Mizzkittie17 Posted July 11, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 11, 2011 Hello, I am a 26 year old female college graduate (4 years post graduate experience in social work/welfare) who is looking to switch careers to NYC transit (MNR and LIRR included) Other than taking the civil service exams, what other suggestions/programs that are out there for people like me? Also, how often is the train operator exam given? Thank you very much for any help! ~ Sherie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acela Express Posted July 11, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 11, 2011 Welcome to the site, Sherie. What exactly are you looking into doing? Most of the entry level NYCT positions are civil service based. Have you swept through the employment page at MTA's website? http://www.mta.info/mta/employment/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted July 11, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 11, 2011 A welcome from me too Sherie. As Acela Express stated NYC Transit is civil service. On the other hand Metro North is not and I don't think LIRR is either. The lack of civil service does not mean there isn't a competitive hiring process. No matter what you do there will be an exam involved. I can speak from Metro North's perspective on the hiring process. To my knowledge LIRR's is similar, but don't quote me on it. The first step is go to http://www.mta.info and build a profile under the employment section. Once your profile is build you must submit your resume for every job you apply for. For example, this week there is a job listed for an inventory control clerk. You can apply for that now but if you see something else next week you must apply again and submit your resume again. Once you get your resume submitted the human resources folks at the MTA Business Service Center review the resumes and invite a relatively selected few to take a test. Once you take the test and pass then you have a background check performed. Once you pass the background check they start selections for interviews. Once you're interviewed, then you may be required to take a physical ability test and a medical exam. I changed careers at the age of 39 and started with MNR as a custodian almost 3 years now. To date I don't regret it. Currently I'm in the process of trying to become a locomotive engineer. Even as a current employee, I must go through everything I described above as it's a different craft than my current one. As far as your desire to be a train operator or locomotive engineer, MNR only hires currently certified locomotive engineers off the street. Any one else wishing to become one must be a current employee in their respective craft for a year but don't let that deter you. Whatever you chose to do, good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubwayGuy Posted July 11, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 11, 2011 Hello, I am a 26 year old female college graduate (4 years post graduate experience in social work/welfare) who is looking to switch careers to NYC transit (MNR and LIRR included) Other than taking the civil service exams, what other suggestions/programs that are out there for people like me? Also, how often is the train operator exam given? Thank you very much for any help! ~ Sherie Check http://www.mta.info/mta/employment/ frequently for job postings. Civil service exams are, however, your best way in. A whole bunch just got posted, too. Remember that transit in civil service is a CAREER with JOB SECURITY and that all your time working for transit counts towards your pension, so even if civil service exams are given for jobs that you may consider (as a college graduate) to be "beneath you", or "not what you're looking for" to take them anyway. -You will get your foot in the door with transit, which will start counting the clock towards your retirement with very good benefits -Once you're hired by the agency, you can promote. Promotional civil service test-takers always get called before open competitive (off the street) applicants for EVERY position. -You can take advantage of educational programs within transit so that if you want to change departments, you can. -Once you pass probation in a civil service title you have seniority within that title and can always go back to it, within reason. If you work in a non civil service title, you will have less job security...it will be similar in many ways to private employment. Just remember it's harder to get in than to move up. But don't give up. Keep hunting. Try your hand at some of the upcoming open competitive civil service exams. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mizzkittie17 Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share #5 Posted July 11, 2011 Check http://www.mta.info/mta/employment/ frequently for job postings. Civil service exams are, however, your best way in. A whole bunch just got posted, too. Remember that transit in civil service is a CAREER with JOB SECURITY and that all your time working for transit counts towards your pension, so even if civil service exams are given for jobs that you may consider (as a college graduate) to be "beneath you", or "not what you're looking for" to take them anyway. -You will get your foot in the door with transit, which will start counting the clock towards your retirement with very good benefits -Once you're hired by the agency, you can promote. Promotional civil service test-takers always get called before open competitive (off the street) applicants for EVERY position. -You can take advantage of educational programs within transit so that if you want to change departments, you can. -Once you pass probation in a civil service title you have seniority within that title and can always go back to it, within reason. I do not think civil service exams are beneath me. I come from a family of city workers. I've worked for NYC Children's Services as a Child Protective Specialist (you know, the baby snatchers) which required me to take the civil service exams. I am all for the civil service exams because as a social worker who has worked with non-profit and government agencies, I favored the latter. More specifically, I