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Illinois Department of Central Management Services

Illinois civil service test guides

Illinois operates a merit-based employment system under the Department of Central Management Services, with competitive exams for covered positions listed on the Work in Illinois portal.

Illinois state hiring for positions covered by the Personnel Code uses a merit selection process administered through the Department of Central Management Services (CMS). Applicants register and apply through the Work in Illinois portal.

Exam types include multiple-choice assessments, training and experience evaluations, and structured interviews depending on the classification. CMS posts examination announcements and eligible lists on its website.

General

PDFs open in a new tab on the government website.

  • Work in Illinois — State Careers Portal

    Official Illinois state job and exam portal for Jurisdiction A classified positions.

    Visit portal →
  • Illinois CMS — Employment & Exams

    Examination announcements, eligible lists, and employment resources from Illinois CMS.

    Visit CMS →

State examination booklets

PDFs open in a new tab on the government website.

  • Illinois State Police — Trooper Recruiting

    Illinois State Police trooper hiring process including written exam, POWER test, and background investigation.

    Visit ISP →

Local government booklets

PDFs open in a new tab on the government website.

  • City of Chicago — Department of Human Resources

    Chicago city government competitive hiring including police, fire, and civilian exam announcements.

    Visit CHR →

Good to know

  • Illinois divides positions into Jurisdiction A (most state agencies, tested by CMS), Jurisdiction B (agencies with independent authority), and Jurisdiction C (Rutan-exempt). Confirm which category applies to your target position.
  • Chicago operates its own civil service system under the city's Personnel Rules, independent of the state CMS system.
  • Veterans preference in Illinois provides a 10% bonus on passing exam scores for eligible veterans.

Supplemental prep on this site

Our title-based guides explain merit-system hiring, what many exams emphasize, and study checklists. They do not replace your announcement or official state booklets.