General Information

• Information for Out-of-State Applicants 
• Employment Information - California State Civil Service 
• Types of State Jobs and Locations 
• Getting and Completing a State Application 
• Special Employment Programs 

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Information for Out-of-State Applicants

Many of the California State departments post their vacancies on the State Personnel Board's Web site. However, not all departments choose to do so. SPB encourages candidates to contact the testing departments directly to verify their methods of advertising their current open exams.

• Departments with Employment Information
• Departmental Testing Headquarters Offices

Please continue to monitor the Vacancies section of the SPB Web site for newly posted Vacancies.

In order to gain employment with the State Personnel Board (SPB), you must follow several steps, in accordance with the California State Civil Service process.

• Exam Bulletins for SPB To enter state service you must first pass an open competitive examination. Your score on the exam will be ranked compared to how others did on the same exam. Permanent hires are made from the eligible lists created through the examination process.
  
  Note: You may also want to view STATEWIDE exam bulletins.
• SPB Vacant Positions Listing
  
  Vacant Positions Database on the Web (WVPOS) contains information on current vacancies such as classification, salary range, time base (e.g., full or part-time), tenure (e.g., permanent or limited term), location, final filing date, and a brief job description. You may apply for any position advertised in this database for which you have taken and passed the appropriate exam and are in a reachable rank. When applying, please include the name of the exam, the administering department, and your score.
• CEA Opportunities and Exempt Positions at SPB
  
  Career Executive Assignment (CEA) 7500 Band Positions - CEA positions are covered by civil service laws and rules. There are specific minimum qualifications candidates must meet in order to be eligible to apply for a CEA examination, as outlined in CCR 548.70, G.C. 19899.3, G.C. 18990, and G.C. 18992.
  
  Exempt Positions - Eligibility to apply for Exempt positions is open to any individual who meets the minimum qualifications stated on the job announcement. Exempt positions are not covered by civil service laws and rules and therefore are not subject to civil service requirements.

Applicants for state examinations are normally required to take the examination in person at the published examination location, usually located within California. Some state departments may employ individuals in other States and conduct examinations in those locations. However, applicants should refer to the examination bulletin to determine the locations where examinations are being administered. Since there are often several elements to an examination (written, interview, performance test), out-of-state applicants may be required to make several trips to California in order to complete the examination process. In cases where recruitment of qualified applicants is difficult, a department may use supplemental applications, telephone interviews, or an on-line examination process. These situations will be covered on the exam bulletin.

The State does not reimburse applicants for any expenses incurred in taking an open State examination.

Employment Information - California State Civil Service

The California State Civil Service system covers over 150,000 permanent full-time employees, and seasonally up to 10,000 additional employees, in over 100 state departments. Each state department is its own hiring authority and generally conducts its own examinations. The State Personnel Board (SPB) conducts servicewide examinations for jobs that exist in all state departments (e.g., clerical, staff analysts, information technology, etc.) and may also assist departments in administering their examinations.

The exam announcements listed on this Web site are at the request of the testing department and may not include all exams open for testing. Although all state departments must issue an examination bulletin to announce when testing is open, they may not widely advertise for exams where the numbers of local applicants significantly exceeds the number of jobs available. These exams are usually given infrequently and the resulting employment list may last for up to four years. For additional information regarding examinations being conducted by individual state departments, you may wish to browse individual state department's Employment Web sites and/or contact their Departmental Testing Offices to obtain information about examinations open for testing.

Types of State Jobs and Locations

State Civil Service jobs may be located throughout California in large metropolitan areas and in smaller rural communities. Some examples include Mental Health Hospitals, Transportation Districts, State Prisons, Forestry Stations and State Parks, and local Motor Vehicle, Highway Patrol and Employment Development Offices. The State offers a variety of employment opportunities for permanent, limited-term and temporary workers. The job announcement will contain the specifics as to the type of employment being offered.

The State also hires thousands of individuals in seasonal and temporary jobs that do not require applicants to take and pass a state civil service examination. Examples of these jobs are seasonal clerks, firefighters, lifeguards and state fair workers. Some of these jobs may be listed on the SPB or departmental Web sites, or at local Employment Development Department Offices. To find out about hiring opportunities in these types of jobs, you should refer to SPB's Seasonal Employment Web page or check department's Employment Web sites.

There are a variety of State employment opportunities that are not included in the California State Civil Service System. If you are interested in working for the Executive and Legislative Branch, Judicial System or Colleges and Universities, you should contact them directly for information regarding their employment opportunities. You may use the following links to locate information regarding employment in the Governor's Office, University of California and State College Campuses, and California Court System.

State Civil Service Exam and Hiring Process

Most State Civil Service jobs are filled through appointment from employment lists generated as a result of competitive examinations or through other types of appointments of individuals with applicable civil service eligibility. All examinations are announced through examination bulletins that are available on the SPB or department Web site; at the SPB Employment Service Center located at 801 Capitol Mall in Sacramento; local California Employment Development Department Offices; and the personnel office of the testing department. To obtain additional information about the state examination and employment processes, you should read through the information contained on the SPB Web site that was designed for individuals who are non-State Employees and those that are current or former state employees.

Getting and Completing a State Application

You may obtain an official State application form STD-678 from the State Personnel Board at 801 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, the testing department's personnel office, or any local California Employment Development Department office. Out-of-state applicants may get an official state application form by sending a request to State Personnel Board, Service Center, 801 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, CA, 95814. The bulletin(s) you choose will tell you where to send your application and the final date you may apply.

Or you can get an official State application form STD-678 from our website. We have several versions available:

• On-line Application (secure database)
• Adobe Acrobat application (no saving data)

Carefully complete your application and mail or deliver it, by the final filing date, to the location indicated on the exam bulletin. Late applications are not accepted.

Special Employment Programs

The Limited Examination and Appointment Program (LEAP) is a special examination process for individuals with a qualifying disability that are certified as eligible by the Department of Rehabilitation. Information about LEAP is accessible on the SPB Web site.

The state employs both College and High School students through a variety of sources. To locate employment opportunities for students, visit the SPB web site to obtain information on employment opportunities for college and high school students.