2024 California Civil Service Exam Preparation

There are several ways to apply for a civil service job in California. You can apply by state, county, city and/or department. The state, county, and city job sites each have separate jobs. Each county has a job site, which posts jobs for various county positions. Each city in California has it's own site as well, which posts jobs available in the city. Departments may post jobs on their own site or on the county or city site. However, most of the job postings can be found on the county site.

California Civil Service jobs are administered by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). CalHR was created to combine the State of California's two personnel departments, the Department of Personnel Administration with certain programs of the State Personnel Board.

CalHR is responsible for all issues related to employee salaries and benefits, job classifications, civil rights, training, exams, recruitment and retention. When applying for a California State civil service job, you will first have to fulfill the minimum requirements and then take a competitive or open exam. Each exam differs according to the position you are applying for.

Generally, the test is a multiple-choice written exam, with a minimum score of 70 to be considered for the position. The written test is designed to evaluate your knowledge in reading and writing, along with other job specific skills. 

If you work or worked for a county, you are not part of the State of California civil service system; therefore, you are not eligible to transfer civil service positions and must take a State exam if interested in State employment.

If you are interested in working for your county or city, you can search for a job by department. You can also apply for a job through a county or city job posting site. When applying for a civil service job in any county or city, you will have to meet certain minimum requirements. If you meet those requirements, then you may be required to take a written exam. Each exam is different according to the position you are applying for.

Learn more about your County or City Civil Service Exams

Los Angeles  |  San Diego  |  San Francisco  |  Sacramento

When applying for any public safety position in California, you will need to apply through either the state, county, or city, depending on what you are interested in. After applying for the position, you will be required to take an exam.,

Learn more about California Public Safety Exams:

 LAPD  |  LAFD  |  Dispatcher  |  Corrections

Learn more about LA Civil Service Exams:

State Exams  |  San Francisco  |  Sacramento | LACoFD - LA County Firefighter Exam | LAPD Test Preparation | LAFD Test Preparation

California conducts a thorough screening process for all prospective teachers, including review of credentials, fingerprints, background check, and passing the CBEST and subject matter exams, to ensure only the most qualified educators teach in the state's classrooms.

The Merit System Services (MSS) administered by CPS HR Consulting for the California Department of Human Resources, connects people with positions, helps with transfers and reinstatements, and assists with other human resource needs for specific county departments. Learn more about the MSS and the exams they offer.

Practice makes perfect, and here at JobTestPrep we offer custom-made Civil Service practice packs, complete with practice tests, California Civil Service Exam study guides, and detailed explanations to help you better understand and improve your score. This critical phase of the Civil Service Exam California employment shouldn’t be left up to chance; study hard, practice, and get the results you want! Want to get a taste and see what we're all about? Try our free Civil Service sample questions.