How do I get a California state job? Five tips from a veteran state worker and career coach

It’s tricky to land a job with the state of California — so much so that Michelle Allen built a business out of helping others navigate the process.

Allen spent 20 years working for various California agencies, including the Employment Development Department and the Department of Education. In 2004, she started teaching workshops and classes on how to land a state job and, by 2007, she’d turned her side hustle into a full consulting business.

Most of her clients are mid-career professionals who want to lock in good retirement and health benefits. Waves of private sector layoffs always send new people through her door looking for state employment. Sometimes she even receives calls from worried parents who want their kids to get a steady career path.

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Right now, Allen says, is a prime time to apply for a state job.

“I’ve never seen so many job postings,” she said, “and I’ve never seen more hybrid positions.”

Are you hoping to start your career with the state of California? Check out Allen’s top five tips below.

You can also sign up for her next “How to Get a State Job” class on Feb. 21 by emailing communityed@sierracollege.edu. Classes run from 6 to 9 p.m. in Roseville.

Tip 1: Get your foot in the door wherever it opens

Your pension clock starts ticking the day you start your state career, so the sooner you start, the better.

The first step to landing a state job is to identify which roles you want to apply for and then take the eligibility exams for those roles. (You’ll find open positions and exam information at calcareers.ca.gov.)

Then, take as many exams and send as many applications as possible, Allen says. Even if you’re overqualified, still apply for entry-level roles such as office technician or personnel specialist. After you get in the door, you can work on promoting up from within.

“Once you’re on with the state, you’re free to move about the plane,” Allen said. “And the plane is the whole of California.”

Plus, each year that you work for the state and “keep your nose clean” nets you a merit raise, on top of any salary increases negotiated by your state union.

Tip 2: Read the duty statement carefully and use that terminology

Every state job requires an interview, and some positions ask for a written “statement of qualifications,” usually a two-page discussion of why your experience qualifies you for the job.

Each position also includes a “duty statement” that describes the job functions in detail. Use that duty statement to guide your responses to interview questions as well as the qualifications essay, Allen says. She even suggests parroting back the language that the state uses in its duty statement.

“Too often applicants end up describing the job they already have, not the one they’re applying for,” Allen said. “Fit your experience to the duty statement, and use their words.”

If an interviewer asks a question along the lines of, “What would you do in this situation?” it’s always best to preface your answer with, “Of course, I’d first be sure to follow the protocols and procedures outlined by the department and my supervisors ...”

“The state has its way of doing things,” Allen said. “Think military and chain of command.”

Tip 3: Be patient, and don’t get discouraged. Keep applying

Sometimes the state will take weeks or months to get back to you about an application. In the meantime, don’t just sit around and wait for a response, Allen says. Keep taking different eligibility exams, and once you pass, apply for as many positions as possible.

“Always be on a list,” Allen said. “Set a goal for yourself. Kick out 20 apps a week, if you can do it,” she continued. “You can do it all from home on your computer. Once you get it down, a lot of this stuff is cut and paste.”

Constantly sending out applications might feel like a drain, but Allen points out that there are an “infinite” amount of promotional opportunities once you’re inside the state.

“Sometimes it’ll take a year, but it’s the last job that you’ll ever have to look for.”

Tip 4: Keep your salary expectations reasonable

The state of California has never offered the same level of salaries as the private sector, but the benefits are much stronger. Keep that in mind when looking at pay ranges.

“You have to make, in the private sector, about 125% to 150% in the private sector to equal what the state pays you with the salary plus the benefit package,” Allen said.

Younger people especially might turn their noses up at state jobs in hopes of pursuing a prestigious job at Google or Meta. As Allen put it bluntly, “They’re too damn picky.”

“I think a lot of younger people never think about a career in state service because they have dreams of working, you know, for Google or something that’s more exciting and more in keeping with their generation,” Allen said. “But young people don’t think about getting sick, or having huge medical bills or ongoing related health care issues that do cost a lot of money. They’re young and healthy, and they think they’re invincible.”

Tip 5: Never stop promoting

Once you’ve landed that first state job — congratulations! ... Don’t stop there; keep moving up, Allen said.

Take eligibility exams for positions that you could be promoted into. Send out applications periodically, because you never know when the next promotion will open up.

Sometimes, that next opportunity will be in a different department. Don’t be afraid to jump ship, Allen says. Your seniority and benefits travel with you to any department within the state.

Don’t become a “rut person” as Allen describes people who sit in the same classification for years on end without promoting. If you do, you could pay for it dearly when you retire.

“Your retirement compensation will be predicated on your top three years of income,” Allen said. “If you just sit at the top of your range because you didn’t take another exam and you didn’t promote up, then that’s on you.”

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