Helpful Techniques and Tips to Pass the Civil Service Exam

Here in the Philippines, working for the government will require you to pass certain tests and assessments before you can actually have a position in the government. Moreover, these assessments and tests are taken seriously and the hopefuls’ preparations are extreme. Why they do that isn’t a question since passing it would make them eligible to work for the government but the question of “how” they do it is what baffles a lot of people.

Different people have their own ways of preparing for exams and assessments. However, there are some things that most people overlook when it comes to preparing for the Civil Service Exam. Lucky you because we were able to come up with the best tips to pass the Civil Service Exam from the people who succeeded in doing so!

The perfect strategies and tips to pass the Civil Service exam

If you think that pulling an all-nighter is the key, you better think again. Doing this can actually impale bad results and can do you far worse than giving you a passing rate. The key is to prepare for it strategically.

There are review centers which can provide tricks and tips to pass; you can choose to allot a certain time period; you can have your own strategies but you should know “how” to study it.

Read: Current Regional Daily Minimum Wage Updates in All Regions

Before we get to the most important part, what are the things you need to know about the Civil Service Exam?

The review part is not the only thing studied by potential government-workers. As a matter of fact, that’s just one part of the equation. Of course, before you review, there’s the question of…

What the coverage of the exam is

They’re not selfish when it comes to this. In fact, they willingly give it out to be some sort of aid to exam-takers. To give you a brief background, there are two (2) tiers or levels you can take: the professional level and the sub-professional level.

The sub-professional exam qualifies you for first-level government positions like clerical jobs, office work, etc. The professional level, however, gives you a chance to have more critical roles (both second and first-level jobs). More so, these are positions that would require a bachelor’s degree. You can refer to the table for the scope of examinations for both the professional and the sub-professional levels.

Reference	Professional Level (Both English and Filipino)	Sub-Professional Level (Both English and Filipino)
Exam Scope	General Information on: • Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards (Public Officials and Employees) [R.A. 6713] • Environment Management and Protection • The Philippine Constitution • Peace and Human Rights (Issues and Concepts)
	Numerical Ability: • Basic Operations • Word Problems
	Verbal Ability: • Vocabulary • Paragraph Organization • Grammar and Correct Usage • Reading Comprehension
	Analytical Ability: • Word Association • Identification of Conclusions and Assumptions • Interpretation of data • Logic
Time Limit	Three (3) hours and ten (10) minutes	Two (2) hours and forty (40) minutes
Test Items	170 Items	165 Items

As you can see in the table above, the time difference is a bit huge with a 30-minute deficit. You might think of it as a small thing but in reality, it’s already a big adjustment. Moreover, the number of test items is only a difference of five (5). With that time difference, you already know that the Professional Level exam is a bit more difficult and complex than the sub-professional level. In addition to that, it’s also imperative that you know the passing rate of the exam. The passing rate, which is not known to many, is a score of 80.00 or above.

So, what are the best tips to pass the civil service exam? 

Now, the part that everyone’s been waiting for. To make things easier, let us dissect this into two (2) different parts: tips before the exam and tips during the exam date.

Before the exam

This is where the extreme preparations come in. There are specific things you’d want to look at before the actual exam date. Now, these things just make up half of the total tips to pass the Civil Service Exam but they’re just as important as the whole.

Construct a review plan

First and foremost, try and compose a plan in which you can completely absorb everything whenever you go. The Civil Service Exam is not like licensure exams where you’d have to sacrifice your life for the time being.

As a matter of fact, a few hours a day is actually enough for your mentality to be prepared. One good tip is to study a specific subject area in two (2) to three (3) days. The scope is not that broad so you can manage to finish your review in a week, even less.

Although there’s always the option to be in a review center, it’s still better to brew your own technique and strategies, right?

Know your strengths and weaknesses

There are various tests and assessments for you to determine your areas of opportunity and strengths. On the other hand, you can check what your strengths and weaknesses are yourself.

Try to work your weaknesses out first. This way, you have ample time to juggle the things you find difficult to do. Afterwards, you can go on to do and practice things you’re good at for you to have less cost and less effort.

Don’t tire your brains out

Some people think that procrastinating is a good deal. As a matter of fact, it isn’t. Learning is a steady and continuous process and it should not be taken at a fast pace. Although there are people who prefer learning things suddenly, it’s still not good practice.

Time management is key and it’s the only actual thing you need to have. Try allotting ample time for you to rest; just like our bodies, our brains need to doze off, too. You’ll know that you’re all mentally exhausted when nothing is coming in and out of your brain. If you’re having difficulty to retain information naturally, you might want to consider dozing off instead of pushing the last few information into your brain.

Understand and comprehend, don’t just “memorize”

A lot of people tend to resort to memorizing things instead of understanding the material fully. I’m not saying that memorizing is bad, it’s just that, most of the time, understanding the thought of something is a lot better than just memorizing them. There are certain things in which you need to understand instead of memorizing.

One tip is to read religiously. People have the habit of skimming through notes and lectures. Instead of doing that, try to read and understand it for you to have a clear insight on what you’re trying to learn.

Have a good diet plan

Filling your tummies out is as important as feeding your brains. There are nutrients and minerals that make learning easier, better, and more efficient. For instance, studies and researches show that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduce the chances of anxiety which can lead to you being able to absorb information quicker.

This is good if you’re trying to study for the exam and is a good pre-snack before you take the actual exam. This will boost your brain’s capability of absorbing and taking in information.

During the exam

On the big date, you need to be prepared not just with what your answers for the exam will be, but also on how you take the exam itself.

Sleep early and sleep well

Cramming isn’t good, especially if the following day is the date of your exam. You need to have enough rest for you to function properly. Your brain might not function properly if you have little to less sleep. So, try snoozing off an hour or two early than your regular bedtime. Doing this will naturally enable your body to rise without any struggle and hesitation.

Furthermore, you need to arrive ahead of time. You do know that you have to proceed to your designated testing center within the week of your exam, right? This is for you to know where the best places are in the event that it gets too crowded. Also, doing this maximizes your time so you don’t need to chase it on the date of the exam.

Bring everything you need

You will be made aware of the things you need to bring on the date of the exam. Double-check everything the night before the exam to avoid hassle.

Bring a clear envelope so you can easily see what you have without struggling to find things.

Eat breakfast

In order for your brain to function properly, you need to ensure that your tummy is full. Feeling hungry while taking the exam can stress the brain out on the fact that you’re hungry instead of focusing on the exam.

Try and consume omega-3-rich foods to enhance your brain while you are taking the exam. It being healthy is a plus!

Try to answer the easiest questions first

A lot of people dwell on the questions. A good strategy is to leave out questions you find difficult and answer easy questions first. By doing this, you are allotting more time to answer more difficult questions first and, therefore, you’re maximizing it.

There is a time limit and most people fail because they’re not able to finish the exam on time. So, answer easier questions and subject areas first then think more on the hard ones.

A lot of exam-takers have the mindset that passing the Civil Service Exam is a heavy thing to do. What’s most overlooked is that it’s actually just a matter of correct preparation and positive influence. There are no secret strategies and hidden tips to pass the Civil Service Exam; it’s simply a positive mindset and the will to pass.