New York State Civil Service FAQ

If you want to get a job in the New York State civil services, you’ll go through an entirely different private-sector hiring process. Networking and connections won’t do any good in the classic civil service process as removal of the referral process is put in place to avoid conflicts of interests, political ties, and nepotism. Here are some FAQs that will help you understand the NYC civil service hiring process.

Why Should You Apply for NYS Civil Service?

A job in civil services comes with a lot of perks. It promises job stability, as less than 1% of the employees are laid off during a recession and are rehired once the situation is back to normal. The work is spread across different departments and locations, enabling the civil servants to learn and grow. The fringe benefits and competitive salary packages are a bonus.

What Are the Exceptions in the Hiring Process?

The majority of people, almost 80%, in the executive branch agencies, are hired through the classic civil service process. The commission supervises all the hiring processes in executive branch agencies but doesn’t oversee the staff and judiciary in legislative positions. They also don’t look after processes in the quasi-governmental commissions or authorities like the Port Authority.

Has There Been A Reform to Waive the Examination Process?

According to the State Constitution, hiring civil services must be competitive and by examination. Any reforms that are made in the process must always be in compliance with the constitution. While the process has seen a few incremental reforms, there haven’t been any attempts to waive the examination.

For Positions Where Experience and Education are Equal to an Exam, How Do Candidate Gets the Points Assigned?

Generally referred to as T&Es, Evaluations of Training and Experience contains a set of defined requirements for education and experience notifying how critical they are to the position. The hiring committee awards points for experience and education that’s beyond the minimum requirement. For instance, education looks at the coursework, GPA, and internships. The experience looks into the number of years, job levels, etc.

When There’s a Job Vacancy, Does the Hiring Committee Gets a List of Top Candidates or Only the Top Three? What if The Committee Doesn’t Want to Hire Someone from the List?

As ordained by the NYS Civil Service Law in Rule IV, the hiring committee must follow the “1 in 3 rule.” It allows employers to hire a candidate from the top list of top three aspirants.

Is There Any Determinant for Who’s Qualified to Take the Exam?

All the aspiring applicants are asked to fill the NYS application form. It requires them to provide information regarding their work experience and education. Then that information is reviewed by the panel and matched against the minimum qualifications outlined for the position. Only after that, a decision is taken on the applicant’s eligibility.

How Many Times Can I Take the Exam?

If an applicant meets all the minimum requirements for eligibility, they can sit for the exam as many times as they want.

How Long does it Take for Someone to Take the Examination and Getting Hired?

There’s no set timetable for this. For example, 20,000 people sat for the keyboard specialist exam. The minimum cut off score of that exam is 100. The committee posts the list of the scores within 4 months of the exam, and it can last up to four years or until the time it gets exhausted. If a position has a high turnover, the hiring committee hires off the list, which may exhaust the list faster. But for positions like fisheries biologist, where there aren’t many job opportunities, the list may carry on for four years until it’s time for the next exam.

If Someone Gets a Job and They Don’t Take it, What Happens Then?

It depends on person to person. Suppose a person gets a canvass letter asking them for their availability for the job. In that case, the person will choose to tell the committee that they’re unavailable for a certain period. However, if a person isn’t interested in the job, their name will be cut off from the list.

How in-depth Are Background Checks? Are They There for All Positions?

Background checks are there for only a few positions like Correction Officer Trainee. A verdict of a felony can nullify the appointment for a Correction Officer Trainee. Similarly, convictions of violation of law and misdemeanor can also lead to nullifying the appointment. If a person fails to provide adequate background investigation, it’ll lead to disqualification. Under Section 50 (4) of the Civil Service Law, state agencies have the authority to carry out criminal background checks

At Civil Service Success, we provide prep classes for the civil services to help you pass a range of civil service exams. Whether you’re preparing for the firefighter exam in New York City, Suffolk County police exam, NYS court officer exam, or any other, we can help. We’ve been in the field for more than four decades and have a high success rate. If you aspire to become a civil service officer, Civil Service Success is the place to be.  Contact us now, and we’ll help you ace your civil service exam.