Working in State Government  

State government is comprised of a diverse and dedicated workforce who provides valuable services to millions of their fellow New Yorkers.

New York State hires individuals who are afforded almost limitless opportunities that touch every part of public life — including education, environmental conservation, and even health care. The State employs people of all ages, backgrounds, and education levels — from first responders to engineers, nurses, research scientists, plow drivers, and more.

In addition to the exciting and diverse job opportunities, State employees also receive comprehensive compensation packages, including excellent health and retirement benefits and work-life balance options, such as flexible work hours and alternative work schedules.

To learn about employment opportunities across State government, including the hiring process, information about civil service examinations, and other featured job programs, please watch our three-part video series:

Finding Career Opportunities  

Appointments and promotions in State government are made according to the principles of "merit and fitness," as mandated by the State Constitution.

The State offers many career opportunities, including both non-competitive roles and those that require participation in civil service examinations.

Find Non-Competitive Careers: positions that do NOT require an exam

• Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement (HELP) is a program that temporarily removes the civil service exam requirement for more than 100 direct care, health and safety titles for thousands of positions across State agencies.

• NY HELPS: In May 2024, we will be launching an expanded program, NY HELPS, to streamline hiring of all open-competitive positions. Some agencies are already posting jobs as part of NY HELPS. To view open jobs, please visit State Jobs. To narrow your search to NY HELPS jobs, click on “For the General Public”, then “Vacancies”, and enter “NY HELPS” in the search field.

• Internship Opportunities provides a centralized location to access all State Government internships.


• Veterans Temporary Hiring Program provides a centralized location for qualifying veterans to submit up-to-date employment and contact information for consideration by state agencies when filling temporary positions.


• Governor's Program to Hire Individuals and Veterans with Disabilities provides a centralized location for 55-b/c job seekers to submit up-to-date employment and contact information for consideration by state agencies filling entry-level positions.

Compete in Civil Service Examinations

Civil service examinations assess candidates' knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for performing the job.

The type of test to be used on a particular examination will depend upon the nature of the job involved and will be specified on the examination announcement under "Subject of Examination."

State Examination Announcements 

Please Note: For the period of May 2024 to May 2025, testing requirements will be waived for most open-competitive positions through the NY HELPS Program.

Examination announcements provide important information about each examination being held, including the job title(s), date of the examination, location, duties, salary, the subject of the examination, deadline to apply, and fee information. When you are interested in taking an examination, first review the announcement to determine if you are eligible. There are minimum qualifications for all examinations which you must meet in order to participate in the examination.

Experience in a particular field of work may be required for some jobs. Other jobs also will require a demonstration of proficiency at certain skills, such as typing or fluency in a second language, or require a physical examination. Read each examination announcement carefully. You must meet the qualifications in order to take the examination.

Most examinations are held periodically. Some examinations are held continuously, with applications accepted anytime. With these continuous recruitment examinations, the qualified applicants are tested on an as-needed basis, and successful candidates' names are added to the eligible list continuously.

Archived examination announcements, which contain information such as minimum qualifications at the time the examinations were given, are posted for reference purposes only and cannot be used when applying for upcoming examinations.

Examinations Open to the Public

Examinations Open to State Employees

Continuous Recruitment Examinations

Applying for an Examination  

You can apply on-line or download the announcement and appropriate application. Your application will be reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications listed on the examination announcement.

You can apply for most State examinations online. To apply for an examination online you will need to sign in using your ny.gov ID. If you do not have an ny.gov ID, please create an account.

Some features of the online application process include being able to save and return to an application you did not complete. You can also see a list of examinations you have already applied for using the online application process.

After you apply, you will receive a notification indicating whether you are approved to take the examination.

After Taking an Examination  

After taking an examination, you will be notified by email when official scores are available online, usually within 90 - 120 days of the examination date.

Eligible lists and score notices are available on the Eligible List Management System (ELMS). If you have any other questions regarding your status, you may also email our List Maintenance Unit at EmploymentRecords@cs.ny.gov for more information.

For Frequently Asked Questions regarding what happens after taking an examination, visit the FAQ page.

Online Examinations (login required)  

Training and Experience Examinations

• Online questionnaires for State Government positions. You can complete some training and experience examinations online such as Information Technology Specialist, State Program Examiner, Professional Engineer, and others.

Additional Information  

• How to find a job with New York State published by the Department of Civil Service.


• Current openings for the public and opportunities for current state employees.


• Professional Career Opportunities is one exam that is used by state agencies to fill more than 100 different entry-level professional job types across a wide range of disciplines.


• Test guides published by the Department of Civil Service for state and local government examinations.


• Eligible List Management System (ELMS Online) allows you to view eligible lists, score notices, canvass letters, and related information.