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Has anyone tried state merit exams for their respective state? Have you had any luck or are they also swamped? Realistically, what do you think would be the age cutoff for state employment? I am 53 and will be 54 in July. That would give me ten years right at 64. I've researched these tests a bit today and will be calling for some more information regarding sites tomorrow.
I took several of these about 20 years ago and scored well but never obtained employment. It seems like I might have received an offer to apply or interview but the position was in extreme south Georgia and I lived in north Georgia. As always, thanks in advance.
For my state, I have never heard of these exams. I worked for the state briefly and never heard of anything like it. It may only be a few states that do these?
The tests are only in certain areas. Since I test well, I thought I might get the precious foot in the door this way. A year+ will make you try anything.
In Maryland there is not just one merit exam. Each classification has its own testing procedure. Most classifications require a written exam but some classifications are graded based on the application and other criteria (proof of a professional license along with college transcript, for example). For those who pass the test, the applicants are scored based on a best qualified, better qualified, and qualified scale.
When positions open, the agency must first interview from the best qualified list unless there are no names in that category. They then move to the better qualified list. Quite often, those who score less than best qualified will never get a call because of the number of names in the best qualified category.
Currently I would assume there are many more applicants than positions, as there is a hiring freeze right now and any exemption from the freeze has to be approved by the Dept. of Budget and Management. But during times of low unemployment, the chance of getting hired are great for a best qualified applicant, as there is a lot of turnover. Employees would come on board, stay a year or two for the experience, and then move on to a better paying job elsewhere.
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