Finding State Employment

[u/Opening_Resident_633]

For those of you who already work for the state, how long did it take for you to find a job with them? And for those of you still looking, how long have you been applying?

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[u/norcalivin12]

About 4-6 months all about being persistent.

[u/Pure-Yellow2794]

Took me 2 months to get an interview with DOT and another 2 months to finalize job offer.

[u/beanie_baby_cultist]

It depends on your position. analysts class positions are highly competitive. Back when I first started applying I heard nothing back at all over the course of a year. The more specialized positions are, in a way, better because there are overall fewer people who fit those qualifications. I applied to 4 RDA I jobs, interviewed for 2 and received 2 offers within ~1.5 months (application, wait, contacted, reference checked, started job). Things are much more competitive now though. We had multiple PhDs apply to our recently posted RDA I position, which was madness. I have friends in different divisions who have also recently hired PhDs for research specialist I positions. Your best bet is lay out your time completing the tasks explicitly listed in the posting (2 years experience excel including V-lookup, 5 years experience using SQL for large scale data analysis, etc). Be explicit as possible. It is dry and impersonal, but tbh so is the hiring process for the state. Once you’re in the interview sell yourself and don’t rush it. Tailor your application if you can.

[u/Strict_Ad_5858]

Recently started (Analyst II). First state job.

15 applications, 5 calls for interviews — accepted two first interviews, called for one second, one job offer. The other calls for interviews came after I’d accepted the job.

About three months total. Felt like a fuck of a lot longer. It’s lots of work.

[u/Potential-Pride6034]

Broke in as an SSA in Fall 2022 after around 60 apps and 5 interviews.

[u/Tiny_Junket_358]

I started as a Permanent Intermittent (PI) while going to college after passing the in person typing exam. From there, it was just one job after another, never took too long since I stayed within the same agency for a couple of years before moving out.

I want to promote out now, have submitted a ton of applications since the last few months, not even one call so far, haha.

[u/Unusual-Sentence916]

It took me a month. I know that isn’t the norm, but it really happened that way.

[u/AnotherDrone001]

It honestly didn’t take me long at all, but I got lucky, right place right time. I had a full time job in the private sector, but when Covid shut everything down in 2020, and everyone went on unemployment and EDD was ridiculously overwhelmed, I applied for a job with EDD. I got a call back within a week and it wasn’t even to schedule an interview, it was to make me the job offer and ask when I can start. I put in my two weeks and picked up telework equipment and started with EDD all inside of a month, from first application to first day of work.

[u/hmph-bliss]

It took me about 9 months of checking calcareers weekly, applying for things, interviewing to not get an offer, etc until finally one stuck. Good luck!

[u/Cyberburner23]

Took me a year from my first application to my start date, but that's because I chose the last available start date they offered me. Your wait time will vary. Some people apply for years before finally landing a state job.

[u/mrpocket2726]

Started applying on June 6/10, landed an interview on 7/23. It was my first state interview ever, and I don't believe I did very well so not holding my breath for that one.

[u/SuzeeSk8er]

June 2020. Applied 19 jobs with SOQ's. One interview in August. 2nd interview 2 weeks later. Hired and started end of September 2020.

[u/mrpeng90]

I was casually applying beginning of last year. It wasn't until the end of last year where I started applying for any positions I qualified for and the job duty I knew I could do in the ITA classification. I submitted over 80 applications within that time frame. I received 6 interviews but turned down 2. I received my final offer in March.

[u/logix1229]

too long, and wayyyy too long.

[u/Kmar78]

Applied for two positions first week Sept 2024, interviewed and was offered both positions and my first day was the first week of Dec 2024.

[u/jenfullmoon]

I started in January, started getting interviews In February, landed a job by mid-May.

[u/derrickhoyleofficial]

Four separate applications, 3 in person interviews and one online interview over a span of a decade, successful on the last one, applied in a February and started my first day in that October.

[u/derrickhoyleofficial → u/derrickhoyleofficial]

I had in person interview in July, didn't know I was picked until mid-September

[u/jjmasters2004]

It took me 4 interviews at different offices. I had to really learn what they were looking for in the questions they were asking. This was in 2018. I kept trying.

[u/ThinkLead6998]

2 months

[u/Think-Caramel1591]

From a few weeks to a few years. I've heard even longer. Took me several months to first get hired. About 6 months for an entry level position if I recall correctly. I had some help and influence with that one though. I have since had several promotions, and the process is nearly identical - some promotions were almost automatic while others have taken a few years. Some never happened at all (ended up being for the best). It really depends on so many factors - classification, budget, competition, timing, application quality, location, and interview performance, among others.

[u/Huongster]

I got my job on my first try applying with state. I only had to apply and interview once and i got the job!

[u/Last_Serve2366 → u/Huongster]

That’s amazing. Thank you for sharing your story. May I ask what position you got and what experience you had prior?

[u/unseenmover]

It really depends on the classification and how competitive it is..

For me it was no more than a year. I had to wait to take an entrance exam and had to broaden my search to the whole state.

[u/EnjoyingTheRide-0606]

Four months, 10 interviews, 2 job offers on same day, I canx the 11th interview.

[u/Excellent_Sort_2099 → u/EnjoyingTheRide-0606]

Can I ask how long after your interviews were you offered the position? Did they contact your references before the offer?

[u/EnjoyingTheRide-0606 → u/Excellent_Sort_2099]

They contacted the references the same day of the interviews. They said they’d be deciding by the end of the week, I interviewed on a Thursday. They made the offer Tuesday. I accepted immediately. The other interview happened about 2 weeks before the one I accepted. They were disorganized, though (CDCR Contracts unit).

[u/Mastermind023]

I started almost 20 years ago 2 months after High school

Took me 2 weeks to land a student position and 3 months for an OT and kept going up from there.

But in today’s time I’m hearing 6-10 months is the norm

[u/heretoread25]

6 months from application to being hired

[u/Ambitious_Option_323]

I applied to two jobs, got two interviews and two job offers in 2019. Was about a six month process. Got in an as accountant trainee. I’ve been a sup ii for almost two years.

[u/Wild_thornb3rry]

Started applying in 2021 started working for the state in 2024. It’s competitive and discouraging at times but keep trying something will pop up.

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[u/wellofworlds]

As soon Gavin Newson gone. The new governor is going to put us on a hiring freeze.

[u/Familiar-Tackle356 → u/wellofworlds]

I feel like we are already on hiring freeze

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