Information for Taking the Civil Service Exam

Civil service exams were designed to level the playing field.

The original intent behind civil service exams was to create a test that was open to all to ensure that the best qualified people received government jobs. The hope was that it would reduce cronyism and prevent the hiring of friends and political allies by government officials.

History

It is believed that the first civil service exams were given in ancient China. In the United States, the exams were first suggested in 1865 but not implemented until the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in January of 1883.

Significance

In 2010, the exams have fallen into disfavor to a large extent. According to federaljobs.net, 80 percent of government jobs are now filled the same way that most jobs are "through a competitive examination of your background, work experience, and education, not through a written test."

Finding Resources

In instances where civil service testing is still used, resources to help with the test are abundant (see Resources). Modern testing, however, tends to be specific. There are different tests for various departments and job classifications. When searching for resources individuals should be specific about which test they will be taking.

References

• Federal Jobs Network: Exams
• Cal Poly Pamona: Chinese Imperial Examination System
• The Reader's Companion to American History: Civil Service Reform

Resources

• Google Books: Master the Civil Service Exams
• Google Books: Kaplan's Civil Service Exams