Oregon Civil Service Test Online Preparation & Tips – 2024

Working in Oregon

Oregon is an agricultural powerhouse producing 95% of the United States’ hazelnuts. They are also a major producer of cranberries, grapes, and blueberries. A group of large corporations has made their headquarters in Oregon. These include Harry and David, Adidas, and Columbia sportswear. The U.S government is also one of the largest employers in Oregon. State government positions in Oregon offer benefits to their employees that include:

• Health, vision, and dental care
• Employee assistance
• Sick leave
• Retirement benefits

What Is Oregon’s Civil Service Recruitment Process?

Application

Applications for civil service positions in Oregon are available online. They have transitioned to a new system that allows you to view jobs and apply them from any device with internet access. The minimum job requirements will be listed in the job posting, along with any certifications that are required.

Oregon’s jobs website.

Oregon’s Civil Service Tests

Applicants for the police and fire department will be required to take a series of exams. The exact exam may vary by city, but they are all designed to measure the skills necessary to become a successful part of the police or fire departments.

Oregon’s Police Officer Exams

• NPOST – Entry-level officers will be given the National Police Officer Selection Test (NPOST). The NPOST is designed to test reading comprehension, grammar, incident report writing, and memory skills. This is a 75-question multiple-choice test. You will be given two and a half hours to complete this test.
• ORPAT – The Oregon Physical Abilities Test is used to measure the necessary physical abilities in police officer candidates. It was designed to mimic physical tasks that may be encountered on the job.

Oregon’s Fire Department Exams

• FireTeam Test – The FireTeam test is designed for entry-level firefighters to find if they have the necessary skills. It tests the applicants’ mechanical aptitude, reading comprehension, math, and human relations. The test is video-based and produced by Ergometrics.
• CPAT – The CPAT, Candidate Physical Abilities Test, is used to ensure that a candidate is physically capable of the endurance and strength that is required of a firefighter.

Interviews

The interviews will focus on situational judgment and professionalism. The interviewer will want to see that a candidate will reflect well on the department. Familiarity with the STAR method of interviewing will help you frame your answers in a way that provides context and highlights your qualifications.

How to Prepare for Oregon’s Civil Service Exams?

Test takers should be familiar with the job requirements so they have an idea of what they should study. Many departments will provide candidates with study materials and a test guide. If you are fortunate enough to be provided with this, you should make use of it to improve your chances. If you are not provided with a study guide, you can still prepare for the exams. Practicing math and using word puzzles to help with grammar and reading comprehension can still give you an edge. On the day of the written exam, remember to bring all the required forms and materials. Give yourself enough time to answer each question without rushing, but do not hyper focus on any questions that may be tricky for you. Attempt to complete as many as you can without guessing the answers. Written exams can be very intimidating for some people, but if you utilize your study materials, and take the time to study independently, you can have confidence that you will ace the exam, and be on your way to a job offer.