#50198 ENTRY LEVEL CLERICAL SERIES

Ulster County Personnel Department

Civil Service Examination Announcement

#50198 ENTRY LEVEL CLERICAL SERIES FILING FEE $5.00 CONTINUOUS RECRUITMENT OPEN-COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION

PLEASE READ ENTIRE ANNOUNCEMENT CAREFULLY

EXAMINATION DATES: April 4, 1998 AND September 19, 1998

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED (NOT POSTMARKED) IN THE ULSTER COUNTY PERSONNEL OFFICE BY MARCH 20, 1998 FOR THE APRIL 4, 1998 TEST DATE OR AUGUST 26, 1998 FOR THE SEPTEMBER 19, 1998 TEST DATE.

We will continue to accept applications after August 26, 1998; those applicants will be scheduled in 1999. Announcements will be issued in January of 1999 indicating the examination dates for that year.

ENTRY LEVEL CLERICAL SERIES INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING TITLES:

ASSESSOR'S AIDE MAIL AND SUPPLY CLERK **ASSESSOR'S AIDE/STENOGRAPHER REAL PROPERTY RECORD CLERK *ASSESSOR'S AIDE/TYPIST *RECEPTIONIST (WITH OR WITHOUT TYPING) CLERK RECORDS CLERK CLERK/COURIER **STENOGRAPHER ***DATABASE CLERK/TYPIST *TRANSCRIBING TYPIST LIBRARY CLERK *TYPIST *LIBRARY TYPIST WARD CLERK

AND any other titles determined to be appropriate by the Ulster County Personnel Officer.

*In addition to the written test a computerized typing performance test at the rate of 35 words per minute is required (40 words per minute for Transcribing Typist). **In addition to the written test a computerized typing performance test at the rate of 35 words per minute AND a dictation test at the rate of 80 words per minute is required. ***In addition to the written test a computerized typing performance test at the rate of 35 words per minute AND a data entry (pass/fail) performance test is required.

THE ABOVE PERFORMANCE TESTS WILL BE GIVEN ONLY TO PASSING CANDIDATES APPROXIMATELY THREE (3) WEEKS FOLLOWING THE WRITTEN TEST; CANDIDATES WILL BE NOTIFIED BY MAIL.

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SALARY: Starting salaries for positions in this series range from $9.87 per hour to $10.78 per hour for Ulster County Departments. Starting salaries in Ulster County Towns, Villages, School Districts and Special Districts will vary by location.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: Incumbents in these positions perform entry level clerical duties such as answering the telephone and taking messages, opening and sorting mail, filing, recording and verifying data, preparing routine reports, operating office machines, typing and taking dictation where required, as-well-as other related activities specific to the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Candidates must meet the following requirement(s) on or before the date of the examination:

FOR ALL TITLES: Successful completion of the eighth grade in school; or its equivalent.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR ASSESSOR'S AIDE, ASSESSOR'S AIDE/STENOGRAPHER AND ASSESSOR'S AIDE/TYPIST: Possession of a valid New York State driver's license may be required at time of appointment.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT FOR CLERK/COURIER: Possession of a valid class D (formerly class 5) New York State motor vehicle operator's license AT TIME OF APPLICATION.

SUBJECT OF EXAMINATION: Written test will cover knowledge, skills and/or abilities in such areas as:

Alphabetizing: These questions are designed to test a candidate's ability to file material accurately in alphabetic order.

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 percents.

Clerical Operations With Letters and Numbers: These questions are designed to test a candidate's visual perception and basic clerical accuracy in working with alphanumeric characters. The candidate is required to read, compare, check, reorder and count letters and numbers following specific directions for each question. Knowledge of the alphabet and the ability to count are required.

Spelling: These questions are designed to test the candidate's ability to spell words that office employees might encounter in their daily work.

CALCULATORS: "Unless specifically prohibited, candidates are permitted to use quiet, hand-held, solar or battery powered calculators. Devices with typewriter keyboards, Spell-Checkers', Personal Digital Assistants', Address Books', Language Translators', Dictionaries' and any similar devices are prohibited."

PERFORMANCE TESTS: The following titles, and any other titles the Personnel Officer determines to be appropriate, require a qualifying performance test(s). Performance test(s) will be given only to those candidates who pass the written test. Candidates will be notified by mail at a later date.

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TYPING: Assessor's Aide/Typist, Assessor's Aide/Stenographer, Database Clerk/Typist, Library Typist, Receptionist (with typing), Stenographer and Typist require a computerized typing performance test at the rate of 35 words per minute. Transcribing Typist requires a computerized typing performance test at the rate of 40 words per minute. The use of a copy holder device is permitted for the computerized typing performance test. Candidates who use this device must provide their own.

