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CMS100 Help

Helpful Hints for Completing the Examining/Employment Application

Information provided on the CMS100 application is used to determine your eligibility for appointment to a State of Illinois position title. Thus, it is critical that all information requested be provided accurately and completely. Applications submitted with omissions or inaccurate, incomplete or inconsistent information will not be processed or returned to the applicant and may result in the issuance of an ineligible grade for the position title.

Signature Section

The Signature Section is at the bottom of the first page of the application in the Signature Section. Be sure to carefully read the information provided in this section. Then sign your name and provide a date in the space provided. Applications that are submitted unsigned will not be processed and will not be returned to the applicant. Applications have the typed signature capability for applicant’s convenience.

Position Title/Option/Bid ID# (Section 1)

Provide the full name of the position title and option, if applicable, for which you want to apply in the space provided. A separate application is usually required for each title and option for which you are applying. Applications are to be submitted to the hiring agency contact. If they contain abbreviated titles, incorrect titles, or titles with only one word of a title name may not be processed. You may leave the position title\option field blank when meeting with a career counselor for a counseling session.

Note : If you are applying for the Administrative Assistant I or II or the Executive I or II position titles, an agency option code must be provided; otherwise the processing of your application for grading may be delayed. The following document provides a list of option codes corresponding to each state agency in which these positions are established. A separate application must be submitted for each position title and option designated.

Bid ID #

This number is listed on the Job posting which uniquely identifies the vacant position.

Personal Information (Sections 2 through 6 & 17)

Make sure the personal information provided on the application in these sections is current and legible. A Social Security number (Section 2) must be provided in order for the application to be processed. Social Security numbers are used in the application and employment processes to identify and differentiate between candidates and/or employees. Confidentiality of Social Security numbers obtained through this application process will be preserved as prescribed by 5 ILCS 179 et seq.

Driver's License (Section 17)

Provide all information requested, note any restrictions, and check the applicable license classification box.

Email Address (Section 6)

Full email address is required for communication about opportunities.

County Choice (Section 7)

Applicants may select up to two work county preferences for each title for which they apply. To help with your selection, a county map is available. After receiving a grade for a position title, if you would like to change your work county preference, you may do so by completing a Change of Information Form (CMS-263) and submit it to:

Examining & Counseling Division
401 S. Spring Street
500 Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706

If you wish to change the county preference, you do not need to resubmit a CMS100.

The map and form are in PDF format and may be viewed/completed/printed using Acrobat Reader.

Availability (Section 8)

Please select one choice for availability.

Veterans Preference (section 9)

Please select the box that applies. Veterans Preference does not need to be established before applying. However, applicant needs to get in contact with our Veterans Outreach Office in order to verify veteran’s preference. https://illinois.jobs2web.com/content/Veterans-Outreach-Program/

Fired From a Job/State Educational Loan Default (Section 10)

If you answer "yes" to either question in this section, you must provide a detailed explanation as to the circumstances in the space provided. Applicants who do not submit an explanation will receive a grade of "incomplete."

Note: Pursuant to Public Act 93-0211, effective January 1, 2004, (20 ILCS 2630/12 (a)) applicants seeking employment with the State of Illinois are not obligated to disclose an arrest or conviction record that has been expunged or sealed. Employers may not ask if an applicant has had records expunged or sealed. Public Act 93-0211 does not apply to law enforcement agencies, the Department of Corrections, State's Attorney or other prosecutors.

Business, Trade, Correspondence School (Section 12)

When completing this section, please make sure you list the name of the school(s) (other than 2 or 4 year college degree programs) you attended, as well as the dates of attendance, subjects, course length, and indicate if you completed the course. Failure to do so may result in no credit given in the grading process.

Technical/Professional License (Section 13)

Certain position titles require that the applicant possess certain licensure or certification. Provide information on any technical or professional license(s) you possess. Include the license number, state where it was issued, and the issuance and expiration dates.

