NWR: Looking For a Job and Tests?!?! (LONG, sorry!!)

Hey gals.
In a month and a half, I'll be moving out there YAY!! So, I am currently looking for a job! I'm hoping to get transfered w/my company into a different job (in NYC) but I'm still looking just in case.

First: Are there any great sites to find jobs on Long Island?? Or good temp agencies I should look into?

Second: I'm kinda looking _everywhere_ because I have really specific skills that aren't too transferable to other jobs (I work for an Internet company in their Web search dept) but I have also worked at newspaper and can do regular ole administrative jobs.

So... I've been looking at schools (FH is a teacher, so it'd be good to have a similar schedule, and once upon time I wanted to work w/kids but life took another path and I ended up w/a useless degree and now I haven't worked w/kids in like 6 years so my experience means nothing).

GAH: the point : To work in a school, I need to take a test? nystce. Even to be an assistant or work in the admin side ??? Yes, no?

I was looking at college jobs too and most say I need to have passed a civil service examination?!? Is it possible to try for the job then take the test? I looked it up, and it's some government thing? Is a college job a govt job? And, there are like 30 possible tests!
Should I be looking for a gov't job anyway?

Ugh I am SO CONFUSED!!!
Are there any jobs that don't require a test first? lol
I just want to be able to pay my bills!!! I don't want to pay for all these tests then not need them LOL

Thanks for any help!

I am adjunct at 2 private universities in the new york city area and have never taken a civil servant exam...that seems very odd.

I'll also FM you about a potential part time job.

I have never heard about having to take those tests to work at schools. Where did you read that?

I would suggest the NY Times to look for jobs.

Career Builder website and monster.com
Yes, mostdistricts require you to take a test even to be a teachers aide. I have been looking.