The Civil Service Examination is a necessary test that you must pass if you are planning on finding a job the government.
Those who were able to enter government service in the past, back when the exam wasn’t required yet, have to still pass this now or else they won’t be eligible for the promotion.
While there are people who easily breeze through the exams, there are also many who fail.
Contents:
Here are tips that will help you pass the Civil Service Exam.
1. Study the coverage.
An aptitude test, the Civil Service Examination covers a wide range of basic subjects from English to Math to General Information.
Read up on the subjects
You don’t necessarily have to read the books for each subject from cover to cover. Just try to review and recall what you have learned when you were in school.
- Vocabulary – Words won’t be that complicated, most are commonly used and found in the daily news, articles, etc.
- Word analogy – Study on your bridging sentences
- Grammar– Review on subject and verb agreement, modifiers, conjunctions, etc.
- Paragraph Organization – Paragraph structures, transition words, etc.
- Reading Comprehension – Learn how to look for the main idea, the message of the paragraph, etc.
- Math – Remember your PEMDAS (Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction), interest and percentages, word problems, etc.
- Number Series – Prime or Odd Numbers, Squares or Cubes, Pattern in differences, Complex Patterns
- General Information – Read up the parts of the Philippine constitution about environmental conservation, indigenous people, and territorial disputes.
- Logic – Most of it will be on “Finding the best assumption and best conclusion” questions
Don’t worry because the Math tests won’t cover advanced Math topics like Calculus and Mathematical Physics, but expect basic Math topics, Algebra, and some Geometry. English topics will cover basic grammar and spelling rules.
For subprofessional level, expect that clerical topics will be included while analogy and logic are covered in the professional level.
2. Don’t rely on luck.
Study! A number of people believe that the Civil Service Examination is ‘easy’; thus, they just rely on luck or ‘tsamba’. While that’s alright if you’re not in a hurry to pass, considering the tests is offered annually, it is still best to study hard and know what to expect so you could pass the test.
While the tests cover basic topics, it is understandable that many have forgotten even the basics. Thus, it would be a good idea to refresh your memory by studying.
It’s a good idea to enroll in a review center or at least find reviewers you can study to refresh yourself about the topics that might be covered in the exams.
3. Eat well to think well
An empty stomach means an empty mind. So that you can focus on the exam itself, make sure your stomach has good food that won’t keep you distracted.
4. Bring all the requirements.
On the day of the exams, make sure you bring all the requirements as the proctors won’t let you proceed without these.
Refer to the list given to you after you applied for the exams, but the basic requirements are:
- Valid ID with picture
- Application receipt
- Official receipt
- Dark lead pencils, sharpener, eraser, and/or ballpens
- Notice of school assignment
5. Try your best to answer all questions.
While taking the test, if you think one question is really difficult to answer, don’t waste your time trying hard to find the best answer for that one.
Just pick a letter and go to the next question. While that’s relying on luck, at least you won’t be wasting precious minutes over something you aren’t sure about.
6. Allocate your time
Because the exam is long, we suggest that this is how you take the exam.
2 hours – Comprehending and answering questions you are SURE of
1 hour – Answering/ Guessing questions you AREN’T SURE of
10 minutes – Double checking if you’ve missed out a question and re-shading those that aren’t properly shaded
7. Don’t panic if you’ve made a mistake
If you shaded a wrong number, just place an X on top of it and shade the correct answer. NOTE: Only one X is allowed per number
8. Relax
You studied and prepared for this. Just take it easy and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
9. Don’t give up.
If you didn’t pass the test, don’t give up so easily. You can learn from your mistakes.
If you were not able to review before taking this test, then you already have an idea about what to expect the next time you take the exams.
10. Pray
Follow these tips and good luck in your examination!