New York State of Opportunity

Investigative Aide

Written Test To Be Held
February 17, 2018*
You may be assigned to either Saturday or Sunday.
Please refer to the information below.
Applications Must Be Submitted or Postmarked By
January 03, 2018

 

Exams Included on This Announcement
Exam Number Exam Title Open to Employees of Salary Salary Grade Non−Refundable Processing Fee (Waivers available)
00-407 Investigative Aide Motor Vehicles, Department of $35,344 G-9 $10
00-408 Investigative Aide (Spanish Language) Motor Vehicles, Department of $35,344 G-9
IMPORTANT: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination. If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT received by the Department of Civil Service. No late applications will be accepted after the filing deadline has passed.

*Due to the size of the candidate population for this test date, you may be assigned to either Saturday, February 17, 2018, or Sunday, February 18, 2018, to take your test. Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request a day in advance or change your scheduled day.

Transition examination open to all qualified employees of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

This TRANSITION EXAMINATION is one of several concepts included in a Memorandum of Intent agreed to by New York State and CSEA, and is designed to provide opportunities for employees within state service.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before February 17, 2018, you must be a qualified employee of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and have had three months of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service in a position allocated to G-6 or higher.

If you were permanently appointed to a qualifying title on or before November 17, 2017, and have served continuously in this title since that date, you are eligible to file for this examination.

Qualifying Experience for Appointment from the Eligible List

After one year of the service described in the Minimum Qualifications, successful candidates will be qualified for appointment from the eligible list.

Notes

  1. Language Proficiency: If you pass the examination for No. 00-408 Investigative Aide (Spanish Language), you will be required to demonstrate your Spanish language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform properly the duties of the position. Only enough candidates to fill current vacancies will be called to the proficiency test.
  2. If you submit an application for No. 00-408 Investigative Aide (Spanish Language), an application will automatically be submitted for you for No. 00-407 Investigative Aide at no additional cost.
  3. Important: As the duties of the position require the operation of a motor vehicle, if you pass the written test and are considered for appointment, you will be required to have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State.
  4. Background Investigation: Because of the nature of the positions there is an investigative screening that may include a thorough character investigation. All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case is determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws. All Investigative Aides must undergo State and federal fingerprint checks at time of appointment and the results are used as part of the background investigation.

The Positions

These positions exist in Albany and Whitestone.

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Subject of Examination

There will be a written test which you must pass in order to be considered for appointment. The written test is designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

  1. Evaluating conclusions in light of known facts - These questions will consist of a set of factual statements and a conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is proved by the facts, disproved by the facts or if the facts are not sufficient to prove or disprove the conclusion. The questions will not be specific to a particular field.
  2. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
  3. Interviewing - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in obtaining information from individuals through structured conversations. These questions require you to apply the principles, practices, and techniques of effective interviewing to hypothetical interviewing situations. Included are questions that present a problem arising from an interviewing situation, and you must choose the most appropriate course of action to take.
  4. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.

If you pass, your seniority credit(s), if any, will be included in the computation of your final score. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' credits to your final passing score.

Credit for Seniority

Seniority is credited at the rate of one credit for each five-year period (or fraction thereof), excluding the first year of service

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Duties

As an Investigative Aide or Investigative Aide (Spanish Language), you would perform a variety of technical and clerical tasks to assist Investigative Officer 1s (Motor Vehicle) in the performance of their duties. You would assist Investigative Officer 1 (Motor Vehicle) and/or Supervisors within the Division of Field Investigation in obtaining information concerning applications for licenses, registrations, titles, and other motor vehicle transactions and/or applications. You would receive complaints or requests for investigations and do initial workups of cases, including obtaining or clarifying initial data, and may be required to provide evidence and testimony at grand juries and in criminal and local courts regarding Departmental procedures and documents. You would compile certified copies as required, research and confirm Department procedures, and obtain affidavits of regularity from various units within the Department to be submitted as evidence. You would review Department image captures based upon the Facial Recognition Program to determine if the images need further review for fraudulent activity and correction. You would also analyze documents for authenticity and process requests for confidential information from federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and other government agencies. Occasional travel and flexible working hours may be required.

Important: The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies may communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your examination results and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

This announcement is for viewing purposes only.

If you do not receive a number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT processed.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Eligibility for Examination

To be considered a qualified employee eligible to compete in this examination, you must be employed in, or on leave from, the specified department or agency on a permanent or contingent permanent basis in the competitive class, or in the non-competitive class or labor class if specifically noted on this announcement (or be on an appropriate preferred list), and have the specified time in the specified title or salary grade. You may not compete in a test for a title if you are permanently employed in that title (unless you are still on probation) or in a higher direct line of promotion.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

Do not bring cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices to the test site. The use of such devices at the test site in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas could result in your disqualification.

S2/TA1 MPR-vla
Issued: 12/1/2017

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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