Petersons - Master the Clerical Exams

Copyright 2010 by Petersons, a Nelnet company All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Petersons a Nelnet Company 2000 Lenox Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 Visit our website at www.petersons.com First eBook Edition: July 2010 ISBN: 978-0-7689-2994-2 OTHER RECOMMENDED TITLESMaster the Civil Service ExamsMaster the Postal ExamsMaster the Public Safety Dispatcher/911 Operator ExamPetersons Master the Clerical Exams gives you a structured, step-by-step review that can help you master all the basics you need to score high on federal, state, and local clerical exams. It covers key points and gives you the practice you need to do well on these exams. Although we cannot predict exactly what your exam will be like, this book can help you prepare for the most probable question types.

The instructional chapters will prepare you for questions youre likely to face. The model exams are not actual exams, but they will give you excellent opportunities to practice and prepare for your clerical exam. Other features of this book include details about the jobs you may be eligible for, information on announcements concerning the clerical exams, sample questions from previous exams, and where to get started finding a clerical job in federal, state, or local government. Master the Clerical Exams is written for civil service candidates who have limited time but who want to prepare for their exam efficiently. If you already know what type of career you wish to pursue, this book will help you prepare for any of the major exams. If you dont know what type of job youd like to apply for, this book can also be useful.

It will not only help you prepare for your exam, but it will also provide information about various types of careers available in civil service so you can begin to narrow your choices. Master the Clerical Exams provides you with the following information: Top 10 Strategies to Raise Your Score gives you a preview of some of the test-taking strategies youll learn in this book. For example, most tests include questions to assess your understanding of vocabulary and grammar. You will also be tested for basic mathematics skills. Many clerical tests measure your ability to memorize and remember information accurately. Weve provided a sampling of different test types you will encounter, as well as a review section to help you practice.

Also in this section, we explain how clerical exams are scored and we offer general test-taking tips that will help you score higher on test day. is a diagnostic test, which provides an opportunity for you to practice the most common types of test questions you may encounter and assess your readiness to take the clerical exams. Take this test before you review the rest of the book. It will help you find out where your skills are strongest and where they need improvement. consists of eight full-length practice tests, drawn either from official sample examinations or from models that are closely patterned after the actual exams. Timing, level of difficulty, question styles, and scoring methods all conform to the examinations for which theyre meant to prepare you.

As a special feature of this book, we include explanations of all the correct answers to these tests. provide information on where to find federal, state, and local civil service jobs. We also include a review of the jobs available in the Department of Homeland Security. Petersons Master the Clerical Exams is designed to be as user-friendly as it is complete. To this end, we have included several features that will help make your test preparation more efficient. Overview Each chapter begins with a bulleted overview listing the topics that will be covered in the chapter.

This allows you to quickly target the areas in which you are most interested. Summing It Up Each chapter ends with a point-by-point summary that captures the most important points contained in the chapter. This is a convenient way to review key points. Bonus Information As you work your way through the book, keep your eye on the margins to find bonus information and advice. You will see this information presented in the following forms: NOTE Notes highlight critical information about a career as a clerical worker and the application process. ALERT! Alerts do just what the title saysthey alert you to common pitfalls or misconceptions in test-taking for clerical civil service exams. ALERT! Alerts do just what the title saysthey alert you to common pitfalls or misconceptions in test-taking for clerical civil service exams.

You have made a decision to pursue a career as a clerical worker. Petersons Master the Clerical Exams will help you select the field in which youre best suited to work and will guide you in finding, applying for, and landing the job of your dreams. Good luck! Petersons, a Nelnet company, publishes a full line of resources to help guide you through the clerical exams and application process. Petersons publications can be found at high school guidance offices, college and university libraries and career centers, and your local bookstore or library. Continue to check our Web site, www.petersons.com, for more information about our e-book program. We welcome any comments or suggestions you may have about this publication and invite you to complete our online survey at www.petersons.com/booksurvey.

Or you can fill out the survey at the back of this book, tear it out, and mail it to us at: Publishing Department Petersons 2000 Lenox Drive Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 Your feedback will help us make educational and career goals possible for youand others like you. 1. Mark your answers by completely blackening the answer space of your choice.2. Mark only ONE answer for each question, even if you think that more than one answer is correct. 3. If you change your mind about the answer, erase completely.

Leave no doubt as to which answer you have chosen. 4. If you do any figuring on the scratch paperand you will for the math questionsbe sure to mark your answer on the answer sheet.5. Check often to be sure that the question number matches the answer space number and that you have not skipped a space by mistake.6. Answer first those questions that seem easiest to you. 7. 7.

Guess if you can. There is no penalty for a wrong guess. If you do not know the answer, eliminate the answers that you know are wrong and guess from among the remaining ones. If you have no idea whatsoever of the answer, choose an answer other than the first. Statistically, the first answer is less often the correct answer than the other choices. 8. Keep track of time. Dont be tied to your watch, but do glance at it.

If time for any section is about to run out, mark all the remaining spaces with the same answer. By the law of averages, you should pick up an extra point or two. 9. Dont panic. If you cannot finish a section, dont worry. If you are accurate in the questions that you do answer, and if you guess on the remainder, you can do very well. 10.

Check and recheck. If you finish any section before time is up, check to be sure that each question is answered in the right space and that there is only one answer for each question.