TO: Department and Agency Human Resource, Personnel and Affirmative Action Officers

FROM: Crys Hamelink / William Doyle - Staffing Services Division

SUBJECT: Centralized Performance Typing Test For Keyboard Specialist 1 in the Greater Albany Area. Examination Number 20-670

DATE: August 25, 2000

THIS MEMORANDUM IS BEING SENT ONLY TO PERSONNEL/HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICES THIS MEMORANDUM DOES NOT REPLACE ADVISORY MEMORANDUM #97-02, "REVISED PERFORMANCE TEST ADMINISTRATION MATERIALS FOR KEYBOARD SPECIALIST 1" ISSUED MAY 21, 1997 IN THIS SECTION BUT AMENDS THE PROCEDURES FOR OFFICES IN ALBANY, SCHENECTADY, AND RENSSELAER COUNTIES. PLEASE MAKE A NOTE ON THAT MEMORANDUM TO SEE THIS ONE.

In response to popular demand, the performance typing test, known as "Typetest" will be administered centrally at Civil Service offices for the greater Albany area, including Albany, Schenectady and Renesslaer counties. Agencies in outlying counties covered by 20-670 and all counties covered by Exam Numbers 20-661 - 20-669 will continue to administer the Typetest at the time of interview.

The reasons for centralizing the Typetest at Civil Service for the Albany area are:

1. Various agencies have repeatedly requested help with Typetest administration. The process of administering the Typetest at the time of interview is time-consuming and difficult due to the high failure rate (approximately 50%.)
2. Although the current policy states that candidates may be tested only four times in a 12 month period, it is difficult to track the number of times the Typetest is administered to any one candidate by different agencies.
3. Little can be done in the current decentralized system to help candidates prepare for the Typetest. Standardized help can be given consistently from trained Civil Service personnel and test monitors.

Centralized typing performance testing was begun at Civil Service this July. Agencies should see an increasing percentage of candidates on certified lists for positions in the capital region that do not need performance testing. We are currently administering the Typetest to all candidates in the greater Albany area who passed the June 3 KBS 1 written test.

Beginning September 1st, only candidates that have passed the typing test will appear on certifications for offices in Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer counties. In addition, instead of allowing candidates to take the typing test four times in a 12 month period, we will allow them to take the typing test four times each time they take and pass the written test, which currently is given three times a year.

Those agencies still working from older certifications, and agencies filling vacancies in outlying areas may continue to test as needed.

NOTE: ALL ACTIVE CANDIDATES IN THE AREA COVERED BY 20-670 HAVE BEEN OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO CIVIL SERVICE OFFICES TO TAKE THE TYPETEST OR TO PROVIDE US WITH A TYPING TEST WAIVER. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT INSISTED THAT CANDIDATES FROM OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL REGION TRAVEL TO ALBANY. THE GUIDELINE IS THAT IF THE CANDIDATE IS WILLING TO WORK IN ALBANY, SCHENECTADY OR RENSSELAER COUNTIES THEY MUST COME HERE TO TAKE THE TEST. CANDIDATES WILLING TO WORK ONLY IN OTHER COUNTIES HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO COME TAKE THE TEST, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN REQUIRED TO DO SO.

Agency offices in counties covered by List 20-670, (Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington) should send ALL TYPING TEST RESULTS (passed and failed) to the Managed Placement Office, Room 327, NYS Dept. of Civil Service, State Office Building Campus, Albany, NY 12239. All other counties should continue to send all results to Jay Holcomb, Testing Division at Civil Service.

Questions: call Pat Baugh at 485-0355, or e-mail us at Keyboard@cs.state.ny.us

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