Is the civil service test hard?

Do i need to take the NYS civil service test before i apply for a civil service position?

• i want to apply for a job but ive never taken the test before, i dont know if i need to take the test first of if i should apply and then take the test... please let me know

• Answer:

  You should apply, take the test, hope to score high enough to be called for an interview, hope to be selected-and that's if there are openings; also depends on how fast the list moves. After a year of probation, you're considered Certified, or a Line person. Take as many tests as you're qualified for, to increase your odds; also consider the Judicial sector. Unfortunately, right now all tests have been suspended due to the budget. I don't know if this applies to NYS civil service, but in the Judicial sector, if you're Provisional, aka an Appointee, you cannot take Promo tests, but you can take any Open-Competitive test. Once you're on that Eligible list, then you can take any Promo test, either within your Job title series, or outside of it, i.e. Court Officer (limited job title series) takes a Court Clerk test (3 job title series:-Sr., Assoc., Principal). Personally I wouldn't go in as a Provisional (no test). If there are layoffs, you're the first to go; or, if/when the test announcement for your job title is announced, you'll be expected to take it, and hopefully pass-otherwise you'll be bumped out for someone who passed, and is on the Eligible list. A few months ago, there were layoffs in both the Judicial and Civil Service sectors. Within the Judicial sector, provisionals were laid off; some Certified were either bumped down to their former Certified titles, i.e. Court Clerk to Court Officer, a huge drop in salary; some were reassigned to courts that increased their commuting time, i.e. one worked in Staten Island who lived in Brooklyn, was sent to the Bronx. Good luck