Yesterday, i was to take the STaff Analyst Trainee Exam. its the entry level civil service exam within the title that i have. It will enable me to become a permanent "not provisional" employee and will allow me to take promotional exams. All that stuff doesnt mean much to me now.
I took the prep course at the Union office and swore each day that i would study. I never quite got to study and when i tried to read the test questions, they bored me or seemed too hard or were outside of my comfort zone so i generally gave up.
I knew that i needed some basic knowledge of statistics, depended on my ability to be a manager, supervisor and 30 years of work experience to get me through. So i was anxious or more anxious than i thought but didnt know where to start to study. I looked at the material all week briefly without really studying and i didnt buy the DVDs..
I did though take the prep course. so the test was called for 430pm at canarsie HS.
i got up later than usual and had coffee and relaxed and did chores and then headed over to get my toenails done. I read the material during the pedicure.
I packed fruit, cough drops, water, pencils, water and all in a clear bag. I was not to take in my cellphone but took the calculator that they sent me.
I took my ticket and directions and went to the HS. I ran into three people that i knew from the course and one person from my job
the test was to be at 430 and we started to line up at 330 and time passed on and passed on. the sky began to be overcast and seemed like it open up and rain. when it started to rain, they let us in to sit in the auditorium. Finally it was after 6pm when we were escorted to our rooms and instructions were given. we were to fill out cards, and forms and wait for the bell to start.
the bell started and the forms were opened. The exam was upside down and pages were a mess. The woman next to me had a scientfic calculator that wasnt caught til midway through and someone's cellphone kept ringing..( all of those against the rules)
I worked my way through the exam with ease. I did all the examples and did all the math even though i thought i could short cut the answers. Mid way through the exam. I saw an essay that you had to read and answer questions. the Topic Domestic violence. then authorizing people for SSI, Medicaid, Scrie or food stamps...then figuring out level of care under homemaking. I was feeling my social work comfort zone. Luckily, i was comfortable with the topic and could do the simple math and grammar. I also could do scheduling and apply personnel policies and procedures.
I think there were about 10 questions of 80 that i may have gotten wrong..
I got out of there after 930pm and was too late to get to prospect park for my friend's party and Joan Osbourne.
I knew that this was gonna be an adventure when i saw the Q train -Duracell battery salesman who sells his fake duracells on the train, taking the same test as i was..
He had two pencil protectors and plenty of pencils..
Me i had one #2 that broke so i was using a broken tip pencil through the test til i asked for another.
I was outrageous asking the monitors for the buffet line and bar and casino as we were so late in starting...no one had dinner or food so we were cranky and people left the exam. I knew the 430 start time would be a deterrent but i went and did my best anyway.
