Everything You Need to Know About the Civil Service Exam | BestColleges (2024)

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By

Whitney SandovalRead Full Bio

Writer

Whitney Sandoval is a writer and educator who is passionate about accessibility, inclusion, and equity in education. Her work has also appeared in Healthline, What to Expect, and other parenting publications. Whitney earned a bachelor's degree in Eng...

Updated on March 21, 2023

Learn more about our editorial process

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  • The civil service exam is required for many positions in local, state, and federal government.
  • Depending on the type of job you are applying for, the process and exam look different.
  • Exam prerequisites vary, but passing the civil service exam does not guarantee you a job.
  • Pass the civil service exam by studying and preparing ahead of time with available resources.

People who want to help others often end up in civil service careers, working for local, state, or federal government agencies. Firefighters, police officers, social workers, and postal service workers all perform civil service, helping to maintain and improve their communities. To become one of these professionals, aspiring civil service members need to pass the civil service exam.

What Is the Civil Service Exam?

To uphold the integrity of civil service positions, many civil service careers require applicants to take the civil service exam. This exam ensures that candidates are serious about pursuing employment and keeps employers from hiring unqualified professionals.

The content of the exam depends on which position you are applying for. For example, an exam for a clerical position could test keyboarding capabilities, whereas the engineering civil service exam may include advanced math and reasoning questions.

How to Take the Civil Service Exam

The process for taking the civil service exam varies based on the employer. While the overall exam length may differ, you should expect your test to take at least a couple of hours, if not more. Tests can include multiple-choice questions, short answers, and oral components.

Depending on the position, you may need to provide a snapshot performance related to the position. For instance, a prospective teacher may have to teach a short lesson to the exam committee.

The hiring agency you are in contact with should provide you with a date and time to take your civil service exam. If not, you may need to make an appointment. You typically need to register for the exam ahead of time. You may be able to take your test online, but you should be prepared to take it in person.

Exam Prerequisites

The prerequisites for the civil service exam depend on which style of exam you're taking. If you're applying for an active job listing, you must take an open competitive exam. Your score will then be compared with those of other candidates applying for the open position.

If you want to get a jumpstart on your civil service exam, you can seek out a continuous exam, which is a required civil service exam for a career that does not have an open job position at the time. If you're already employed in civil service, you can take a promotional civil service exam to apply for promotions.

Additional prerequisites depend on the position. Prerequisites may include specific certificates or levels of education, such as a bachelor's or master's degree.

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What Jobs Require the Civil Service Exam?

Almost every job within local, state, and federal government requires passing a civil service exam. Although there are many different positions available within civil service, most require some type of civil service exam.

Law Enforcement

These positions include police officer, highway patrol, and Secret Service agent.

Internal Revenue Service

Financial experts, including tax experts and accountants, are key workers within the IRS.

Postal Service

Mail carriers and workers who manage post offices are considered civil service employees.

Human Resources Management

Many businesses house HR departments; however, only HR professionals who work for government agencies need to take the civil service exam. Possible titles include HR specialist and compensation and benefits manager.

How Can I Pass the Civil Service Exam?

To pass the civil service exam, you must set aside sufficient time to study. Many people spend up to a full year studying for the exam. You should prepare to answer math, reasoning, reading, and writing questions while taking the civil service exam.

Be prepared to answer math, reasoning, reading, and writing questions while taking your civil service exam.

Everything You Need to Know About the Civil Service Exam | BestColleges (5)

Mometrix, Kaplan, and JobTestPrep offer practice tests and study materials for the civil service exam. JobTestPrep even offers free practice tests. Prepare by timing yourself and practicing answering questions within the time limit.

One test-taking tip is to answer the questions you know first and come back to tougher questions later. Note that the exam does not penalize you for guessing. Typically, a score of 70% or above is good enough to pass.

Your score places you on a ranking list, comparing you to others who have taken the exam. The better you do, the higher your rank, which can put you ahead of other applicants interested in civil service jobs.


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Everything You Need to Know About the Civil Service Exam | BestColleges (2024)

FAQs

How should I prepare for the civil service exam? ›

Civil Service Test Preparation Strategies

Take practice tests, like those offered by iPrep. Determine your weaknesses, and spend more time studying those section of the material. Work with a partner or study group. Attend a refresher course either in the classroom or online.

What type of questions are asked in civil service exam? ›

The test includes challenging questions in verbal, reasoning, memory, and spatial questions. Many of the questions resemble those presented here in the Civil Service Free Test, with additional unique questions that vary in content, format, and difficulty.

What is the civil service exam and why is it important? ›

The civil service exam is an exam that tests people applying for specific civil service jobs. The point of the test is to prove applicants have the appropriate skills and are eligibile for a specific position. The exam varies between different fields and levels of government.

Which is the best exam for civil services? ›

UPSC is the toughest exam in India. It is an exam to select the candidate for various civil services of the government of India like Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). It is highly prestigious and competitive among Indians.

How do I pass a civil service interview? ›

10 Top Tips for Successful Civil Service Applications
  1. Explore the guidance carefully.
  2. Study the Job Description in-depth.
  3. Make your application 100% relevant.
  4. Make each application unique.
  5. Demonstrate the Right Behaviours and Strengths.
  6. One Example Per Behaviour.
  7. Refocus Your Examples.
  8. Build brilliant STAR Answers.
Jan 24, 2024

What would happen if a person passed the civil service exam? ›

Candidates who take and pass a civil service exam are placed on an eligible list, which is ranked by test score. Those that score the highest will be at the top of the list and will be the first candidates considered for any available positions.

Should you study for the civil service exam? ›

Strong study habits are critical to preparing for any exam, including a civil service exam. You should create a study guide that outlines your prep time and make sure you manage your time effectively, so you are able to stick to it. These short Study.com lessons can help: How to Make a Study Guide.

Why was the civil service exam created? ›

The broad purpose of the civil service examinations was to select a pool of viable candidates who were all trained in the same Confucian classics to be appointed as imperial officials at various locations and positions.

What is a state civil service examination? ›

Civil service exams may include any of the following depending upon the classification: written tests, oral interviews, supplemental written exams, performance tests, or education and experience evaluations.

Which is the toughest exam of civil services? ›

A. Without a doubt, the toughest exam of India is the Civil Services Exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

How hard is the NYS civil service exam? ›

Is the NY Civil Service Exam Hard? 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.

Does Connecticut have civil service exams? ›

Connecticut State Civil Service Exams

When searching for a state job in Connecticut, you may encounter a CT Civil Service Exam. The exams are administered state-wide by the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (CT DAS). The CT DAS exams generally consist of multiple-choice questions.

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