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Exam Process

To apply for an State examination, you must complete a State Application (Std. (678)). After your application is received by the testing personnel office, a letter normally will be sent to you within 30 days notifying you that your application was received and whether you qualify to take the exam. Important: Applications must be postmarked no later than the final filing date listed on the exam announcement.

Applicants who DO NOT meet the minimum qualifications for the classification being tested will receive a Disqualification letter. If you disagree with the disqualification decision and have additional information to submit to Personnel, follow the instructions indicated on the Disqualification Letter.

Applicants that DO meet the minimum qualifications for the classification being tested will not receive another notice until the next phase of the exam process. At that time, you may receive a Notice for a Written Examination and/or a Notice for an Oral Interview.

After the Examinations

Eligibility List:

After you have taken a State examination, you will receive a letter indicating your results from the examination. This may take up to four to eight weeks from the date of the examination. If you passed the exam, the letter will contain your score and rank. Your name will be placed on an eligibility list which is typically active for one to four years. The examination bulletin (under the heading "Eligible List Information") states the length of time the list will be valid before being abolished.

Contact Letters and Waivers:

During the life of the eligibility list, you may be contacted to interview for a specific job. Contact letters (Employment Inquiry) are sent to candidates when an agency or department is attempting to fill a position. Individuals are usually selected for interviews from the first three ranks on the eligibility list.

If you are not interested in that particular position you may decline to be interviewed (waive). After three waivers, your name will be removed from any OPEN eligibility list. However, if the contact letter is not returned by the date indicated, your name will be taken off the certification list, per State Personnel Board regulations. The only way to be placed back on the list is to send a written request to the agency's or department's Exam Unit. The letter must include the list your name was removed from, your full name and social security number. The Exam Unit then reactivates your name on the eligibility list only if the list is still active.

If you are interested in an advertised job vacancy, and you are reachable on the eligibility list for that job classification, you do not need to wait for a contact letter to apply for a position. You may apply for a position and indicate on your cover letter that you are reachable and/or submit a copy of your Notification Letter along with your State application.

For further information, see How to get a State Job at the State Personnel Board or contact the employment office at one of the state-operated facilities or the Sacramento's personnel office.