Are You Good Enough for the Civil Services?

If you’ve watched shows like Parks and Recreation or Brooklyn Nine-Nine, you might think that anyone and everyone can sign up for a civil sector job. However, the reality is quite different.

We all know how big of a deal civil service exams are. For starters, there are a limited number of opportunities available and competition is fierce. Tens of thousands of candidates apply, and the vacancies are very limited.

The vacancies only open up if current employees are retiring or if the department receives more funding to hire new employees (which happens very rarely).

Not to forget that civil services exams are held once every 4 to 6 years. And the difficulty level and other requirements make it all very challenging. Therefore, you should be fully prepared for a career in civil service. Most importantly, you should know if you’re a good fit for the job or not.

The hiring process is challenging, has many steps, and can last a few months. You wouldn’t want to invest all your time in preparing for the exam, going through tests and interviews only to realize you’re not good enough for civil services.

Are you good enough for civil services? Well, these are skills needed to thrive in civil services.

Skills Needed to Qualify for a Civil Service Job

Leadership Traits

Organizations look for leadership traits in their employees. They expect their employees to step up and take the lead to achieve their targets and goals.

Civil Services employers are particularly interested in those who are willing to go above and beyond to assist their department in accomplishing its objectives. You become a significant asset to any department if you demonstrate accountability and responsibility.

You need to possess leadership qualities to qualify for a civil service job. In civil services, you’ll come across numerous occasions where you’ll need to take charge. This is the foremost skill to prove you’re capable enough for civil services.

Integrity and Honesty

As cliché as this sounds, integrity and honesty is deeply valued in all organizations. Making the right decisions in hard situations can be challenging.

Sometimes dishonesty can be a much easier choice, but integrity and honesty will push you to put your foot down and do what’s right rather than what’s easy.

Strong Decision Making Skills

Your integrity and honesty will assist you in making the right decisions but you’ll also need strong problem solving skills. Your decisions need to be driven by honesty all the while analyzing the magnitude of the problems.

Civil employees face a multitude of situations that require immediate strong decision-making skills under immense pressure.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking refers to the ability to think according to different situations, to think outside the box. Your job may involve a lot of creative thinking, depending on the civil service institute you join.Unlike other jobs, when you are given a few duties to complete correctly, civil service jobs are unique. Sure, positions like those in the NYC sanitation department require you to be proficient in just one area.

However, progressing through the ranks of any government agency is difficult. While your initial responsibilities may not necessitate much creative thinking, you can rest assured that you’ll need to be a creative thinker to advance.

Some positions, on the other hand, need you to deal with new challenges that the public faces on a daily basis.

For example, the COVID outbreak in New York City required various civil service divisions to respond rapidly and imaginatively to the city’s rising concerns.

Dedication and Zeal

Many people want to join civil services for the benefits it offers and for job security too. But that appeal can fade over time, and you might end up feeling suffocated or stuck somewhere you’re not happy.

You can only thrive in a civil service job if you are passionate and you have the dedication and commitment toward your job through and through. If you’re not passionate about a civil service job, you don’t belong here.

Keen to Learn

A civil service job requires intelligence; you need to possess a good intelligence quotient. Apart from that you need to be willing to learn, you’re never too smart. The more you know the better!

If you believe you know everything and will be an expert at your profession right away, you are generally not the best candidate for the job. An excellent employee’s eagerness to learn and willingness to acknowledge their flaws are great qualities. You must be willing to gain new abilities that will assist you improve your job performance.

Coordination and Cooperation

Whatever civil service job you narrow your choice down to; you’ll be working with a lot of people. Whether you work for the NYC Fire Department or the Suffolk County Police Department in NYS, coordination is essential.

When you’re part of a huge organization, teamwork and proper coordination amongst each other is quite important. Failure to do so can result in repercussions.  Teamwork will make you and your organizations succeed.

Excellent Organizational and Negotiating Qualities

Working in the civil service entails managing a number of diverse projects or activities all at the same time. You’ll be responsible for a variety of projects with varied degrees of priority, as well as dealing with a variety of stakeholders and personalities.

To handle all of your responsibilities, you’ll need good organizational skills as well as negotiation abilities to deal with the various personalities you’ll encounter.

Sharpen Your Skills with Civil Service Success

Have you got the skills but are afraid of civil service exams?  Ace your exams with Civil Service Success!

At Civil Service Success we offer civil service exam preparation to candidates for over four decades. Our expert and highly-qualified trainers offer comprehensive workshops and preparation classes for various NYC civil service exams.

Our Intensive study courses are the best programs available for serious candidates who want to ace these competitive examinations and get their dream civil service job.

Sharpen your skills and succeed with us!Get in touch with us and get a step closer to your dream.