Sometimes they give tests. Through civil service examinations, New York State and local governments do many of the same things that private companies do when they hire. All civil service examinations include one or more tests which are designed to determine how people would be able to perform on the job. Written and oral tests present candidates with questions and problems that cover critical competencies needed in the job. Training and Experience evaluations consist of a detailed look at the education, training and experience of job candidates.
Performance tests are tasks that measure certain skills, like typing or entering computer data.
All examinations are based on the kind of job to be filled. The major difference between examinations and other ways of hiring is that examinations use some kind of formal rating scale or system that is as fair and objective as possible. Each candidate answers the same questions or does the same task. This ensures that everyone has a fair chance to get a job, and it helps New York State and local governments find the people best suited for the available jobs. This is the why behind examinations.