Why Civil Service Works: Secure Your Future with Permanent Status
I began my career with the New York City Housing Authority in a manner that most would find unorthodox. In 1989 I was 19 years old, in my second year of college, when I abruptly decided to quit. At the time who was my mother dating but a NYCHA employee! Back in those days you didn’t want to acknowledge even knowing someone who worked for the City, let alone work for a City agency yourself. Nonetheless, with my mother’s “encouragement,” I soon found myself trekking down to 250 Broadway to take a typing test in the Personnel Office, while thinking of ways to fail. Instead, I passed and was called a few weeks later to begin my tenure at Bayview Houses in Canarsie, Brooklyn, as an Office Aide T-1. Two years later, I was promoted to Bookkeeper with the Technical Services Department.
From day one I felt camaraderie with the staff, especially the “veterans” who were always taking the newcomers like me under their wing. I was constantly told not to “idle,” not to wait until someone offers you the next promotion. Strive to accomplish something on your own, they advised, by continuing your education and taking civil service exams.
When I left college, I was only a few credits away from my associate’s degree, so I looked into the continuing education program from College of New Rochelle, which held classes at DC 37 headquarters in Manhattan and in Brooklyn. Through perseverance and drive, I completed my degree just in time to qualify for the first of many civil service exams to come: Claims Specialist. Passing the exam would be an ideal foundation to jump start the career I was looking for by making me eligible for a job in Central Office, where I felt I could contribute more.
In 2005, I took the examination that greatly altered my career, Staff Analyst. Not only was it a difficult and challenging exam but also one that no one I knew was interested in taking. To my surprise, I squeaked through and this qualified me to take the next exam, promotionally, for associate staff analyst. Once again, I encouraged my peers to no avail; I urged them to take exams, warning that no matter how long they were at this agency, if they did not have permanent status in a job title, they could someday lose their job.
Well, you guessed it—the Long Beach ruling became law and layoffs of “pure provisional” employees were occurring all over the Authority. Employees were scrambling to take any civil service exam just to establish permanent civil service status. This worked for many but some lost the only job they ever had. Some staff had to retire or resign earlier than expected, taking major penalties in their pension or other plans.
Now in my 27th year with NYCHA, I have just taken what is hopefully my final exam, Administrative Staff Analyst. I hope those “veterans” are proud of me once more.
To share your experience about how the civil service has helped shape and secure your career, please send your story to NYCHANow@nycha.nyc.gov.
