Public-sector jobs open for Buffalo residents - any advice?

I found several public-sector postings with benefits and a steady schedule. I worked as a security officer before this. Some need a short exam. How long did it take to hear back?

Keep everything in writing and save the confirmation numbers. It made the follow-up calls so much easier.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.