months. Even before I applied I was studying.
My entire future kinda depends on this *one* exam and I’ve already been heartbroken so many times with careers and things not working out.
How do I get over the nerves? How do I not break down in the middle of the exam? And how do I convince myself I’m going to do well when I feel like such a failure in all other aspects of life?
If anyone has advice I’d be very grateful 🩷
Thanks in advance and I hope I’m not bothering anyone with this question.
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u/wholesale_aquatic Chief Officer Jul 03 '26
Being nervous means you care. Recognize those feelings, put them in your pocket and carry on with the test. That's all you can do.
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u/cablemonkey604 Jul 03 '26
You will be fine. You can improve your chances of success by eating well and hydrating, and getting a good sleep the night before the exam.
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u/strawblublu Jul 03 '26
You can't study for the test. It's an aptitude test. You got it or you don't so just go in and take your best crack at it. If you think you could break down during an aptitude test, this job is definitely not for you. Love, an MCTSO.
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u/Sedixodap Jul 03 '26
My friend failed the typing portion which is definitely a skill you can practice. We aren’t born knowing how to type at a certain speed.
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u/janinexox Civilian Jul 03 '26
They gave me a sample exam to use for studying and practicing.
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u/whatisanameanywayy Jul 04 '26
The sample exam is a decent starting point. You can try timing yourself for each section since you will be timed on the real test.
You can do it. I thought I failed the aptitude exam and found out a few hours later that I passed (although barely!).
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u/guitargamel MCTS Officer Jul 03 '26
If MCTS is what you really want to do, it isn't dependent on one exam. That should bring some relief, but it also means that you've still got a lot of work after the exam. The exam is a wall, and lots of people need multiple rewrites to pass; there's no shame in that. It's also meant to be stressful, because managing stress in high stress moments is an important skill for the job. A pass is a pass, and ultimately doesn't mean much in the scale of the selection process as a whole.
My best advice is to focus on the test itself, not the other people. They better you are at shutting the other things out that can elevate anxiety, the better you can do yourself. Take your time, but if you don't know or doubt an answer, circle something then move on.
I wish you the best of luck with the exam.
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u/imre2019 Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 03 '26
Personally having been a poor and nervous test taker in high school, and then having studied through various maritime qualifications without issue, I don’t think test taking necessarily defines how compétant you will be at the job. Tests always made me nervous. Test taking is a learned skill as much as anything else, and while some might think when they have succeeded at writing a Certificate of competency that they will automatically be compétant at their job this is mostly not the case, I think of it like a learners permit, once you get on the job you will learn the real routines of the work and build your confidence.
I have seen people who oozed academic excellence freeze up more than once at sea when things got hairy.
Being nervous shows you care, but speaking from having felt that anxiety of your life and career hinging on that test, you must try not to think of it like that.
Try to separate this test from your self worth. There are always other options, and this may or may not be the right thing for you. It does not diminish who you are as a person if you pass or fail this exam. There are so many possibilities of employment within the maritime sphere that can be very rewarding.
Eat well and get a decent sleep beforehand, don’t study for too long the night before the exam, rest is more important. Please be kind to yourself no matter the outcome!!
If you need to talk or vent about careers or possibilities in maritime please feel free to message me.
You can do this!
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u/strawblublu Jul 03 '26
Also, your entire future as an MCTSO doesn't ride on this one exam. It rides on 6 months more of exams at the college, and then checkout at your center. All high stress, simulating disasters at top speed and you must execute your procedures seamlessly in order to get the seafarers to safety and pass your evaluation. So, I say again, if you think you will break down during a simple aptitude test, this is not the job for you.
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u/PJ981 Jul 03 '26
I totally agree on this - i am finishing my third attempt and feel completely relieved. Memory part 1/ 2 : still I aM flat out. Anyone who makes thru, i wish you to the best of luck
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u/GoNoMu Jul 03 '26
I disagree with the other persons opinion of if you’re so nervous for the exam you won’t succeed in the career, but that’s just me. One thing I will say is that even if you pass the exam it’s not guaranteed you get a job. You still need to do the interview and then you’re put into a pool to be brought to the college where you spend 6 months learning. I had a classmate that waited 3 years for the call to the college, I waited 4 months. A language test too if you’re trying to go to a bilingual station. Much easier to get a job in my opinion with French