The Seal of the New York State Department of Civil Service

 NEW YORK STATE
Department of Civil Service Announces
Examination Open to All Qualified Individuals

Written Test To Be Held

MARCH 8, 2003
Applications MUST Be
Postmarked
No Later Than
FEBRUARY 3, 2003

archived statement
This is an Archived Announcement.
The application filing date has passed.

Examination Number and Title

Salary
Grade

Salary

 Non-Refundable Processing Fee

24-213
PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST
14

$32,659

$25

24-216
 PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST (Spanish Language)
14
$32,659
24-214
 SENIOR PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST
18
$40,850
$25
24-215
 ASSOCIATE PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST
23
$53,104
$30

One Processing Fee MUST Accompany Your Application
For Either One Or Both Of The Public Information Specialist Examinations.

Appointees in the New York City area (Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond [Staten Island], Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties) will receive an additional $1,200 annual location pay differential.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: On or before March 8, 2003, you must have professional experience as shown below, directly relating to the public relations field - which includes copy writing as news writing for radio, television, newspapers, magazines or advertising agencies, or Internet web content development and web page layout. Because of the diversity of the field, candidates are strongly urged to submit with their applications comprehensive and detailed descriptions of their relevant work experience. Vagueness or lack of detail will not be interpreted in favor of the candidate. DO NOT SEND WORK SAMPLES OR RESUMES.

For No. 24-213: two years of the qualifying experience;
For No. 24-214: four years of the qualifying experience;
For No. 24-215: five years of the qualifying experience;
For No. 24-216: two years of the qualifying experience.

Substitution: Education in a field directly related to public relations may be substituted for the required experience for these examinations as follows:

  1. qualifying associate's degree for one year of experience.
  2. a bachelor's or master's degree in any field including or supplemented by 30 semester credit hours in a field directly related to public relations for two years of experience.
  3. a qualifying bachelor's degree for three years of experience.
  4. a qualifying master's degree for four years of experience.

Qualifying Education: To be qualifying, education "directly related to public relations" must include degrees or coursework in journalism, advertising, communications, radio, television, or web site development, or courses designed to prepare the student to work in the media field. You must attach a course list or photocopy of a transcript showing how you meet these requirements.

NOTES:

  1. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
  2. New York State residence is not required.
  3. Your degree and/or college credit must have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the NYS Education Department as following acceptable educational practices. If your degree and/or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to the Examination Information Desk of the Department of Civil Service for a list of acceptable companies who provide this service. This information is also available here.You must pay the required evaluation fee.
  4. A promotion examination is also being held for these positions. If you are eligible for appointment from a promotion list, you may not be appointed in your own agency from the list resulting from this examination open to the public.
  5. Although promotion examinations are being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as the result of these examinations open to the public.
  6. If you pass the examination for Number 24-216, Public Information Specialist (Spanish Language) you will be required to demonstrate your Spanish language proficiency at a level that will assure your ability to perform properly the duties of the position. Only enough candidates to fill current vacancies will be called to the proficiency test.
  7. If you are qualified for Number 24-216, Public Information Specialist (Spanish Language); you should also file for Number 24-213 Public Information Specialist; as there is only one application processing fee.

THE POSITIONS: These positions exist in many New York State departments and agencies and are located throughout the State.

DUTIES: Public Information Specialists, Senior Public Information Specialists and Associates are engaged in the preparation of written material, editing and dissemination of informational materials concerning the programs and activities of a State agency. This is accomplished through the use of various media including newspapers, radio, television, Internet web content development and web page layout, video, periodicals and State publications. Public Information Specialists at all levels will have to interact with the public, the media and the agency staff to publicize or clarify agency programs and policies.

As a Public Information Specialist, you would work under close supervision and usually be assigned segments of the public information activity.

As a Senior Public Information Specialist, you would work under general supervision and be responsible for performing the full range of public information activities required in preparing written and audiovisual materials used in publicizing an agency program.

As an Associate Public Information Specialist, you would direct and evaluate a public information program or a major segment of a large program and consult with management on means of improving public information program effectiveness.

SUBJECTS OF EXAMINATION:
For Numbers 24-213 and No. 24-216: There will be a multiple-choice written test which will be the basis for computing final scores.

For Numbers 24-214 and No. 24-215: There will be a two-part examination consisting of a multiple-choice written test and an oral test. You will be called to the oral test only if you receive a passing score on the written test. Only passing scores on the written test will be considered when computing the final scores. The Department of Civil Service reserves the right to call to the oral test only enough candidates to fill existing vacancies. As vacancies occur, additional candidates will be tested.

Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime veterans credits to your final passing score.

Scope of Written Test: The written test is designed to test for knowledge, skills and abilities in such areas as:

For Examination Numbers 24-213, 24-214, 24-215 and 24-216:

In addition to the above, for Examination Number 24-215:

Scope of Oral Test To Be Held in Albany Only: The oral test is designed to evaluate, against the general background of the position ability to:

  1. Identify and apply public relations skills in achieving governmental agency objectives
  2. Present ideas clearly and effectively
  3. Establish satisfactory working relationships in a public relations setting

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

archived statement
This is an Archived Announcement.
The application filing date has passed.

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, call (518) 457 5483 if taking the test in Albany; (518) 457-6556 for New York City Test Center; (518) 457 7022 for all other Test Centers.
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 in employment, compensation and other terms and conditions of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.
Saturday religious observers applying for examinations which have written tests scheduled to be held on a Saturday and who need special testing arrangements must note this on their applications.
Reasonable Accommodations in Testing: In addition, it is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with 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 enjoy equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their applications. Further information is available from the Special Arrangements Unit of the Department of Civil Service at (518) 457-3416 or TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) (518) 457-8480.
MULTIPLE EXAMINATIONS SCHEDULED FOR THE SAME DAY: With the exception of written tests announced by New York City, if you have applied to take a written test announced by a local jurisdiction (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must call (518) 457-7022 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.
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Issued: 12/20/02

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archived statement
This is an Archived Announcement.
The application filing date has passed.