Clerk/Keyboard Specialist/Office Specialist – Continuous Recruitment

ISSUED:  February 28, 2023

 

ANNOUNCES OPEN-COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION FOR:

CLERK/KEYBOARD SPECIALIST/OFFICE SPECIALIST

CONTINUOUS RECRUITMENT

EXAM NO. CR02-023

 

DATE OF EXAMINATION:  This exam is being scheduled for September 14, 2024.

LAST DAY FOR FILING:          Applications must be received no later than close of business August 16, 2024.

EXAM FILING FEE:        $15.00

SALARY:               Varies with location and title

VACANCIES:      This list will be used to fill vacancies in the Lewis County Health System, Lewis County departments and school districts.

DUTIES:

Clerk   – Independently performs routine clerical tasks.

Keyboard Specialist and Office Specialist – Involves responsibility for performing a variety of standard clerical tasks requiring the operation of various office equipment including computer                                  software to enter and retrieve information.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet one of the following requirements

Clerk:    Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma; or one year of full-time clerical experience.

Keyboard Specialist and Office Specialist:

1. Graduation from high school or possession of a high school equivalency diploma including and one year of clerical or office experience which involved the operation of a computer for word-processing or entering information into a database; or
2. Two years of clerical or office experience which involved the operation of a computer for word-processing or entering information into a database.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: Written test designed to test for knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in such areas as:

1. Alphabetizing: These questions are designed to test the candidate’s ability to file material accurately in alphabetic order.
2. Record Keeping: These questions are designed to test a candidate’s ability to perform common record keeping tasks. The test consists of two or more “sets” of questions, each set concerning a different problem.  Typical record keeping problems might involve the organization or collation of data from several sources; scheduling; maintaining a record system using running balances; or completion of a table summarizing data using totals, subtotals, averages and percentages.
3. Clerical Operations with letters and numbers: These questions are designed to test a candidate’s skills and abilities in clerical operations involving, comparing, checking and counting. The questions require you to follow the specific directions given for each question which may involve alphabetizing, comparing, checking and counting given groups of letters and/or numbers.
4. Spelling: These questions are designed to test the candidate’s ability to spell words that are used in written business communications.

CALCULATOR STATEMENT:     The use of calculators is RECOMMENDED.

TYPING PERFORMANCE:  We will no longer be administering the typing performance as part of this series. Typing skills will be evaluated by the appointing authority during the probationary period.

NOTE:  Candidates who file for Clerk/Keyboard Specialist/Office Specialist examinations with more than one Civil Service Agency will be required to use the score received in this examination subject to the following conditions:

1.)    A candidate is permitted to take a Clerk/Keyboard Specialist/Office Specialist examination prepared by the NYS Dept. of Civil Service only once during each of the following defined periods: January 1-June 30 or July 1–December 31.

2.)   A candidate who applies and is approved for more than one Clerk/Keyboard Specialist/Office Specialist examination during the same six-month period (January 1 – June 30 or July 1 – December 31) is required to use the score resulting from a single test administration for all examinations held during the same six-month period.

3.)   The candidate must inform the civil service agency if he/she has previously taken a Clerk/Keyboard Specialist/Office Specialist exam in any other civil service agency and provide the location and date the examination was taken.

4.)   A candidate must pay application fees for each examination requiring such fees.

5.)   A candidate’s placement on resultant eligible list(s) and duration of eligibility for appointment will be determined by the civil service agency conducting the examination(s).

STUDY GUIDE:  A Guide to Taking the Examination for the Clerical Series is available on the New York State Department of Civil Service website at www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.   Candidates not having access to a computer or the internet may request a copy of the test guide from the Lewis County Civil Service Office.

ELIGIBILE LISTS:  Candidates who meet the qualifications and pass the examination, will have their names placed on the Eligible List, in the order of final scores, regardless of the date on which they filed or took the test. The names of qualified candidates will remain on the Eligible List for one year. Appeal of ratings will not be allowed. Appointment from an eligible list must be made from the top 3 candidates willing to accept appointment.

TERMINATION OF THE PROGRAM: Lewis County Department of Human Resources and Civil Service Administration reserves the right to terminate this special recruitment program at any time and re-establish a program of periodic testing for this title.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

APPLICATIONS:  Unless otherwise indicated on this announcement, the candidate will complete one “Application for Examination or Employment” for each exam he/she wishes to take.  No copies will be accepted.  Applicants must answer every question on the application form and make sure that the application is complete in all respects.  Incomplete applications will be disapproved.  All statements made by candidates are subject to verification.