am looking to see if there are any programs that specifically designed to recruit women into transit. Acela and Truckie, I check the MTA website RELIGIOUSLY on a daily basis. I find it harder to get into transit than any other agency and it's like a secret society because from what I understand, there's a lot of promotion from within. lol. In my daily visits to the MTA website, I noticed DCAS has surrendered civil service testing for the transit. Does this mean that more exams will be given? Typically, how often are exams given? For example, the mta train operator exam was given in 2009, will it be given again this year or next year? Thank you everyone for your input! ~ Sherie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted July 12, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 12, 2011 If you work in a non civil service title, you will have less job security...it will be similar in many ways to private employment. . I'll say it again, MNR is NOT civil service! This does not mean you wouldn't have job security as you will! There are only two ways you would find yourself on unemployment. 1) you goof off and you are forced to be fired (it takes a lot for that to happen). 2) you are at the bottom of the seniority list and are furloughed. In most cases this will not happen as there are usually jobs on the vacancy list, however, if this were to happen you will return to work when there is a position available. Just a little tidbit on furloughs. April 2010 there were numerous jobs (approx 50) cut in my craft at MNR for "budget" reasons. After all was said and done, no one got furloughed. There were numerous jobs on the vacancy list that got filled in a hurry and numerous people retired creating other vacancies. As it stands today there are probably 10 to 15 jobs that are vacant in my craft. Over the last 12 months I'd estimate 10 people changed crafts to conductor which created vacancies. Should I get through the hurdles and transfer to the locomotive engineer training program (LETP), my job will be up for bid in which will create another vacancy somewhere along the line. If for some reason I don't make it in the LETP, it's ok. I'll still be paying union dues in my current craft so I'll go back to that craft and retain my seniority. Lets say for example you applied and were hired for the inventory control clerk that is currently listed. You may find your self on that job for a week and you could get bumped by someone senior to you. You then either bump a vacant job or as you build up seniority bump someone under you. As you gain seniority you will have the opportunity to bid on other jobs as they become available. Now is a good time to get in. It is estimated that there are going to be hundreds of retirements in the next two years. Should one get's their foot in the door now, they should be moving up in seniority relatively quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckie Posted July 12, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 12, 2011 Acela and Truckie, I check the MTA website RELIGIOUSLY on a daily basis. I find it harder to get into transit than any other agency and it's like a secret society because from what I understand, there's a lot of promotion from within. ~ Sherie I can't speak for transit but there is promotion from within like many occupations. As I stated in previous posts, to get in to the LETP you either have to be a current MNR employee or have a Federal Railroad Administration locomotive engineers certification. In my opinion it's easier to get hired by MNR and start as something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubwayGuy Posted July 12, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 12, 2011 I do not think civil service exams are beneath me. I come from a family of city workers. I've worked for NYC Children's Services as a Child Protective Specialist (you know, the baby snatchers) which required me to take the civil service exams. I am all for the civil service exams because as a social worker who has worked with non-profit and government agencies, I favored the latter. More specifically, I am looking to see if there are any programs that specifically designed to recruit women into transit. Acela and Truckie, I check the MTA website RELIGIOUSLY on a daily basis. I find it harder to get into transit than any other agency and it's like a secret society because from what I understand, there's a lot of promotion from within. lol. In my daily visits to the MTA website, I noticed DCAS has surrendered civil service testing for the transit. Does this mean that more exams will be given? Typically, how often are exams given? For example, the mta train operator exam was given in 2009, will it be given again this year or next year? Thank you everyone for your input! ~ Sherie Glad to hear that as a college grad you don't find civil service exams beneath you. That's a big barrier why a lot of smart people working dead end jobs won't try and come down to TA land so :tup: More exams will be given now, I don't know how the requirements for positions may change (and they might). T/O exams are typically given every 4-6 years. In the past they've required 5 years full time work experience for the position, but they accept 30 college credits as 1 year of experience, and part time work experience is pro rata. The last test was June of 09, so the next one may not be for a while. But like I said before you just want to get in, so if there is ANY test you're eligible for...go for it and I hope it works out for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubwayGuy Posted July 12, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 12, 2011 I'll say it again, MNR is NOT civil service! This does not mean you wouldn't have job security as you will! There are only two ways you would find yourself on unemployment. 1) you goof off and you are forced to be fired (it takes a lot for that to happen). 