Colleges/Universities Attended (Section 14)

It is necessary that you individually list all undergraduate (2-year and 4-year institutions) and graduate colleges and universities that you have attended in the space provided. Be sure to list both the name of each college or university attended and the address (City/State) of each institution. Record actual total semester or quarter hours, major and minor fields of study (do not abbreviate), number of years attended, and levels and dates of any degrees you earned. If you received your undergraduate Bachelor's degree from a four year institution in less than three calendar years, you should attach a copy of your official undergraduate transcript in order to verify the attainment of your degree. Failure to provide complete and accurate information regarding your entire undergraduate and graduate educational history will result in you receiving no credit for your educational attainment, which may adversely impact your final eligibility grade. Certain position titles may require that the applicant possess college coursework credit in specific fields of study. Thus, you should provide credit hour information (semester and quarter / undergraduate and graduate) in the fields of study table presented in the application. Do not include courses more than once or lump all coursework into one or two fields of study. Note: If you received your degree in a foreign country, refer to the information found at the bottom of this page.

Work History (Section 15)

  • List all previous employment beginning with your most recent position. If you have an extensive work history with the same employer, list each position and title separately. No experience credit will be assigned to positions “lumped” together in a single work history report.
  • Be sure to include the number of hours you worked per week or month. Applicants will receive no credit for their experience if this information is omitted or if "hours vary" is indicated. If you report working in two or more positions during the same period of time, you should provide a breakdown of each position with respect to beginning and ending dates and the number of hours worked per week.
  • In order to receive appropriate credit in the grading process, provide a complete and accurate description of essential job duties in each position that you have held and are reporting on your application. If you were responsible for supervising subordinates in any of these positions, provide details regarding your supervisory responsibilities and indicate the number of staff you supervised.
  • Supervisory responsibilities and complete descriptions of job duties are essential to provide include on your application in order to receive full credit.
  • Military experience should include dates of service and duties assigned with each change in rank or title listed separately (indicate grade E-1, O-1, etc.). Also, be sure to specify if you served in a part-time or full-time capacity during your service time for each rank.
  • If additional space is needed for your work history, you may add attachments provided they follow the format of this application and include all information requested.
  • Include related professional volunteer experience as well as any college internships/practicum successfully completed.

Application Submittal

Completed and signed applications for position titles that do not require an automated multiple choice test should be submitted directly to the hiring agency as identified on the Job Posting.

Application Submittal

All completed and signed applications for position titles that should be submitted directly to the hiring agency as identified on the Job Posting. Applicants should submit applications to hiring agency even if the position requires testing. The hiring agency will submit the applications to the Assessment center which will contact the applicant to schedule an appointment for testing.

For Degrees From a Foreign Country

In order to determine the equivalent number of semester/quarter hours of credit you possess (in American University terms), please contact one of the organizations listed below for credential evaluation procedure and cost. (Note: We do accept credential evaluation reports outside of the organizations listed.)

  1. Consultancy on International Education (CIE)
    P.O. Box 2792
    Champaign, Illinois 61825-2792
    (217) 359-9602
    www.international-education.com
  2. World Education Services, Inc.
    P.O. Box 11623
    Chicago, Illinois 60611-0623
    (312) 222-0882
    www.wes.org
  3. Foreign Academic Credentials Services
    Evaluator, Foreign Academic Credentials
    P.O. Box 400
    Glen Carbon, Illinois 62034
    (618) 656-5291
    www.facsusa.com
  4. Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
    P.O. Box 514070
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203
    (414) 289-3400
    www.www.ece.org
  5. World Education Services, Inc.
    P.O. Box 745
    Old Chelsea Station
    New York, New York 10011
    (212) 966-6311
    www.wes.org
  6. International Consultants of Delaware
    3600 Market Street, Suite 450
    Philadelphia, PA 19101-2651
    (215) 243-5858
    www.icdeval.com

Problems downloading the CMS100 Employment Application or other PDF forms?