Civil Service 101

• Alameda County has over 9,000 employees and serves more than 1.5 million people in the East Bay.
• Alameda is the seventh most populous county in California, and has 14 incorporated cities and 6 unincorporated communities and rural areas.
• Alameda County is characterized by rich diversity and culture. Alameda County is now one of the most ethnically diverse regions in the Bay Area and the nation.

• The permanent professional branches of a government’s administration, excluding military and judicial branches and elected politicians.
• Civil Service employees (civil servants or public servants) are hired based on professional merit/competitive examinations. 
• Each governmental jurisdiction has it’s own by-laws and rules governing processes. 

• Alameda County is a public entity, governed by Civil Service Rules, based on the Merit System
• What is the Merit System?
  • The Merit System is the process of hiring and promoting government employees based on their ability to perform a job, rather than on their political/personal connections
  • The process is FAIR and COMPETITIVE 

Alameda County Civil Service Selection System is:

• Merit-based
• Competitive
• Provides equal opportunity
• Uses an examination process to determine qualifications

Recruitments can be:

• Targeted & specific to the needs of the current vacant position OR
• More broadly used for both current & future vacancies

…All examinations shall be competitive and shall be designed to determine the qualifications, fitness, and ability of competitors to perform the duties of the class for which the examination is being given. Examination may be written, oral, performance, physical, or a combination thereof. They may take into account such factors as experience, education, aptitude, capacity, knowledge, skill, character, physical fitness, or any other factor, quality, or attribute…that may determine the relative fitness of the competitor.

1. The Recruitment Process begins with the job announcement which will detail the minimum qualifications and examination components.
   • All jobs are posted for a minimum of 25 days, with job postings updated weekly.
2. The highest scoring applicants of an exam component proceed to the next step until an eligible list is established.
3. Candidates remain on an eligible list and are “certified” in rank order to a hiring authority when a vacancy occurs.
   • Eligible lists remain active for approximately one year.

• A list of persons qualified for employment or reemployment in a class, used to fill vacancies in that class as they occur
• The eligible list contains the names of individuals who have successfully completed an examination process for a class, in rank order
• Ideally, you want to be ranked in the top 5, which is considered “reachable”
• Names are certified to hiring departments/agencies in rank order 

1. Application Screening
2. Screening for Best Qualified
3. Testing and Assessment
4. Department Interview
5. Ban the Box – Alameda County’s Background process
   • Backgrounds will be checked after a conditional offer of employment is made.
   • A previous conviction is not automatically disqualifying. 

• Visit: http://www.jobapscloud.com/alameda/
• Select the position recruitment you are interested in
• Find this icon at the bottom of the recruitment bulletin
  
• Submit your completed application by the last day for filing

1. Click on Job Descriptions & Alerts 
   
2. Select Job Classification
   
3. Select “Notify Me when a Job Opens for the above position(s)”
   

• Complete all requested information, don’t leave anything blank
  • Use N/A if not applicable
• Proofread your application prior to submitting
• List your most recent education first
• List your most recent job first
  • Be specific when listing your primary duties
  • Be sure to include volunteer and vocational experience
• Tailor your application to the job you are applying for
• Thoroughly complete Supplemental Questionnaires, spelling and grammar count!
• A resume will NOT be accepted in lieu of a properly completed application
• Build your application template, even if you are not applying for a position right now, you can always fine tune it later 

Specialist Clerk I

Incomplete Duty Statement

• Duty statements are broad and generalized
• Room for interpretation/misinterpretation
• Incorrect usage of grammar/spelling

Complete Duty Statement

• Duty statements are clear and concise
• General statements followed by specific examples
• Nothing left for interpretation
• Grammar/spelling are correct throughout 

APPLICATION

• Alameda County requires applicants to complete and submit an online application for all recruitments 
• The application is the official, standardized, instrument from which the candidate’s relevant education and experience will be evaluated
• The application contains pertinent fields such as dates of employment, hours worked, and earnings all used to screen for MQs

RESUME

• While resumes may be attached to a county application as a supplement, they CANNOT be submitted in lieu of a properly completed application
• Variances in resumes do not allow for an official, standardized screening tool by which to screen/evaluate applicants
• Resumes often lack critical information used to determine if an applicant possesses the MQs for a given recruitment (FT/PT work, paid/volunteer experience, staff supervised, etc.)

