Candidate Information

This page provides a very general overview of a typical testing process, to help you feel ready for your upcoming exam. For exact requirements of your test, please refer your agency’s exam bulletin and documents like reading lists, labor agreements, and civil service rules. If you have questions, your agency is the best contact.

written (multiple-choice) exam information

  • For promotional exams based on a reading list published by your agency, study core concepts from the listed books and chapters, and note how and why that knowledge is used on the job. Don’t chase trivia; we do not test it. For aptitude exams at entry level, there is no reading list. These tests measure your readiness to succeed in training or an academy.

  • Manage your time, read each question carefully, and choose the best answer on the page. Don’t overthink or read into what isn’t stated. Plan about one minute per test question, and be mindful of your remaining time. There is no penalty for guessing, so mark an answer for every item. Do not leave blanks or bubble more than one choice for a question, since the machine will score those as incorrect.

  • Please keep exam content confidential. Discussing specific questions or answers can affect future exams and may jeopardize your standing on the eligibility list. Your agency will share official results when they’re ready; you won’t receive copies of the test or your answer sheet. Thanks for helping keep the process fair for everyone.

Testing Information for Candidates

assessment centers and oral exams

  • Panel members complete professional training on exam protocols, then receive guidance specific to your exam and the policies of the agency where you are testing. The goal is consistent, fair administration and clear, defensible scoring.

    Raters will learn:

    • How to administer exams fairly and impartially

    • How to score their portion of the exam

    • What questions they can and cannot ask

    • How to interact with candidates during the process

    • What documentation is needed to validate their ratings

    • When and how they may ask limited follow-up questions to clarify points, comments, or answers

  • You may be asked to respond to structured questions, analyze short scenarios, role-play a supervisory situation, or present your approach to a job problem. Instructions are clear, time limits are posted, and you will know what materials you can use. Professional panelists observe, take notes, and score using the same criteria for every candidate. You may also be asked about your qualifications and technical questions on the duties and responsibilities of the rank you are testing for. Approach each exercise as if you already hold the role, demonstrating how you would perform the essential functions on day one.

  • Raters use standardized scales tied to the job’s competencies, with behavior anchors that show what “good performance” looks like. Your answers and solutions are evaluated against the job requirements and your agency’s expectations, not a generic idea of the role. You are never compared with other candidates, and the exam is not graded on a curve. Each panelist scores independently, then the panel confirms final ratings using set procedures. Scores are combined per the exam plan and documented for consistency and fairness, and your agency shares the official results when all exam steps are complete.

candidate FAQs

Do you offer “study guides” for written tests?

We do not offer study guides for any of our exams. The test questions in each exam are developed by our firm, and are not copies of any “study / review questions” that may sometimes be seen in some classroom training tools or academy-used textbooks.

Can I review a written test?

Sorry, no. Only authorized agency representatives (e.g., Human resources and/or Hiring Managers), who have completed and signed our test security and confidentiality agreement, may review exam materials. We do not offer exam review for candidates.

Someone in my agency told me to contact you regarding my test - can you help?

We are not authorized to provide information directly to candidates. Please contact your agency’s representative. Our only point of contact at the agency with which you’ve tested is management and/or Human Resources.

An “Exam prep” class online teaches the “Donnoe & Associates method” - is that legit?

No. We do not authorize any derivative references or classes to be developed from our proprietary exam materials. We discourage candidates from paying for someone else’s supposed “test prep” materials, and instead get ready for the job, not for the test.

Can I see my scores from my last test?

Please contact the agency with which you tested (which may be the Human Resources Department, if you have tested with a large agency). We do not provide information directly to candidates. Different agencies have different rules for sharing scores, and so the agency themselves will be your point of contact.

do you charge candidates to test, or to be put on an agency’s list?

Absolutely not. We regard this practice as unethical, and will never charge candidates to take an exam for a job within the public sector, or to have their name / exam scores shared with prospective employers.