Your Ultimate Guide to NYS Civil Service Exams 2024

New York Civil Service Exams are a set of standardized tests used to assess the qualifications of candidates applying for civil service positions in the state of New York.

These NYS civil service tests are designed to measure a candidate's knowledge, skills, and abilities in specific job-related areas such as administration, law enforcement, healthcare, engineering, and more.

The New York Civil Service Commission is responsible for overseeing the administration of NYS job exams and ensuring that the selection process is fair and impartial. It ranks candidates according to their score meaning when a state agency has a job opening a candidate's score determines their ranking on the eligible list, meaning the results of these exams can often determine whether a candidate is selected for a job or not.

As such, understanding the format and content of these exams as well as getting access to accurate, test-like practice questions is crucial for anyone looking to pursue a career in civil service in the state of New York.

Additionally, check our preparation for Police officers, 911 dispatchers, firefighters, TSA test candidates, USPS workers, FBI Intelligence Analysts, Special AgentsNY civil service, FAA traffic controllers, civil service supervisors, federal marshals, ASVAB candidates, and many more civil service employees.

Looking to practice for a specific test? Check out our exams below:

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Here you’ll find info on various NYS Civil Service exams including requirements, upcoming test dates, the hiring process, and eligible list scores.

What is the New York Civil Service Written Exam?

The New York Civil Service exam is a general name meant to describe a written test for specific positions. Many New York State Civil Service examinations include a written, multiple-choice test. Exam announcements list the subjects or "subtests" that will be covered in the test.

NYS Civil Service Exam Practice Tips

The following steps will maximize your exam success chances:

  • Step 1: Obtain study materials such as test guides and practice tests that can help you understand the theoretical background and format of the exams.
  • Step 2: Practice sample questions to become familiar with the types of questions you will encounter on the actual exam.
  • Step 3: Learn test-taking strategies that will help you manage your time within the time limit of your civil service test and solve questions quickly.

Below you’ll find a list of common NYS positions, exam requirements, and links to specific NYS civil service exam practice test preps that will help you get accepted for the position you seek.


NYS Exam Requirements by Position

The following is the most commonly searched civil service exam NY professions. If you’re interested in being accepted to the new york state civil service, read on.


NYS Firefighter Test

The job of a New York State firefighter involves responding to emergency situations to extinguish fires and rescue people and animals in distress. Some of the specific duties include: Responding to emergency calls, operating fire equipment to extinguish fires, entering burning buildings to search for and rescue individuals, and providing medical attention to injured individuals until additional medical personnel arrives at the scene.

Exam requirements include 4 main topics:

  • Ability to learn and apply information.
  • Basic arithmetic.
  • Reading comprehension.
  • Situational judgment.

The City of New York has its own firefighter exam - the FDNY Test.

💡 Visit the NYS Firefighter Written exam prep to practice NYS Firefighter questions.


NYS Police Officer Test

The job of a NYPD Police Officer includes maintaining public safety and enforcing state laws. They are responsible for a wide range of duties including patrol and traffic control, public assistance during emergencies, and investigation of crimes, accidents, and other incidents.

Exam requirements for entry-level positions include

  • Language Fluency.
  • Information Ordering and Language Sequencing.
  • Problem Sensitivity and Reasoning.
  • Selective Attention.
  • Visualization.
  • Spatial Orientation.
  • Situational judgment.

💡 Visit the New York State Police written exam prep to practice NYS Police questions.


NYS Corrections Officer Exam

A New York State Correction Officer is responsible for maintaining security in state correctional facilities and ensuring staff and inmates' safety. Their primary duties include supervising inmates, conducting searches of inmates and their cells, responding to emergencies, conducting investigations, and escorting inmates to and from court appearances.

NY Corrections Officer exam requirements for entry-level positions include

  • Observing and recalling facts and information.
  • Applying written information in a correctional service setting.
  • Preparing written material.
  • Understanding and interpreting written material.

💡 Visit the Corrections Officer Written exam prep to practice NYS Corrections Officer questions.


NYS Teacher Assistant Exam

In New York State, a Teacher Assistant (TA) is a paraprofessional who works under the supervision of a licensed teacher to support students in the classroom. The job of a TA may vary depending on the school, grade level, and subject area, but some common responsibilities may include: Assisting with classroom management, providing instructional support, grading assignments and providing feedback, and preparing materials and resources.

The NYS Teaching Assistant certification test requirements include the following topics

  • Reading.
  • Writing.
  • Mathematics.
  • Instructional support.

Exam fee: 54$

💡 Visit the NYS Teacher Assistant written exam prep to practice NYS ATAS Test (95) questions.


NYS Civil Service Court Officer Exam

An NYS Civil Service Court Officer is responsible for maintaining safety and order within the courtrooms and other areas of the courthouse. His responsibilities include: Serving legal documents, escorting defendants, and maintaining security and order in the courtrooms.

Exam requirements:

  • Remembering Facts and Information.
  • Reading, Understanding, and Interpreting Written Material.
  • Applying Facts and Information to Given Situations.
  • Clerical Checking.
  • Court Record Keeping.

💡 Visit the NYS Civil Service Court Officer written exam prep to practice NYS Court Officer questions.


NYS State Trooper Exam

A New York State Trooper is a law enforcement officer responsible for protecting the public and enforcing the law. The primary duties of a New York State Trooper are:

  • Ensure that state-managed highways adhere to speed limits and other traffic laws.
  • Providing first aid to victims of automobile accidents.
  • Law enforcement backup for local, county, and federal agencies.
  • Managing road closures during mass evacuations, severe weather conditions, and accidents.
  • Investigating vehicle collisions.