DATA ENTRY: Database Clerk/Typist requires a data entry performance test which requires the use of a conventional personal computer (PC) with a standard keyboard to perform various clerical tasks using a pre-established database. This test will consist of three parts. In part one, you will be required to add, delete and update various records in the database. In part two, you will be required to retrieve records from a database and write down selected information from the records onto printed forms. In part three, you will be asked questions on the computer screen about the information you write down in part two. You will enter your answers directly into the PC. More specific information about the test will be mailed to all approved candidates before the test date (after the last date for collecting applications). Your rating (pass/fail) on this test will be based on the amount of material completed and on the accuracy of that material.

DICTATION: Assessor's Aide/Stenographer and Stenographer require a dictation test at the rate of 80 words per minute. Dictation may be taken by either manual shorthand or machine shorthand. Candidates who take notes by shorthand writing machine must provide machine and paper for their own use. A typewritten transcription will not be required. Candidates will be given a full simulated transcription of the material dictated and will indicate on a separate answer sheet whether or not the material has been transcribed correctly. The New York State Department of Civil Service reserves the right to set the pass point on this performance test in stenography at 10 candidate errors.

CANDIDATES WHO PASS THE WRITTEN TEST AND PERFORMANCE TEST(S) ,WHEN REQUIRED, APPEAR ON AN ELIGIBLE LIST. THEIR NAMES ARE INTERFILED ACCORDING TO GRADE AND REMAIN ON THE LIST FOR UP TO TWO (2) YEARS.

A separate eligible list will be established for each title.

PERFORMANCE WAIVER: Candidates who have taken and qualified on a typing, database and/or dictation performance test in the past may be eligible for a waiver of these qualifying examinations. If you wish to apply for this waiver, it will be necessary for you to provide us with the following information at the time of filing: the number and title of examination, the agency for whom you took the examination and the date of participation. All other candidates will be required to participate in the qualifying performance tests described above.

RETEST POLICY:

WRITTEN TEST: A CANDIDATE FOR THE WRITTEN TEST MAY BE TESTED AGAIN AFTER SIX (6) MONTHS.

TYPING PERFORMANCE TEST: A CANDIDATE FOR THE COMPUTERIZED TYPING PERFORMANCE TEST MAY BE RETESTED ONE (1) MONTH AFTER THE FIRST TEST AND AGAIN FIVE (5) MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST RETEST. CANDIDATES MAY NOT TAKE THE TYPING PERFORMANCE TEST MORE THAN THREE (3) TIMES IN A YEAR.

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DATABASE PERFORMANCE TEST: A CANDIDATE FOR THE DATABASE PERFORMANCE TEST MAY BE RETESTED AFTER SIX (6) MONTHS.

DICTATION PERFORMANCE TEST: A CANDIDATE FOR THE DICTATION PERFORMANCE TEST MAY BE RETESTED AFTER SIX (6) MONTHS.

FEES: Send your check or money order (made payable to ULSTER COUNTY TREASURER) with your application. Please include the examination number, title and your social security number on your check or money order. DO NOT SEND CASH. NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED, therefore, you are urged to compare your qualifications carefully with the qualifications for admission and apply only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified.

EXCEPTION TO FEE REQUIREMENT: An exception to the processing fee will be made for persons receiving Supplemental Social Security payments or public assistance (Home Relief or Aid to Dependent Children), provided Foster Care or certified Job Training Partnership Act eligible through a state or local social service agency and for those who are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. Individuals wishing to claim this waiver of fee on the basis of Supplemental Social Security, Home Relief or Aid to Dependent Children must certify on their application, under number 20 Remarks, that they are receiving public assistance and must indicate the type of assistance they are receiving, the agency providing the assistance and their case numbers. Persons claiming this waiver through Foster Care or Job Training Partnership Act Certification must specify the program and name of their contact agency. Such claims are subject to later verification and, if not supported by appropriate documentation, are grounds for barring appointment.

Applications may be obtained at the Ulster County Personnel Department, County Office Building, 5th Floor, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, New York OR by mailing a request to P.O. Box 1800, Kingston, NY 12402-1800. (INCLUDE A STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESSED, LEGAL-SIZE ENVELOPE.) Candidates requesting announcements for multiple examinations must be sure to include sufficient postage for return mail.

This examination is being prepared and rated by the New York State Department of Civil Service in accordance with Section 23-2 of the Civil Service Law. The provisions of the New York State Civil Service Rules and Regulations dealing with the rating of examinations will apply to this test.

SPECIAL NOTE: All public agencies are required by law to provide full and equal opportunities for minorities, women and the handicapped. All qualified candidates are encouraged to compete without regard to race, creed or national origin. Applicants whose religious beliefs prevent their taking examinations on the date indicated, and physically handicapped candidates who require special examination facilities, must indicate this on their application at the time of filing.

NOTE: If candidates have not received an admittance letter for this examination, within four (4) days of the examination date, they should contact this office at 340-3550.

Civil Service Exam Announcements