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Civil Service
Jobs
Offer A Great Potential
Civil
service jobs are those employment opportunities in which a "civil
servant" or "public servant" is a civilian career public sector
employee working for a government department or agency.
All
levels of government have some form of civil service, with the federal
government having a merit system and most states, cities, counties or
townships having their own system.
Where are
civil
service jobs located?
- A majority of state jobs in
the merit
system are located in the State capital and larger cities.
- The
remainder are spread throughout the state. Local government jobs are
found in most counties. Federal civil service jobs are
normally collated with Federal Government Agencies.
Some
positions require that you take
a test to be considered for a permanent
job. These are called competitive
positions.
There
are three types of positions that have NO test requirements:
- Exempt
positions are those where the hiring agency decides the qualifications
of applicants and chooses the person they want to hire. The process is
similar to that found in private industry.
- Non-competitive
positions have either licensure, education, and/or experience
requirements which you must meet. Employers choose from among
the
qualified people who apply.
- Labor
class positions
have no requirements. Employers may choose anyone for these jobs.
However, they frequently select individuals with the best work record.
Often,
information on your experience and training provided on you application
or in a supplement is given a score.
It is
very important to
provide complete and accurate information for this type of test, since
your score is solely based on the information you provide.
Things
to consider when
applying for Civil Service Jobs:
- If
submitting a paper or an on-line application, type or write so
information can be easily read, and check for spelling errors.
- Describe
your training and experience as accurately and completely as possible.
- Include
paid and unpaid employment and volunteer work, dates of employment, and
course work completed since this information could be used to determine
your eligibility.
- List the
counties where you are
willing to work (if applicable).
- Submit
your
application before the filing deadline that is listed on the
announcement.
- Fill out the
applicable "Veteran's
Preference" section. This gives priority to veterans.
- There
is not one generic examination that covers all job titles.
Each examination has as its objective to measure knowledge’s, skills
and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of that
particular job title.
- It is
important to review the
“Testing” section of the test announcement to find out what kind of
test is being administered.
- To
prepare for a
written/online test, you may wish to review books and periodicals on
the subjects listed in the test announcement or review the nature of
the work and the requirements listed in the test announcement.
- To
prepare for a performance test, you may wish to review the test
announcement to determine the performance standards that must be met
and practice the skill to improve your chances of getting a good score.
- To
prepare for an oral examination you may wish to review the factors that
candidates will be rated on.
- Periodically
review the
Summary of Civil Service Examinations to obtain information about newly
issued testing programs.
- Be
flexible and
persistent. Consider as many kinds of employment options as
possible including career, temporary, part-time, seasonal and limited
term.
- Apply for local
government positions as well
as state and federal government positions.
When
an
opening occurs, the eligible list is requested by the hiring agency and
applicants are interviewed.
If you are interviewed
and not
selected for the position, your name remains on the eligible list.
If
you are selected for the position, the agency will notify you and
establish a start date.
If you are hired, your
education and experience is verified and some sort of employment
background screening is conducted, which may include a criminal records
check.
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