Competencies are:

• Measurable/observable knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors and other characteristics
• critical to success in a given classification.
• Recruitment efforts (i.e. examination components) are built around the key Specialist Clerk I competencies.

For Example…

Alameda County uses Behavior-Based Interviewing

• We ask questions about your past accomplishments and challenges 
• Past performance is the best predictor of future success
• Questions are related to core competencies that have been identified as key to successful job performance 

Alameda County uses the STAR method for rating

Situation - Describe a situation you were a part of

Task - Describe the task(s) you had to complete

Action - Describe the actions you took to complete the task(s)

Result - What was the result of your actions?

• Submitting an application
  • Tailor your application to the position you are applying for
  • Check spelling, grammar, and clarity of expression
  • Ensure application is complete
  • Kiosks are available in the Human Resources lobby – 1405 Lakeside Dr.
• To prepare for an Alameda County written exam
  • You can usually find study guides, materials and practice Civil Service examinations at your local library. To take on-line practice tests through your local library, search out Learning Express for both standard basic skills tests or specialized Civil Service practice exams.
  • Alameda County Library:  https://www.aclibrary.org/
• To prepare for an Alameda County oral exam
  • Familiarize yourself with the job specification, announcement, and required knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies
  • Think of examples from your past experiences, and rehearse using the “STAR” method

Think about examples/stories and write them out prior to your interview.

• You’ll have examples to pull from fresh in your mind
• You won’t be caught off guard
• You won’t appear unnatural or rehearsed
• You can use stories for open-ended questions as well
  • “I can give you an example of a time when I used that skill…”

• Review the competencies listed on your invitation and recall specific examples of when you have demonstrated those competencies
• Have a trusted friend give you a mock interview
• Interview aloud in front of a mirror
• Video yourself and critique
• Join a toastmasters or other public speaking club
  https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club
  • Local Venue: East Bay Church - 4130 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 94609*

*subject to change

• Get a good night’s sleep and eat a light breakfast
• Give yourself plenty of time to get ready and review
• Give yourself plenty of time to get to the examination site (consider a test drive/check public transportation a day prior)
• Dress for success! Professional attire shows you are serious
• Drink water during the day leading up to your check-in time if your mouth tends to dry out. Do NOT chew gum during your interview.
• Place electronic devices on silent/vibrate prior to your interview
• Breathe deeply, try to relax, and remember to be yourself!

Alameda County Temporary Assignment Pool (TAP)

• The primary goal of TAP is to provide immediate, staffing support services to all Alameda County departments/agencies.
• TAP employees are utilized by departments/agencies for special projects, long-term leave, related temporary staffing needs or to fill a vacant position during a recruitment process.
• Explore County departments/agencies with our in-house Temporary Assignment Pool
• Gain work experience and additional skills to help compete for permanent employment. You may continue to seek permanent employment while on an assignment
• For more information, visit http://www.acgov.org/hrs/divisions/tap/

• Check our website weekly for new job announcements
  • www.jobapscloud.com/alameda
• Submit an interest card
• Feel free to contact the assigned analyst with any additional questions you may have about a particular recruitment or working for the county in general
  • Human Resources general information: (510) 272-6478
  • Human Resources general email: AlamedaCountyJobs@acgov.org

• Practice makes perfect!!
• The more applications you submit, and examinations you participate in, the better you will get!
• You can apply, and compete for, multiple positions simultaneously!
  • Apply for any recruitment you qualify for, you can always decline an offer later if it’s not a good fit!
  • The more eligible lists you’re on, the better likelihood of gaining permanent employment!
  • It’s easier to move around once you’re a permanent employee

• Alameda County - https://www.jobaps.com/Alameda/default.asp
• City of Alameda - https://alamedaca.gov/
• City of Albany - http://www.albanyca.org/
• City of Berkeley - https://www.berkeleyca.gov/
• City of Dublin - http://www.ci.dublin.ca.us/
• City of Emeryville - http://www.ci.emeryville.ca.us/
• City of Fremont - https://fremont.gov/
• City of Hayward - https://www.hayward-ca.gov/
• City of Livermore - http://www.cityoflivermore.net/
• City of Newark - http://www.ci.newark.ca.us/
• City of Oakland - https://www.oaklandca.gov/Home
• City of Piedmont - http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/
• City of Pleasanton - http://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/
• City of San Leandro - https://www.sanleandro.org/
• City of Union City - http://www.ci.union-city.ca.us/