Expert Tips for Securing a Government Job

Do you dream about having a government job but have never applied in fear of the dreaded civil service exams? Well, you’re definitely not alone. Civil service exams are notoriously difficult to pass, and, in states like New York, they are only held once every 4 to 6 years, attracting thousands of candidates. Only the cream of the crop gets chosen.

And when you consider the perks of having a government job, it’s easy to understand why thousands of candidates turn up for civil service exams. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, when you combine salary plus benefits, the average annual compensation of a federal worker amounts to $106,871, which is significantly higher than the $53,288 of a private sector employee. Government jobs provide great incentives as well, such as, health insurance, great retirement plans, and student loan repayment programs.

However, while securing employment in the extremely competitive government sector difficult, it’s by no means impossible. Here are some expert tips on getting a government job.

Choose a Particular Field of Work

Before you register for a civil service exam, it’s important to choose which sector and department of the U.S government you want to work for. The public sector in the United States employs over 20 million people and is comprised of over a hundred agencies and organizations. Just the state government of New York has over 620,000 state/local FTE employees.

The bottom line is that there’s a wide variety of sectors available in each department of the government. Moreover, there’s a different civil service exam for each department. For instance, if you wish to become a court officer in the state of New York, you have to pass the NYS Court Officer Exam, and if you want to serve in the New York Fire Department as a firefighter, you have to take the NYC Firefighter Exam.

Before moving towards a particular department, make sure you decide the field of work you’d like to build a career in. Each government department has its own motto, missions, and objectives, and motto, so make sure you explore and evaluate all of your options before choosing the one that’s most suitable for you.

Prepare for the Test In Advance

Like we’ve mentioned, it’s not easy to pass a civil service exam. And just passing isn’t enough as well. With a limited number of seats, and so many candidates applying for these exams, you really have to secure the top spot in order to get a good government job. Moreover, civil service exams are only held once every 4 to 6 years, which means you’ll have to wait a long time for a fresh attempt.

Before registering for a civil services exam, make sure you meet all the basic requirements. For instance, those applying for the NYC Firefighter Exam need to be at least 18 years of age, have a valid NYS driver’s license, and must possess a 4-year high school diploma or a GED.

Moving on to the most important part, you want to make sure you prepare for the exam itself in the best possible way. You can find resources and sample questions for various civil service exams online.

If you want to maximize your chances of success exam, register for our preparatory classes. We have a five decade-long history of helping candidates succeed in a various federal and civil service exams, including NYC Firefighter Exam (FDNY), the New York City Police Exam, the New York City Sanitation Exam, and New York State Court Officers Exam.

Research Diligently

After you’ve cleared the preliminary exams, it’s likely that the government department you’ve applied to will summon you for an interview. At this point, it’s important to have all the relevant information about the department you’ve applied at. Start researching about what the department does, its history, its mission, and its goals.Also, enquire about the different positions within the department and learn about what they do.

Since government interviews can be quite tricky, being well-researched is essential for every candidate applying for a government job. Unlike candidates applying for a position in the private sectors, those applying for a government job often have to pass special screenings, tests, and evaluations.

Therefore, to maximize your chances of success in such tests and evaluations, research diligently, and make sure you prepare for everything in advance.

Looking for a career in civil services in New York?Civil Services Success offers online classes for the NYS Court Officer Trainee Exam, Suffolk County Police test and NYC sanitation workers exams. Get in touch with us today for more information.