Working for the New York State government offers a rewarding career path with diverse opportunities to serve the public. The state government employs a dedicated workforce committed to providing essential services to millions of New Yorkers.
New York State is a large employer with almost limitless career fields impacting every aspect of public life. These sectors include education, environmental conservation, and health care. Civil Service Jobs within the state government are available to individuals from all backgrounds, ages, and education levels. Roles range from essential first responders and skilled engineers to caring nurses, dedicated research scientists, and vital infrastructure workers like plow drivers, plus many more.
Beyond the variety and importance of civil service jobs, New York State also provides its employees with comprehensive benefits. These include excellent health insurance, robust retirement plans, and work-life balance programs. Flexible work hours and alternative schedules are often available to support employee well-being.
To explore the wide range of civil service job opportunities within New York State government, and to understand the hiring process, civil service examinations, and other employment programs, we encourage you to watch our informative video series in three parts:
Finding Civil Service Career Opportunities
New York State government adheres to the principles of “merit and fitness” for all appointments and promotions, as mandated by the State Constitution. This ensures a fair and competitive process for all civil service jobs.
The state offers diverse career paths, including non-competitive positions and those requiring successful completion of civil service examinations. Civil service jobs are a cornerstone of state employment, providing stability and opportunity.
Explore Non-Competitive Civil Service Positions: No Exam Required
- Internship Opportunities provides a central hub to find all New York State Government internships.
- Veterans Temporary Hiring Program offers a streamlined process for eligible veterans to submit their employment information for temporary civil service positions within state agencies.
- Governor’s Program to Hire Individuals and Veterans with Disabilities is a dedicated program for 55-b/c job seekers to apply for entry-level civil service jobs in state government.
Competing for Civil Service Jobs Through Examinations
Civil service examinations are designed to objectively assess a candidate’s knowledge, skills, and abilities directly related to the requirements of specific civil service jobs.
The format of each civil service exam will vary based on the job requirements. Details regarding the “Subject of Examination” are always included in the examination announcement. Preparing for these exams is a key step in securing many civil service jobs.
Understanding State Civil Service Examination Announcements
Please Note: For most open-competitive civil service positions between May 2024 and May 2025, examination requirements are temporarily waived through the NY HELPS Program. This is a limited-time opportunity to secure civil service jobs without the typical exam process.
Civil service examination announcements are essential resources for candidates. They contain critical details about each exam, including: job title(s), examination date, test location, job duties, salary range, the subject areas covered in the exam, application deadlines, and any applicable fees. Carefully reviewing the exam announcement is the first step to determine your eligibility for specific civil service jobs. All civil service examinations have minimum qualification requirements that must be met to participate.
Prior experience in a related field may be a prerequisite for certain civil service jobs. Some positions may also require demonstration of specific skills, such as typing proficiency, bilingualism, or passing a physical examination. Thoroughly read each examination announcement to understand all qualifications. Meeting these qualifications is mandatory to be eligible to take the civil service exam and be considered for the job.
Most civil service examinations are administered periodically. However, some are offered on a continuous basis, allowing applications to be submitted at any time. For these continuous recruitment exams, qualified applicants are tested as needed, and successful candidates are continuously added to the eligible list for civil service jobs.
Archived examination announcements are available for reference purposes only. These historical announcements show past minimum qualifications but cannot be used when applying for current civil service jobs.
Examinations Open to the Public Examinations Open to State Employees Continuous Recruitment Examinations
Applying for a Civil Service Examination
Applying for civil service jobs in New York State is a straightforward process. You can apply online or download the examination announcement and a paper application. Your application will be carefully reviewed to confirm that you meet the minimum qualifications outlined in the examination announcement for the specific civil service job.
The majority of State civil service examinations can be applied for online. To apply online, you will need to sign in with your NY.gov ID. If you do not have one, you can easily create an account.
The online application system offers convenient features, such as the ability to save and resume applications in progress. You can also view a history of civil service examinations you have previously applied for using the online system.
After submitting your application, you will receive a notification confirming whether you have been approved to take the civil service examination. This notification is a key update in the application process for civil service jobs.
What Happens After You Take a Civil Service Examination?
After taking a civil service examination, you will receive an email notification when your official score is available online. Typically, scores are released within 90 to 120 days after the examination date.
Eligible lists and score notices are accessible through the Eligible List Management System (ELMS). For any questions regarding your application status or scores, you can contact the List Maintenance Unit via email at [email protected].
For frequently asked questions about the post-examination process, please visit the FAQ page. This resource provides helpful information for candidates pursuing civil service jobs.
Online Civil Service Examinations (Login Required)
Training and Experience Examinations for certain civil service jobs may be conducted online. Check the specific exam announcement for details.
Additional Resources for Civil Service Jobs
- How to find a job with New York State – A helpful guide published by the Department of Civil Service. This document provides valuable insights into navigating the process of finding civil service jobs.
- Current Openings – Explore current job opportunities for the public and for existing state employees. This is your direct link to available civil service jobs and other state government positions.
- Professional Career Opportunities – Learn about the Professional Career Opportunities (PCO) exam, which is used by state agencies to fill over 100 different entry-level professional civil service job types across various disciplines.
- Test Guides – Access test guides published by the Department of Civil Service for both state and local government civil service examinations. These guides are excellent resources for preparing for civil service jobs exams.
- Eligible List Management System (ELMS Online) – Use ELMS Online to view eligible lists, score notices, canvass letters, and other related information pertaining to civil service jobs.
Sign up here to receive email notifications about upcoming civil service examination announcements.
