A candidate studying for the NYC Sanitation Exam

3 Most Satisfying Federal Jobs in NYC

Federal jobs are generally more satisfying than working in the private sector. You play a role for the city—your job has real purpose and meaning. There’s no drama, no personal biases, and your career entirely depends on your skills and competence. Everyone gets a fair opportunity to join the departments with the DCAS exams. You also have a clear career path as you’re promoted through the DCAS promotional exams.

However, some departments are more satisfying to work in than others. In this article, we discuss three of the hottest federal jobs right now. We also explain how you can join each of these departments.

So without further ado, here are the three most satisfying federal jobs in NYC.

NYC Sanitation Department

Interested candidates have been restlessly waiting for the NYC Sanitation Exam that’s finally being held later in 2022. This will be the first exam in more than seven years. In 2021, NYC faced a severe sanitation worker shortage. The DSNY had to pay high compensations to incentivize the employees to work past their shifts. Reportedly, some DSNY employees made up to $300,000 last year.

The upcoming NYC Sanitation Exam is expected to solve this worker shortage. This means that many people who score high in the written DCAS exam will be called to join the department pretty soon.

Benefits

The DSNY is by far the highest-paying sanitation department in the US. According to salaries reported to Indeed, the DSNY per-hour wage is significantly higher than even the highest-paying private sanitation companies. Your salary also increases faster than the inflation rate, allowing you to make more the more you gain experience.

Additionally, if you work outside your hours or on public holidays, you get a compensatory payment of at least 1.5 times your hourly wage. All this is if you don’t get promoted. If you apply for a promotion and pass the promotional DCAS exam, you get raises according to that position.

How to Join the NYC Sanitation Department

According to DSNY, only about 17,000 people took the sanitation exam in 1998. This number increased to around 26,000 in 2003 and 32,000 in 2007. This number more than doubled in 7 years, and over 80,000 candidates appeared in the last NYC Sanitation Exam in 2015.

Even a modest estimate shows more than 160,000 people competing in the exam this time. If you don’t rank at the top, you won’t be called till the hiring list expires. The smartest way to give yourself a better chance of landing the job is to register yourself for NYC Sanitation Exam prep classes.

An NYPD Police officerSuffolk County Police Department

The NYPD keeps the biggest city in the US from descending into chaos. Police officers in the NYPD have a vital responsibility to the city. They also get to work on something new every day, which makes the job one of the most satisfactory in the job market.

Benefits

Working as an NYPD officer is as good for mental health as it is for maintaining physical fitness. It’s one of the few jobs left that require you to do some actual legwork. However, if you’re in it for the salary and employee benefits, you’ll find that here too.

As a Suffolk County Police officer, your salary starts at $42,000 and goes up to $111,506 in 12 years, according to the current agreement. The department also has well-defined promotional programs. You just have to apply for a promotion, pass a DCAS exam, and claim your new rank. No department politics can stop you from being able to go to work in casual clothes with an NYPD badge around your neck like a real-life detective Jake Peralta.

You also get paid, sick, and personal leaves that increase as you stay in the department longer. The department not only invests in your training, but you also get your salary and benefits during training.

How to Join the Suffolk County Police Department

The next Suffolk Police Exam will be held in 2023–2024. Like all federal department entrance exams, this exam is open and competitive. The higher you score, the earlier you’ll be called when there’s a position in the department. If you score low, you won’t be called and will have to apply for the exam again. Don’t make the mistake of not preparing. Start taking Suffolk Police Exam preparation classes as soon as possible!

An NYC Fire department boatNYC Fire Department

The home of New York’s Bravest needs no introduction. It’s hard to think of any federal job (or any job in general, for that matter) that has a more humanitarian role than saving actual lives. However, the salary and benefits offered to compensate firefighters for their noble service make the department one of the most satisfying.

Benefits

As satisfying as saving lives is on its own, firefighters also get a lot of physical and mental exercise. Their missions require them to move around as quickly as possible. They also go through fire drills regularly, even after their training. This keeps firefighters fit, mentally healthy, and always striving to be better.

The FDNY also offers paid casual and sick leaves, which increase the longer you work. For military veterans, the department sometimes expands its age requirements and gives extra paid leaves.

How to Join the NYC Fire Department

The NYC Firefighter Exam is arguably the most difficult DSNY exam to pass. Firefighters need exceptional cognitive abilities to strategize plans on the spot. The FDNY exam tests an entire range of cognitive abilities to the letter. The physical exam also tests your physical limits—FDNY advises you to start working out months before the exam. Enrolling yourself in NYC Firefighter Exam prep classes is the only way to ensure you’re prepared for everything.

Join Preparation Classes Now

Civil Service Success is the leading school preparing candidates for civil service exams in NYC including the NYC Sanitation Exam, FDNY Exam, and Suffolk Police Exam. Want to successfully join your favorite federal department in NYC? Register for our classes now!

 

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