Frequently Asked Reference Questions Test Preparation for Civil Service & Other Professional Exams Example Questions that can be answered by this FAQ:. Does the IPL have a study guide for my city’s firefighter exam?. Where can I find old tests for the Refrigeration License Exam?
First, the bad news: The Internet is currently not a very good place to get help if you want study materials for a civil service test and/or professional licensing/certification exam. Most of the organizations who give these tests (city, state & federal governments; professional organizations), if they even provide study materials such as sample questions or old tests, do not make them freely available online. Instead, on the Internet, you will mainly find online bookstores who will try to sell you study guides.
And even these are often not specific to the test you may be taking in your particular city, but are generic guides that may or may not help you on your city’s civil service test. Second, the good news: So where can you turn to? Many public libraries have recognized the need that their community members have for these study guides, and have purchased copies of them for their collections.
They will often have these in their reference collection, so that you will be able to use them without competing with others who may already have checked these materials out. Ask a librarian there for help in finding guides for the test you are taking, as these can often be tricky to find through a card catalog search. Not sure how to contact your public library?
Try your local telephone directory, or check this site to see if they have a web site: Also, don’t forget to ask the organization which is giving the test. You may find that they do provide copies of sample questions or other study materials, that you can pick up in-person, or have mailed to you. In a small number of cases, they may even offer these materials on their web site, if they have one. For example, the State of Louisiana offers on their state civil service department web site. Is a good starting point for finding web sites for particular government agencies or professional associations - just do a search on the city’s name to see if you can find your city’s official web site, for example.
If you are interested in purchasing study materials online, here are some sites that can help you out. (Note: these links are not an endorsement of these services. You should always practice common sense and caution when ordering from web sites):. part of the Public Service Employees Network, this site offers links to a number of sites where you can buy study guides, but also includes some free information, such as Test Taking Tips. a browsable collection from Amazon.com. this 'Online Career and Test Preparation Center' sells study materials, and also offers practice tests that you can pay to take online. Yahoo’s category for companies selling test preparation materials in various career fields.
Finally, don’t forget that your local library may also be able to get the study guide you need from another library if you use their Interlibrary Loan Service. Not every library offers this service, but it never hurts to ask if they do!
Q: After I have tested, when will I be contacted for an interview? A: Typically, requests to schedule an interview will be sent out one to two weeks after a job closes.
If you successfully pass the required test(s), a couple of factors will determine whether you will be contacted by the hiring agency for an interview. Those factors are: 1) how many other people passed the test and how well they scored in comparison to your score, and 2) the number of names the hiring agency requests on the list and where you fall on that list in score order. In rare cases, a hiring agency has been known to never request a list for a job they were recruiting for or to return a list without hiring anyone.
An agency can request a list of names as soon as the job has closed. Seven additional days are allowed for testing as a courtesy to applicants who live or work in an area where testing availability is limited. Even if you have already missed a list, you may choose to go ahead and take the test knowing that there will be other recruitments for the same job title that will use the same test, and you can apply for those future postings and have the test already out of the way. A test score is good for one year from the date it was taken. Testing Information LINKS Announcement: Effective July 18, 2016, testing in Oklahoma City is at the Will Rogers Building, 2401 N.
Lincoln Blvd. You can take Merit System Tests at the HCM office in Oklahoma City and at select Career Technology Centers around the State. You must submit a completed online job application and have it approved before taking a test. If you have already done this, you should receive correspondence from HCM authorizing you to take a test. Be sure to bring this correspondence with you to the testing center. You will also need a photo ID (preferably a driver’s license) to be admitted to the test center. Testing at HCM HCM administers Merit System tests (both written and performance) Tuesdays and Thursdays (excluding ), from 8:30 a.m.
Please allow a minimum of two hours to take each test. No appointment is needed. Testing at Other Locations All Merit System written tests may be taken at a number of other around the state. Each testing site maintains a different schedule. Most require appointments. Please call or e-mail the test site for more information.
If you need a performance test (typing or data entry), please ask if these tests are provided at that location. If not, they should be able to refer you to a nearby office that provides those, or call (405) 521-2171 or e-mail.