After Taking an Exam

You have taken your civil service exam!

So what's next?

After an exam is administered, it generally takes 9-12 months for an eligible list of passers to be established from which agencies can hire from. Before an eligible list is established, candidates may have the opportunity to participate in the following:

1. Protest Review Period (Only for multiple-choice exams):

As part of this process, NY State Civil Service Law provides a limited period of time in which each candidate is eligible to protest proposed answers to multiple-choice test questions. Any challenges received during the protest period are reviewed by a Test Validation Board (TVB). Upon completion of the TVB review, appropriate changes are applied, if necessary, and a final answer key is established.

Visit the Protest Procedures for more information.

2. Appeals

After a candidate receives his/her exam score, he/she is permitted to appeal the calculation of their final score within a specific timeframe if the candidate believes he/she was scored incorrectly. Candidates will be given instructions on how to appeal at the time they take an exam.

List Establishment

Once an exam’s rating is completed, a ranked order list of test passers is created which is used by agencies to fill their vacancies in that specific exam title. Upon publication or establishment of a list, the City notifies all candidates of their official score and list number. Those agencies with existing vacancies proceed to send candidates in the respective eligible list a “Call Letter’ which provides information about the position, including salary and work site, and invites candidates to participate in an individual interview or hiring pool (please note that ignoring a Call Letter can result in the removal of your name from an eligible list). If selected as the final candidate for the position you are interviewing for…

Congratulations and welcome to NYC Government!