2) you are at the bottom of the seniority list and are furloughed. In most cases this will not happen as there are usually jobs on the vacancy list, however, if this were to happen you will return to work when there is a position available. Just a little tidbit on furloughs. April 2010 there were numerous jobs (approx 50) cut in my craft at MNR for "budget" reasons. After all was said and done, no one got furloughed. There were numerous jobs on the vacancy list that got filled in a hurry and numerous people retired creating other vacancies. As it stands today there are probably 10 to 15 jobs that are vacant in my craft. Over the last 12 months I'd estimate 10 people changed crafts to conductor which created vacancies. Should I get through the hurdles and transfer to the locomotive engineer training program (LETP), my job will be up for bid in which will create another vacancy somewhere along the line. If for some reason I don't make it in the LETP, it's ok. I'll still be paying union dues in my current craft so I'll go back to that craft and retain my seniority. Lets say for example you applied and were hired for the inventory control clerk that is currently listed. You may find your self on that job for a week and you could get bumped by someone senior to you. You then either bump a vacant job or as you build up seniority bump someone under you. As you gain seniority you will have the opportunity to bid on other jobs as they become available. Now is a good time to get in. It is estimated that there are going to be hundreds of retirements in the next two years. Should one get's their foot in the door now, they should be moving up in seniority relatively quickly. I wasn't thinking completely when I wrote that post. What I meant to write wasn't for civil service specifically but to apply for PERMANENT positions. The distinction I meant to make (totally asleep at the switch when I wrote it) is that PROVISIONAL positions have no job security, even for people who work for Transit for 20 years. Those who take provisional employment should seek to obtain permanent employment as soon as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will-Bx-718 Posted July 12, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 12, 2011 I wasn't thinking completely when I wrote that post. What I meant to write wasn't for civil service specifically but to apply for PERMANENT positions. The distinction I meant to make (totally asleep at the switch when I wrote it) is that PROVISIONAL positions have no job security, even for people who work for Transit for 20 years. Those who take provisional employment should seek to obtain permanent employment as soon as possible. Well the city, nor does TA offer any provisional employment anymore. The city and TA laid all of them off last year. And the PD stop taking provisional applications back in 2009. I assume the rest of the city agencies did the same thing as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primomjr78 Posted July 13, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 13, 2011 Check http://www.mta.info/mta/employment/ frequently for job postings. Civil service exams are, however, your best way in. A whole bunch just got posted, too. Remember that transit in civil service is a CAREER with JOB SECURITY and that all your time working for transit counts towards your pension, so even if civil service exams are given for jobs that you may consider (as a college graduate) to be "beneath you", or "not what you're looking for" to take them anyway. -You will get your foot in the door with transit, which will start counting the clock towards your retirement with very good benefits -Once you're hired by the agency, you can promote. Promotional civil service test-takers always get called before open competitive (off the street) applicants for EVERY position. -You can take advantage of educational programs within transit so that if you want to change departments, you can. -Once you pass probation in a civil service title you have seniority within that title and can always go back to it, within reason. I do not think civil service exams are beneath me. I come from a family of city workers. I've worked for NYC Children's Services as a Child Protective Specialist (you know, the baby snatchers) which required me to take the civil service exams. I am all for the civil service exams because as a social worker who has worked with non-profit and government agencies, I favored the latter. More specifically, I am looking to see if there are any programs that specifically designed to recruit women into transit. Acela and Truckie, I check the MTA website RELIGIOUSLY on a daily basis. I find it harder to get into transit than any other agency and it's like a secret society because from what I understand, there's a lot of promotion from within. lol. In my daily visits to the MTA website, I noticed DCAS has surrendered civil service testing for the transit. Does this mean that more exams will be given? Typically, how often are exams given? For example, the mta train operator exam was given in 2009, will it be given again this year or next year? Thank you everyone for your input! ~ Sherie Mizzkittie Unforunately the next train operator exam will be given sometime in 2014 and then another 2 years for the list to be established so sometime in 2016 the first of the oc list from that exam will be called Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubwayGuy Posted July 13, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 13, 2011 Well the city, nor does TA offer any provisional employment anymore. The city and TA laid all of them off last year. And the PD stop taking provisional applications back in 2009. I assume the rest of the city agencies did the same thing as well. There have been some TA provisional hirings within the last month for railroad stockworker, and possibly other positions also. I think they're coming off a MabSToA list though and applicants were given the option of holding out for MabSToA or taking a provisional appointment with TA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mizzkittie17 Posted July 14, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted July 14, 2011 Found something on the Transit website for an analyst position. Not sure if my qualifications fit but I'm using my case management experience to word the cover letter... wish me luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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