About Civil Service Recruitment and Examination

The recruitment and examination process for classified, civil service jobs consists of the qualifying procedure that an applicant must go through in order to achieve placement on an employment eligibility list.  This recruitment and examination process includes screening of the applicant’s credentials to ensure minimum qualifications are met, as well as an assembled test and/or an unassembled test.  Assembled tests, such as paper-and-pencil written tests and typing tests, are those for which applicants are scheduled for a date, time, and place to appear and take in-person.  Unassembled tests, such as ratings of training and experience, are structured upon job-related work experience and education.  Scores on ratings of training and experience are based on the applicants’ education, training, and experience and do not require applicants to appear in-person to take.

Please click  here for additional information about written tests.

Frequently Asked Questions

What am I allowed to bring with me into the testing room?

You will be given a locker key, and you will be required to lock your personal belongings, including cell phones, pagers, radios, and bags/purses, inside a locker. The test proctor will provide you with all of the materials you will need during the test.

Am I allowed to leave the room during the test?

You are allowed to leave the room for the restroom or water fountain. However, you will not be allowed to access your personal belongings during the test.

When will I receive a score?

For the typing test, which is scored on a “qualifying only” or “pass/fail” basis, you will find out whether you received a passing score immediately after you have completed the test.  If you have received a passing score on the typing test, you will continue through the recruitment and examination process for the position to which you applied.  For a written exam, the processing of your test score may take between one business day to two weeks after you have taken the test, depending on a few different factors (e.g., number of applicants).  If you have received a passing score on a written exam, you will proceed to the certification process.

For a rating of training and experience, all applicants who met the minimum qualifications for the position to which they applied will receive a score.  Receiving this score likely will take at least two weeks after you have submitted your application online.  This is to allow all applicants the same amount of time (two weeks) to submit all necessary documentation to the Personnel Department.  If you have received a rating of training and experience score, you will proceed to the certification process.

What is the certification process?

After recruitment and examination takes place, the certification process begins.  An eligibility list is used to certify eligible job applicants to the parish departments that have vacancies.  These departments typically are listed at the top of job announcements.  Once the parish departments have been given the names of certified applicants, the departments contact those applicants to schedule job interviews.  The parish departments will make the final hiring decisions.

How long will my score last?

The score notice that you receive by mail and/or e-mail will tell you when your score expires.  Most scores expire after six months but can be valid for as long as three years.

Can I retake a civil service test?

If you have not received a passing score on a written test, or you would like to attempt for a higher score than the score you received on a written test, you may retake the written test after a period of 90 days has passed.  If you have not received a passing score on the typing test, you may retake the typing test after a period of 30 days has passed.

However, the position to which you are applying must be open for application, so that you can re-apply at that time.  Testing is not conducted while classifications are not being recruited for.

What happens if I retake a test and get a different score?

If you are given the opportunity to retake a civil service test, and your score is different the second time you test, the Personnel Department will use the higher score for your employment eligibility ranking.