Office Assistant (General) and (Typing)

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

Exam Codes: 0PBDB (General) and 0PBDD (Typing)

Department: State of California

Exam Type: Servicewide, Open

Final Filing Date: Continuous

CLASSIFICATION DETAILS

Office Assistant (General) - $2,786.00- $3,834.00 per month

Office Assistant (Typing) - $2,880.00 - $3,912.00 per month

View the Office Assistant classification specification

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Final Filing Date: Continuous

Who Should Apply:

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications as stated on this bulletin may apply for

and take this examination.

Once you have taken this examination, you may not retake it for twelve (12) months.

How To Apply:

The link to connect to the online multiple-choice exam is located farther down on this

bulletin in the “Taking the Exam” section.

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require special testing arrangements due to a verified disability or medical

condition, please contact:

California Department of Human Resources

CalCareer Service Center

1810 16th Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (866) 844-8671

Email: CalCareer@CalHR.CA.GOV

California Relay Service: 7-1-1 (TTY and voice)

TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones

equipped with a TTY Device

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on

this exam bulletin to be accepted into the examination. Part-time or full-time jobs,

regardless of whether paid or volunteer positions, and inside or outside California state

service will count toward experience.

Office Assistant (General)

EITHER 1

Experience: One year of experience in California state service performing the duties of

an Assistant Clerk.

OR 2

Education: Either equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade; or completion of a

business school curriculum; or completion of a clerical work experience training

program such as those offered through the Welfare Reform Act. (One year of clerical

work experience may be substituted for the required education.)

Office Assistant (Typing)

EITHER 1

Experience: One year of experience in California state service performing the duties of

an Assistant Clerk.

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

OR 2

Education: Either equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade; or completion of a

business school curriculum; or completion of a clerical work experience training

program such as those offered through the Welfare Reform Act. (One year of clerical

work experience may be substituted for the required education.)

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Office Assistant (General)

This is the entry, trainee and journey level for this series. Under close supervision as a

trainee, incumbents regularly perform a limited range of duties that become routine,

shortly after the initial training period; and/or learns to perform a variety of full journey

level general clerical duties.

Office Assistant (Typing)

Under general supervision, incumbents at the full journey level regularly perform a

variety of duties requiring adaptation to various situations, judgment as to which learned

work method to apply for the desired result, and the ability to communicate effectively.

This level may have lead responsibility over less experienced employees in areas such

as training and answering questions on work procedures.

Office Assistant (Typing)

In addition to performing the above-mentioned Office Assistant (General) duties, an

Office Assistant (Typing) typically has typing duties encompassing a significant portion

of their work time.

EXAMINATION SCOPE

This examination consists of the following components:

Multiple Choice Written Examination – Weighted 100% of the final score.

This written examination is comprised of three sections:

1. Arithmetic Calculations

2. English Usage and Grammar

3. Sorting and Filing

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list. In addition to

evaluating applicants’ relative knowledge, skills, and ability, as demonstrated by quality

and breadth of education and/or experience, emphasis in each exam component will be

measuring competitively, relative job demands, each applicant’s:

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

Ability to:

1. Perform clerical work, including ability to spell correctly

2. Use good English

3. Make arithmetical computations

4. Operate various office machines

5. Follow oral and written directions

6. Evaluate situations accurately

Read and write English at a level required for successful job performance

Office Assistant (Typing) Only:

Ability to:

Type at a speed of not less than 40 words per minute from ordinary manuscript or

printed or typewritten material.

ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION

A servicewide, open eligible list for the Office Assistant classification will be established

for the State of California (all State of California departments, statewide).

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list in order of final

score regardless of exam date. Eligibility expires twenty-four (24) months after it is

established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Veterans’ Preference will be granted for this examination. In accordance with

Government Codes 18973.1 and 18973.5, whenever any veteran, or widow or widower

of a veteran achieves a passing score on an open examination, he or she shall be

ranked in the top rank of the resulting eligible list.

Veterans status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR).

Information on this program and the Veterans’ Preference Application (Std. form 1093)

is available online. Additional information on veteran benefits is available at the

Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits will not be added to the final score for this exam, because it does not

meet the requirements to qualify for Career Credits.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

A study guide is available for your reference. View the Office Assistant study guide.

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION

Here is a list of suggested resources to have available when applying for the

examination.

Employment History: Employment dates, job titles, organization names and

addresses, names of supervisors or persons who can verify your job responsibilities,

and phone numbers of persons listed above.

Education: School names and addresses, degrees earned, dates attended, courses

taken (verifiable on a transcript), persons or office who can verify education, and phone

numbers of persons or offices listed above.

Training: Class titles, certifications received, names of persons who can verify your

training, and phone numbers of persons listed above.

TAKING THE EXAMINATION

When you select the link below, you will be directed to the Office Assistant (General and

Typing) online examination. When you complete the on-line examination, it will be

instantly scored.

This is a 90-minute timed examination. There is no way to pause, stop or reset the timer

once you start. Please ensure you have the full 90 minutes to take the online

examination. A stable internet connection is recommended as no additional time will be

provided for internet loss, power loss, or computer/browser issues. If you are unable to

complete the 90-minute timed examination, it is recommended you do not take the

examination until you are able to do so.

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing

the examination.

Note: This examination is being given online and you are able to take the examination at

any time on any day of the week. Once you click the Take the Office Assistant (General)

and (Typing) exam classification button, your time will begin. There is no way to pause,

stop, or reset the timer once you start. A stable internet connection is recommended as no

additional time will be provided for internet loss, power loss, or computer/browser issues.

At this time, if you are unable to complete the timed examination, it is recommended you

do not continue until you are able to do so.

Please Note: If you need special testing arrangements, please select the

Reasonable Accommodation box during the self-scheduling process.

TESTING DEPARTMENTS

State of California (all State of California departments)

CONTACT INFORMATION

California Department of Human Resources

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

CalCareer Service Center 1810

Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

Phone: (866) 844-8671

Email: CalCareer@CalHR.CA.GOV

California Relay Service: 7-1-1 (TTY and voice)

TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones

equipped with a TTY Device.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age,

ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right of family care and

medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital

status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation,

race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related

medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

DRUG-FREE STATEMENT

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any

applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this

objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the

rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the

California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment

Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account.

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this

examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not

assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this

bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who

pass will be ranked according to their score.

The California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) reserves the right to revise

the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under

which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with

civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications

including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work

cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the

Bulletin Date: 09/23/2023

assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open

examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history

and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date,

must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental

promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) servicewide promotional, 5)

departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must

be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the

bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12

grade may be

demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education

Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3)

certification form the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high

school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to

graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of

business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.