Show All Answers

1. If I want a job with the City, what do I have to do?

To receive City employment in a classified non-union or union position, you must first apply for a position. Our current job openings can be found here. Once you have applied for a position, you will be notified if you qualify for the position. You would then be invited to take the Civil Service Exam.  All tests are job-specific and offered at different times.

2. How do I use governmentjobs.com to apply for a position in the city?

Click the link to view the Online Employment Application Guide with direction on how to navigate governmentjobs.com to create an account, find, and apply to jobs. 

3. How does the process work?

• APPLY: Search and apply for jobs on www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cantonohio/ 
• TEST: Complete the required testing through the Civil Service Commission.
• RANK: Once all steps are completed, candidates will be ranked on an eligibility list according to their performance in the previous steps.
• INTERVIEW: Complete a series of interviews through the appropriate departments.
• HIRE: Start your new career working for the City of Canton!

4. Are Civil Service Exams Job Specific?

Yes, all Civil Service Exams are specific to each job. There is not any kind of generic Civil Service Exam that is used for all positions. You must first apply to a job before taking an exam. 

5. What kinds of tests/exams does the Civil Service Commission give?

The kind of exam we give is dependent on the position's qualifications and the department's needs. For most jobs we will use a written exam that covers key areas of knowledge and job related-content. For other positions an Oral Exam may be used to evaluate candidates. There are multiple positions that require a Physical Exam such as Police, Fire, and Waste Collector. These positions have physical requirements to complete the day to day duties, so a Physical Exam can be used to evaluate ones ability to accomplish those physical requirements. Further still, there may be other prerequisite exams such as a typing test, prior to taking a written exam. It is at the discretion of the Civil Service Commission to determine what form of testing or combination of testing is best suited to the position.

6. Does the Civil Service Commission use any outside testing companies?

Yes, for a few positions within the City, we offer our Civil Service Exams through outside testing companies. For our safety forces position; Police, Fire, and Telecommunicator, we often use outside testing companies to conduct the exam. For our entry level exams for Police, Fire, and Telecommunicator we use the National Testing Network. When applying for these positions, you are provided with further details about these companies and how the testing process works. For other promotional safety positions the Civil Service Commission may also choose to use an outside testing company. 

7. Who develops the Civil Service Exams?

Most exams given by the Civil Service Commission are developed and created by our dedicated team members in the Civil Service Department. This team of highly trained professionals works tirelessly to compile the Civil Service Exams to ensure the exams are relevant to the position and that they measure the knowledge, skills, and training of all test-takers. Each exam is carefully crafted to find the most qualified applicants who have the abilities needed to best perform the job duties. 

8. Where are the tests given?

Canton Civil Service examinations are given on pre-determined dates and may be given at various locations including the 3rd floor of Canton City Hall. You can find out when the next testing date is, both for general testing and for specialized positions, by calling the Civil Service Office at 330-489-3360. Some large tests, like the police and fire tests, are given in alternate locations to accommodate large numbers of test takers. If this is the case, applicants will be contacted via email to notify them of the testing date and locations.

9. Can I apply for a City job if I have been convicted of a felony?

People with a criminal background are eligible to apply for jobs with the City of Canton. The City will take certain factors into consideration during the hiring process including: 

• The nature and severity of the crime
• The age at time of crime
• How long has it been since the crime was committed?
• How long since under court supervision?
• Documentation regarding rehabilitation

Felony convictions are automatic disqualifiers for only the following positions:

• Police Officer
• Firefighter
• Dispatcher
• School Board jobs

10. Do Veterans receive bonus credit on Civil Service Exams?

As provided in ORC 124.23C, any person who has completed service in the uniformed services, who have been honorably discharged from the uniformed services or transferred to the reserve with evidence of satisfactory service, and who is an Ohio resident and any member of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the Ohio National Guard, who has completed more than 180 days of active duty service pursuant to an executive order of the President of the United States or an act of Congress of the United States may file with the director a certificate of service or honorable discharge (DD-214 – Long version), and upon this filing, the person shall receive an additional credit of twenty percent (20%) of the person's total grade given in the examination in which the person receives a passing grade.  

A member in good standing of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the Ohio National Guard, who successfully completes the member's initial entry-level training shall receive a credit of fifteen percent (15%) of the person's total grade given in the examination in which the person receives a passing grade. Applicants are solely responsible for making Commission staff members aware of previous filings of discharge papers by the application deadline if bonus credit is to be claimed.

In order to receive credit, applicants MUST attach a copy of their DD-214 to their application. Bonus credit CANNOT be used to increase a non-passing score to a passing score. Credit is only given to those who pass their exam. 

11. What is an Eligibility List?

An Eligibility List is a ranking of all candidates who applied for a position and passed the exam(s) given by the Civil Service Commission. Candidates are ranked on the list based on their exam scores from highest to lowest. Scores are also calculated to include any military service credit that was submitted with an application. In the case of a tie, the candidate who applied first will be placed higher on the list, unless one candidate has military credit, then that candidate will be given priority. Candidates who did not pass the exam(s) will not be placed on the Eligibility List. 

12. How does the Commission use an Eligibility List?

Eligibility lists are used when an appointing authority wishes to fill a vacancy in the classified service. After a request is made by the appointing authority, the Civil Service Commission can provide a certified list of the top ten candidates or the top 25%, whichever number is higher. For every extra vacancy one extra name may be added to the certified list. The certified list will be sent to the appropriate department, they must then select a candidate from the provided list of names to fill the vacancy. If a candidate fails to respond to an interview request, fails to appear for an interview, declines the position, or cannot be reached they may be removed from the certified list and eligibility list. 

13. How long is an Eligibility List in effect?

An Eligibility list is active for one year. After one year is up the list will expire. A list may close before the one year period is up if; there are no more candidates on the list or the position is filled and the list is closed. In the case of continuous positions, new candidates will be merged onto the current list and will expire after one year from that date. Adding more candidates to an existing list will not change the expiration date for those currently on the list, they will still expire after one year. 

14. How to I find information about my current status in the hiring process?

To find information of your hiring status, please contact the Civil Service Department at 330-489-3360. We will provide you with information we have on your status or direct you to the appropriate department for further details. 

15. When are Civil Service Commission meetings?

Regular Commission meetings occur once a month, on the third Wednesday of the month. The meetings usually begin at 8:00 am and take place at Canton City Hall in Council Chambers. The Commission may also hold a Special Meeting if needed that occurs separately from the Regular meetings. Upcoming meetings can be found in the Public Meeting Calendar on the website. You can visit the Public Meetings Calendar for specific dates. 

16. Are all jobs within the City considered classified?

No - there are roughly thirty management and clerical positions within city government that are considered "unclassified" positions. These positions are appointed directly by the Mayor. To apply for a management position, you should speak directly with the Mayor's Office by calling 330-438-4307.