government jobs
What is the Civil Service Exam?
What is the civil service exam? The civil service exam is the test(s) you have to take to be considered for a government job.
Nearly every government or civil service job opening is filled through a civil service exam. An exam may consist of one or more tests such as a written test (multiple choice or essay), application review, performance test, or interview. Tests are either qualifying (pass/fail to be able to take the remaining tests) or scored. Each test evaluates you whether you have the knowledges, skills, and abilities to perform the job.
Administration of each test is determined by the agency who will usually notify you of the
location details following acceptance of your application. Tests may be administered at a single local location or at multiple local locations on either a scheduled or walk-in basis. With the advent of Covid 19, the administration of tests on-line is accelerating. Tests are either timed or have a deadline. As an estimate, assume that written tests average 90 minutes in length and interviews will start at 20 – 25 minutes in length.
Each agency has its own exam for each job title. The exam will consist of test(s) for the knowledges, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the job. For example, the exam for a Custodian is different from the exam for a Traffic Officer or a Clerk. Further, the Custodian exam for the City of Phoenix is different from the Custodian exam for the City of Pittsburg or the State of Texas.
Nonetheless, if you were to compare the knowledges, skills and abilities required of a Custodian in Phoenix versus a custodian in Pittsburg, you’ll find the requirements to be either similar or identical. The similarity is important when you start preparing for the civil service test and the study guide you use.
With the exception of jobs that have a scarcity of applicants, civil service exams are only given periodically. An exam is advertised when the agency posts a job bulletin or job vacancy notice inviting applications. The posting of a job bulletin or job vacancy notice indicates that the agency has existing jobs to fill or anticipates filling jobs in the near future. You may only apply for the civil service jobs for which you meet the minimum requirements.
There is no standard time period after your application is accepted to when the civil service test(s) are administered.
The best approach to prepare for the test(s) is to start as soon as your application is accepted. Being well prepared always increases your chances to succeed. Being poorly prepared because you didn’t allow yourself enough time to prepare increases your chances of failing and missing an opportunity for a civil service career.
You are competing against the other applicants and you must score high enough on each test to proceed to the next test and high enough on the exam to be placed on a hiring list. We can’t emphasize enough the importance of studying for the test(s) and preparing for the interview(s).
The hiring list is established based on the total score (all the test scores) of each of the applicants. Your score from all of the tests must be high enough to be placed on the hiring list to be considered for a job. If you score high enough to be placed on the list, department(s) with job vacancies will interview job applicants from the list to fill vacant positions.
- Hiring interviews are held when there is a job vacancy.
- How soon you receive an interview depends on how high your total exam score is – the higher your score, the earlier your interview may occur.
- Job vacancies may occur throughout the life of the hiring list. You may have multiple hiring interviews before the hiring list expires.
- If your score is too low and there aren’t enough vacancies, it is entirely possible although you are on the hiring list you will not receive a hiring interview.
What is a passing score on a civil service test?
A passing score is typically a score of 70. That being said, the agency will estimate the number of vacancies that are expected to occur during the life of the hiring list. Their goal is to have enough candidates on the hiring list to fill the vacancies and account for candidates who are no longer interested. If too many scores are too low and there won’t be enough candidates on the list, the agency may add an equal number of points to the scores of all candidates to ensure there are enough candidates on the hiring list.
How hard is a civil service test?
Like all tests, If you prepare and study for the test, the test shouldn’t be too difficult. More studying is required if you have difficulty taking tests or haven’t taken a test in a while. If the test you are taking will be timed, then your practice tests should also be timed.
How do I score high on the civil service test?
Prepare and study the right study material. Practice for each test that comprises the civil service exam for the job that you’re applying for. Timed practice tests are especially important for written tests if you have trouble with written tests or haven’t taken a written test recently. Mock interviews are especially important if you aren’t familiar with civil service interviews, have trouble on interviews or haven’t been on a job interview recently. Learn more about how to study for the civil service exam, civil service interviews, and what to study.