- How many questions are on the PCO exam?
- Is the civil service test hard?
- How often is the NYS PCO exam offered?
- How many questions are on the civil service exam?
The New York State Professional Careers Opportunities exam is one exam that state agencies use to fill more than 100 different entry-level jobs across a variety of disciplines, such as health and human services, environmental conservation, human resources, administrative analysis, and transportation.
The exam is very similar to a civil service exam. Instead of testing your specific knowledge on an area of expertise, the exam attempts to pinpoint your ability to complete any range of tasks you might be assigned as a state employee.
NYS PCO Exam Details
There are three sections on the New York State Professional Careers Opportunities exam. These sections are:
- Preparing Written Material – your ability to gather information and compile it effectively through your own written communications
- Understanding and Interpreting Written Material – your ability to read and comprehend written materials prepared by others
- Working and Interacting with Others – your ability to maintain professional relationships in the workplace and interact with others to successfully complete tasks
Since this exam helps fill a range of entry-level jobs, it is important to score high on the exam. By scoring high, you improve your chances of employment — and you raise your desirability for the more coveted jobs.
Exam Preparation
In order to best prepare for the NYS PCO exam, you will want to invest in a practice test that will expose you to the types of questions you will encounter.
For example, in the section on understanding and interpreting written material, you might be asked to read a report written by a colleague and answer questions based on what you’ve read.
Look for a practice test that covers all of the sections. Then, time yourself while you take the practice exam. From there, you’ll be able to score yourself and understand where you can improve. This will help you feel confident on the day of the actual test and improve your score by removing the pressure from answering questions you might not have encountered.
Start practice today and improve your hiring chances