Exam requirements

The NYSP Entrance examination consists of 150 multiple-choice questions that measure cognitive abilities, behavioral characteristics, and attitude.

Here are the cognitive ability sections: Reading comprehension, Vocabulary, Writing, Deductive reasoning, Ordering information, Inductive Reasoning, Pattern Recognition, Grammar, Visualization, Spatial orientation, Flexibility of Closure, and Memorization.

💡 To learn more detailed information about the NY Trooper exam and obtain relevant prep materials send us an email.


Entry Level NYS PCO Exam

The Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) examination serves as a means for state agencies to fill a diverse range of entry-level professional job types spanning over 150 disciplines.

These include but are not limited to Human Resources and Training, Service Regulation and Compliance, Corrections and Criminal Justice, Environment, Natural and Physical Sciences, Accounting, Auditing and Finance, Health and Human Services, Communications, Marketing and Public Relations, Transportation, Administrative Operations, Economics, Research, and Statistics.

Test requirements include:

  • Analytical Reasoning.
  • Customer and Client Service.
  • Professional Relationships.
  • Reading Comprehension.
  • Written Communication.

💡 To learn more detailed information about the exam check out the NYS PCO info page.


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Applying For NYS Civil Service Jobs

 

If you're thinking of applying for a civil service job in New York, chances are you'll need to take a NYS job exam.

You can check out available positions on either the New York State Civil Service Commission website or your local county's site.

Once you find something that catches your eye, make sure to review the posting carefully - It'll tell you what the job requirements are and what subjects you'll need to study for the exam.


By accessing the New York State Civil Service Commission website
, interested individuals can effectively search for, apply, and gain insight into current open civil service jobs.

Upon creating an account on the official New York State government site, applicants can review relevant job announcements and proceed to apply for an exam.

It is noteworthy that a singular exam can often encompass multiple job announcements, resulting in a more efficient process.

Prior to the scheduled exam date, an admissions notice will be issued, specifying the relevant details related to the date, time, and location of the civil service exam.


NYS Civil Service Eligible List

This NYS civil service list of passing candidates, also known as 'the eligible list', ranks candidates according to their civil service exam results. When a state agency has a vacancy for a particular position, a candidate's score determines their ranking on the NYS civil service lists.

Log in to ELMS Online to view your NYC civil service exam results update contact information, and identify geographic preferences. It usually takes about three months for the results of the test to be received.


Upcoming NYS Civil Service Exams

Since New York State is considered one employer, once you're employed by the state, you can move between jobs and agencies, earn promotion opportunities, and move from one state to another.

NYS Civil Service Exam Schedule

Generally, exams are held every one to four years, but some are held continuously.

Below you'll find dates for the upcoming NYS Civil Service exams in the biggest New York State counties.


New York City Civil Service

The City of New York is the largest local government in the United States, with close to 400,000 employees and 80 agencies. The organization offers outstanding career opportunities, job security, and comprehensive package benefits.

JobTestPrep provides preparations for the following NYC positions including Sanitation, Mechanic, Carpenter, Traffic device maintainer, Traffic Enforcement Agent, Special officer, School safety agent, NYPD sergeant, Deputy sheriff, 911 Operator, Firefighter, and Caseworker.


To learn more about New York City Civil Service exams, click here.

For more information on new york city civil service exam dates go here.


Suffolk County Civil Service

Suffolk County, located on Long Island in the state of New York, is a vibrant and diverse region with a thriving economy and a strong local government. As the fourth most populous county in the state, Suffolk County offers a wide range of employment opportunities in law enforcement, public administration, or any other government-related field.

JobTestPrep provides accurate test-like preparation for the Suffolk Police Officer test.


Nassau County Civil Service

Nassau County is a beautiful and vibrant region located in the state of New York with a population of over 1.4 million people, the county has a diverse community that values public service and local government.

Whether you are interested in administrative work, Nassau County Police, education, or public health, there are many career paths to explore within Nassau County.

For more information on Nassau county civil service exam dates go here.


Erie County Civil Service

Erie County is a county in the western part of New York, USA. It has over 900,000 residents and covers an area of 1,227 square miles.

If you are looking for a government job in Erie County, you are in luck as there are many opportunities available in various departments and agencies.

For more information on Erie county civil service exam dates go here.


Westchester County Civil Service

The county of Westchester lies in the southern part of New York State and is one of the most vibrant and diverse regions in the state. The county, with nearly a million residents, is known for its scenic landscapes, affluent suburbs, and bustling cities.

There are a variety of government jobs available in the county, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, and administration.

For more information on Westchester county civil service exam dates go here.

To get more information on other NYS counties press here.


FAQ

The dept of civil service NYS provides a variety of human resource services to assist state and local governments in building and maintaining a workforce capable of meeting and exceeding future challenges.


The application cost varies from county to county but it’s usually between 20$ - 50$.


The difficulty of the NY Civil Service exam can vary depending on the specific exam and the individual taking it. The exam is designed to assess an individual's, cognitive skills, English, and knowledge required for the specific job or position.


When it comes to civil service exams in New York State, there isn't just one type of test. The content of the exam will depend on the skills and knowledge required for the job mixed with the evaluation of general cognitive abilities and language proficiency. Here are some common types of civil service exam sections:

  • Information Ordering.
  • Spatial Reasoning.
  • Visualization.
  • Management Situational Judgment.
  • Customer Service Situational Judgment.
  • Grammar and Ponctuation.
  • Reading Comprehension.
  • Written Communication.
  • Numerical Reasoning.


If you are looking for a different test, or are not sure which test is relevant for your position, check out our Civil Service exams practice page or contact us, and we'll do our best to ensure you get the most accurate preparation for your upcoming exam.