FILING FEE:  The fee must accompany the application.  Applicants whose forms are not accompanied by the appropriate fee or whose personal checks are returned for insufficient funds will not be considered as candidates.  Payment must be in the form of check or money order made payable to the Lewis County Treasurer.  Refunds of fees will not be issued to applicants who are disqualified for not meeting the minimum qualifications, or a candidate’s failure to appear for testing on the scheduled test date.

WORK EXPERIENCE:  Unless otherwise noted, experience credited towards meeting the minimum qualifications must be full-time paid work experience.  Part-time paid work experience will be accepted based on its full-time equivalent.

APPLICATION FEE WAIVER:  A waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household.  In addition, a waiver of application fee will be allowed if you are determined eligible Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Security Income payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Family Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local Social Service agency.  All claims for application fee waiver are subject to verification.  If you can verify eligibility for application fee waiver, complete a “Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification” form and submit it with your application.  Fee waiver forms are available at the Lewis County Civil Service office or online at www.lewiscounty.org.  

TIME AND PLACE OF EXAM:  Accepted candidates will be notified when and where to appear for an exam.  No one will be admitted to an exam without the official admittance notice.

RESIDENCY:  New York State Residence is not required for most positions.  However, you must be eligible for employment in the United States.  An appointing authority may exercise its rights under Section 23-4a of Civil Service Law to give preference to legal residents of their jurisdiction.

VETERAN CREDITS:  If you are a War-Time Veteran, or if you are currently in the United States Armed Forces, you may be eligible to have extra credits added to your passing exam score.  However, it is your responsibility to submit the appropriate Veterans’ Credit form(s) on or before the date of the examination.    Forms are available in the Civil Service office or online at: www.lewiscounty.org.   In addition to the Veterans’ Credit Form, you must include a copy of your discharge papers (DD-214).  The time periods for which veterans’ credit is permitted are listed on the Veterans’ Credit Application.

ADDITIONAL CREDIT ALLOWED CHILDREN OF FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY:  In conformance with Section 85-a of the Civil Service Law, children of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty shall be entitled to receive an additional 10 points in a competitive exam for original appointment in the same municipality in which his or her parent has served.  If you are qualified to participate in this exam and are a child of a firefighter or a police officer killed in the line of duty killed in this municipality, please inform this office of this matter when you submit your application for exam.  A candidate claiming such credit has a minimum of two months from the application deadline to provide the necessary documentation to verify additional credit eligibility.  However, no credit may be added after the eligible list has been established.

SABBATH OBSERVERS/DISABLED CANDIDATES/MILITARY MEMBERS:  Applicants whose religious beliefs or military service prevent their taking exams on the scheduled date and disabled candidates who require special accommodations to take the test should indicate the need for special arrangements on their application.

MULTIPLE 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 the written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date, so they can make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site.  All examinations for positions in State government will be held at a State examination center.  The Cross-Filer form is available at the Lewis County Civil Service or online at www.lewiscounty.org.

CALCULATORS:  Unless otherwise notified, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held solar or battery powered calculators.  Devices with typewriter keyboards, Spellcheckers, Personal Digital Assistants, Address Books, Language Translators, Dictionaries, or any other similar devices are PROHIBITED.

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.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:  If you move, it is your responsibility to notify the Civil Service Office of your new address.  The Civil Service Office makes no attempt to find candidates who have moved.  Failure to notify the Civil Service Office could result in being passed over for appointment.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION:  Appointees from an eligible list are required to undergo a criminal history background investigation, which may include a fingerprint check to determine suitability for appointment.  Failure to meet the standards for the background investigation may result in disqualification.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR APPOINTMENT IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS:  Per Chapter 180 of the Laws of 2000, and by regulations of the Commissioner of Education, to be employed in a position designation by a school district as involving direct contact with students, a clearance for employment from the State Education Department is required.

 

This examination is prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23-3 of the Civil Service Law.  The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Rules and Regulations, which deal with the rating of examinations, will apply.  Federal and State law prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap or national origin.

 

APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED AT WWW.LEWISCOUNTY.ORG OR THE LEWIS COUNTY CIVIL SERVICE OFFICE, 7660 N. STATE STREET, LOWVILLE, NY  13367.  PHONE (315) 376-5349.

 

LEWIS COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.