How the city’s ‘bridge’ exam can succeed

Correction: The requirement that candidates for staff analyst trainee positions have work experience in areas including budgeting, methods analysis and operations research of four years with a high-school diploma or two years with an associate’s degree or 60 semester credits is completely waived for those with a four-year degree from an accredited college or university.

Earlier this month, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services opened applications for what it called the New York City Bridge Exam, a test that will be used to fill 11 different jobs, some closely related but others completely different.

At first glance, those skeptical of the concept, which hasn’t been used for civil-service jobs for roughly 50 years, are likely to dismiss it as mixing apples with coconuts. How could a single test be used for jobs as disparate as bookkeeper and maintenance worker, or clerical associate and computer service technician?

My union, the Organization of Staff Analysts, has a direct stake in this effort, since one of the titles for which the test will be determining candidates is staff analyst trainee.

But after reviewing the guidelines meant to ensure that the right people who pass the test wind up on the job lists for which their qualifications suit them, I believe DCAS Commissioner Dawn Pinnock, who is trying to save money by reducing the number of exams her agency holds, has found a method that is sound as well as cost-effective.

Candidates, who must apply by July 18 and pay a $40 filing fee, can ask to be considered for multiple titles for those agencies — New York City Health and Hospitals and the City University of New York, as well as mayoral ones, among them — that have openings. The test will produce four clerical associate lists, including both open-competitive and promotional ones for municipal agencies and H+H; three open-competitive ones for maintenance worker jobs in city agencies, H+H and CUNY; and mayoral hiring rosters for bookkeeper, computer service technician, secretary and staff analyst trainee.

Test-takers, while paying a single fee and taking just one exam, can seek multiple jobs based on their scores if they meet the minimum qualifications for those titles: those pertaining to experience by July 18, and those based on education by June 30. Both the multiple-choice exam and the education-and-experience testing will begin Monday, Sept. 18.

The need to satisfy the standards for the job or jobs that candidates seek in advance of the start of testing ensures that they already have basic skills that would allow them to be easily trained once they are hired or promoted. For example, those wishing to be placed on the hiring roster for bookkeeper must have at least six semester credits in accounting; clerical associate hopefuls need a year of satisfactory clerical experience, and computer service technicians require a year of computer maintenance and repair service. Maintenance workers need three years’ experience as a mechanic, journeyperson or helper, and staff analyst trainees, unless they have a four-year college degree from an accredited college or university, must have at least two years’ experience in areas including budgeting, methods analysis and operations research.  

Satisfying those kinds of relevant requirements coming in makes it possible to establish applicants’ basic competence to do the specific job or jobs they are seeking after passing what amounts to a generic test. At a time when DCAS, like most municipal agencies, is being compelled to reduce spending, the bridge exam offers Commissioner Pinnock a vehicle by which to tighten her department’s budget belt without having a negative impact on the quality of services that will be delivered by those who gain jobs or promotions by passing it.

Robert J. Croghan, who began working in city government in 1965 and is a leading merit-system advocate, has been chairperson of the Organization of Staff Analysts since 1984.