ITS Overview

Note that this entire process must be completed on-line.

Throughout the on-line examination process, this "progress bar" will appear at the top of the screen to help you identify your current location in the process. Clicking on the progress bar will open a new window that displays the Full Overview of the Information Technology Specialist examination process. Sample Progress Bar

The Process

The Application

Enter some basic information, including your name, address, and phone number, and your education, work experience, and certifications.

The Minimum Qualifications Questionnaire

Answer some questions regarding your qualifications for the examination(s) you wish to take. We will review your answers and tell you immediately if you meet our qualifications. Be careful because you will have to wait 30 days to reapply, and you will not have access to the rest of the process, if your application is disapproved.

If you receive a confirmation notice that your application has been approved, you MUST complete the Job Preferences and Training and Experience Questionnaire to receive scores in the examinations.

Job Preferences

Identify where in New York State you would accept employment, as well as preferences regarding shifts, part-time and full-time employment, and temporary and permanent appointments. You may change your Job Preference responses at any time by logging in at http://www.cs.ny.gov/pstit/itsoptions.cfm.

The Training and Experience Questionnaire

Tell us about your information technology background. You will be asked questions in 5 main topics (Degrees, College Coursework, Certifications, Work Experience, and Competencies), including 74 subtopics and 500+ separate questions. If you cannot complete the questionnaire in one sitting, you can save your responses and return to the questionnaire at a later time. No one is expected to have expertise in all of the subtopics; many qualified candidates will have expertise in only two or three subtopics.

Once you submit your Training and Experience Questionnaire, you are not allowed to change your responses to the Training and Experience Questionnaire for 90 days.

Scoring and List Information:

Candidates whose Job Preferences match the needs of a job will be scored each time an agency submits a request to the Department of Civil Service for the eligible list to fill the job.
Those candidates whose training and experience closely match an agency's needs will receive proportionately higher scores than candidates with less of a match to the agency's needs.
Your scores may change for different jobs as the jobs would need different combinations of training and experience.
State agencies may contact you when your score is high enough for consideration. Most appointments happen at the score of 95 or higher.
State agencies will verify your credentials at the time of interview. If you cannot substantiate your responses, the Department of Civil Service will remove your name from any lists on which you were placed based on inaccurate responses.
To see your scores log in at http://www.cs.ny.gov/pstit/itsoptions.cfm.

Things to remember:

Please read the entire examination announcement before you apply for these examinations.
In order to apply, you will first have to complete a login process, which will require that you obtain a Civil Service ID and Password. This will become a permanent ID and Password for any other NYS examinations for which you apply. If you have previously applied for a NYS Civil Service examination on-line, you already have established your ID and Password.
You may apply for any number of these examinations that you choose.
Prior to filling out the application, you will want to assemble any information you need to refer to regarding your education, coursework, certifications, and work experience.
Do not use the Back button.

If you have questions or problems:

Please be as specific as possible when describing any problems you are having. Be sure to include what you were doing, or attempting to do, at the time you encountered the problem.

Regarding your User ID or password, read the relevant FAQs.
Regarding error or systems messages, contact the ITS Enterprise Service Desk at: its.sm.esd.ags@its.ny.gov. Please provide a phone number where they may contact you. Hours of operation are Monday - Friday 7:30 am to 5:00 pm.
Regarding the completion of the application or questionnaire for these examinations, please read the Full Overview of the examination process. If the Full Overview does not answer your questions, contact the New York State Department of Civil Service, Information Technology Exams Unit at: InfoTech@cs.ny.gov or at (518) 473-6608 weekdays between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Short Overview of the Information Technology Specialist Examination Process