Question:
I’m IT2 Specialist and I’m going to take the test for IT3, some friends told me to take the test for IT4, too. Is that possible?
Answer:
As an ITS2, you won’t be eligible to take the ITS4 promotional exam.
You could possibly take the open-competitive version of the exam (same exam, different list).
The qualifications for the promotional ITS4 exam are available at https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/prom/37-680.cfm
The qualifications for the open-competitive ITS4 exam are available at https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/announcements/oc/26-381.cfm
Sarah’s opinion:
Go for it if you want, but I see little point unless you have a specialized skill set that would make you reachable via selective certification.
To even use selective certification in the first place, it would have to be a skill set that is specifically needed for a particular job. Then, the promotional list has to be exhausted before open-competitive lists can be accessed. This means that there would have to be fewer than three people on the promotional list with the skill set before you could be reached.
Also, once you are a G23 ITS3 you can use CSL §52.6 transfer (2-grade bump) to get to G25 ITS4. In most cases, it is likely that you would need to serve at least some time in a G23 ITS3 before you would be considered for a G25. Therefore, the open-competitive list for G25 ITS4 seems like a waste to me if you are going to be on the G23 ITS3 promotional list.
Number of appointments by list:
Since the last exam (2014) there have only been 15 people appointed off the ITS3 (G23) open-competitive lists. Note that there was no open-competitive ITS4 option in 2014. The ITS4 numbers do not include people who exercised CSL §52.6 transfer (2-grade bump). In the list below, PR = promotional list, OC = open-competitive list.
ITS3
PR – 175 appointments out of 1048 people on the list
OC – 9 out of 566
ITS3 (Data Communications)
PR – 18 out of 795
OC – 0 out of 142
ITS3 (Database)
PR – 27 out of 792
OC – 1 out of 118
ITS3 (Programming)
PR – 165 out of 850
OC – 5 out of 288
ITS3 (Systems Programming)
PR – 22 out of 722
OC – 0 out of 52
ITS4
PR – 49 out of 874
ITS4 (DC)
PR – 4 out of 648
ITS4 (DB)
PR – 7 out of 684
ITS4 (OP)
PR – 1 out of 680
ITS4 (SP)
PR – 6 out of 659