Prepare for the Philadelphia Civil Service Exam

Philadelphia Civil Service jobs are organized into nine categories:

1. Clerical, Data Processing, Stores
2. Fiscal Operations, Analysis, Personnel, Administration
3. Engineering, Applied Sciences – engineering tech, architecture, surveying, math, statistics
4. Health, Medical – nursing, dental, dietetics
5. Human Services, Corrections, Community Services – social workers, youth counseling, mental health, health education, corrections, institutions
6. Public Safety, Inspection, Communication – police, fire, security, investigation, general inspection, communication systems
7. Labor, Trades – water maintenance, custodial services, electrical, prisons
8. Institutional Housekeeping, Food Services
9. Library, Museums, Recreation

The Philadelphia Civil Service Commission is responsible for ensuring that the merit-based Civil Service system remains an appropriate provider of public service for the citizens of Philadelphia. The Commission plays a varied role in City government:

• Advisor to the Mayor and Director of Human Resources as to problems arising in the administration of personnel
• Appellate tribunal concerning employee appeals
• Rule on suggested amendments to Civil Service Regulations
• Determine exemptions from Civil Service and resident requirement waivers

The Philadelphia Civil Service test is wholly separate from the Pennsylvania Civil Service exam. Human Resources is the City department that administers the Philadelphia Civil Service test. When applying for a City job, you will actually be applying for a specific exam. Submit a separate application for each test that you plan to take.

Civil Service exams measure the abilities, skills, and knowledge that are necessary for the successful performance of specific positions. For example, the test given to applicants seeking a clerical position will cover the topics of English usage and grammar, arithmetic, ability to learn civil service regulations and office procedure, as well as the ability to comprehend and follow written and oral instructions.

By contrast, the Philadelphia Police exam assesses coping skills, interpersonal communication, analysis of incidents, identification of crimes and potential problems, written and oral comprehension, and other elements that are utilized by Officers on a daily basis.

Format – Civil Service exam formats most often administered include written multiple-choice tests, orals and job simulations. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements receive notice of application approval along with the date, time and location of the test.

Those who pass the Philadelphia Civil Service test are placed on an Eligible List, ranked in accordance with final exam scores. Candidates with the highest scores proceed to the interview phase of the hiring process.

There are four types of Lists that coincide with specific types of job openings:

1. Open-Competitive is open to the general public
2. Promotional is available only to City employees who have worked beyond the six-month period of probation and achieved at least a “satisfactory” performance rating
3. Department Only is open only to the employees in a specified department
4. Concurrent involves two Lists: Promotional and Open-Competitive – The entire Promotional List is exhausted before applicants on the Open-Competitive List are considered for the job