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That depends on the agency and your supervisor and yourself if you should ask for leave for a civil service test. Most agencies are ok with their employees having a day off to take a test.
As for the other SA and ASA exams next year...it seems like a waste of time since the trainee title progresses you to the SA title automatically assuming you pass the 2 year mark. I wish I had know that the SA exam was coming out next year before taking this trainee exam as I am already with the city and making more than the Trainee salary range. I only took the exam because I want the option to become a SA after serving 2 years as Trainee and I didn't know when the SA test was coming out...if at all because of the condition stated in the Trainee title that you become a SA after 2 years automatically.
Yes there is a lot of politics in hiring unfortunately. Sometimes agencies have their picks for who to hire even before they ask for the people for interviews. Always helps to know someone who is a hiring manager.
The administrative SA title is something I would take as it is above the SA title. It is hard moving up once you work for the city unless you keep taking these exams it seems. Hope this helps.
If we assume that the time period from when they they administer the test test until they start hiring is not significantly different for the Trainee Exam, Associate Staff Analyst Exam, etc... it seems like a bad decision to not take the tests for the higher positions. It's possible that they will call your number while you are still in your probationary period as a Trainee. If they will hire members of the general public who are not initiated into the everyday responsibilities of a staff analyst, why wouldn't they hire the trainee?
I can't see how it hurts to have more job opportunities. The cost is negligible and the returns are huge considering the Staff Analyst and Associate Staff Analyst positions pay significantly more.
I *think* they also consider veteran status for ranking identical scores, though I'm not sure. I got a 95, which was nice, but with how many people took the test I have no clue if I'll end up #1000 on the list or something.
The Staff Analyst Union posts some lists online. It seems like it is open information down to the first and last name of people on the list. The last staff analyst exam that is posted on the site had 1209 test takers. Your score of 95 would have placed you in the 18-35 range. Someone said 6k people took the test this year, lets just say 5x as many people took it so our estimated amount of test takers is 6054. If we were to assume the distribution of scores doesn't change significantly, you can expect to be in the 108 - 210 range. I think the assumption that the distribution of scores will stay the same actually results in an underestimation of a high scoring individual's placement on the list. Considering that the trainee is a lower position and pays less. The distribution of scores should be more skewed towards lower scores, indicating a score of 95 would place you in a relatively higher position (after adjusting for the increased amount of test takers).
Also Guangz I think once you are a Staff Analyst, you advance through promotional exams, which are only open to current Staff Analysts. But the staff analyst union posts some results for the percentage of people who took the promotional exams that got promoted at various agencies. The numbers are all high (like 80-100%).
If we assume that the time period from when they they administer the test test until they start hiring is not significantly different for the Trainee Exam, Associate Staff Analyst Exam, etc... it seems like a bad decision to not take the tests for the higher positions. It's possible that they will call your number while you are still in your probationary period as a Trainee. If they will hire members of the general public who are not initiated into the everyday responsibilities of a staff analyst, why wouldn't they hire the trainee?
I can't see how it hurts to have more job opportunities. The cost is negligible and the returns are huge considering the Staff Analyst and Associate Staff Analyst positions pay significantly more.
What I was saying was that I would not have taken the trainee exam had I known all of these SA exams were coming out next year as I already work for as a non represented SA title....significantly more pay than the starting trainee pay. I only took the exam because of the language in the posting stating trainees are matriculated into the Analyst title after 2 years of service. This was not in the previous trainee posting...i figured the SA test would not be coming back anytime soon - I was wrong.
Hello everyone! I too am taking the Staff Analyst & Associate Staff Analyst and I was wondering if anyone would know of a really good study guide for these exams!! I have taken the civil service exam and as we know, the questions are tricky! So, if anyone knows of a great book, please let me know. Thank you!
Also, theirs the Principal Administrative Associate exam coming up next year and I was wondering if anyone took this exam or is already in that title?! How is the exam etc.?
Hello everyone! I too am taking the Staff Analyst & Associate Staff Analyst and I was wondering if anyone would know of a really good study guide for these exams!! I have taken the civil service exam and as we know, the questions are tricky! So, if anyone knows of a great book, please let me know. Thank you!
Also, theirs the Principal Administrative Associate exam coming up next year and I was wondering if anyone took this exam or is already in that title?! How is the exam etc.?
Thanks
I took the last paa as well as the staff analyst trainee exam. To me all of the exams are similar...combination of reading and math. Be sure to pay attention to the question and what is being asked... i don't find any of these exams too difficult. The passbook series are used by a lot of test takers who want to use guides.
Does anyone know when the list for this exam will be published? For previous exams of this kind it took over two years before a list was established. Any reason to think this exam will be finalized this coming spring or summer?
Does anyone know when the list for this exam will be published? For previous exams of this kind it took over two years before a list was established. Any reason to think this exam will be finalized this coming spring or summer?
Doesn't take that long...it's about 9 months from test date. Expect it early next year.
I have the passbook. It's not really helpful in my opinion. I dunno that you can really study for this test. It's mostly about attention to detail and some basic math.
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