Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I submit a resume instead of an employment application?

A. No. Original employment application materials are required for all positions. Resumes may be included but all information must be included on the application form and can be helpful in our assessment of your qualifications.

Q. Can I fax my application materials?

A. Yes, you may fax your application materials in order to meet the filing deadline; however, you must forward the original materials in a timely manner.

Q. How long will my name remain on the eligible list?

A. At the conclusion of the examination process, your name will be placed on an eligible list for 12 months, depending on the recruitment, the list may be extended.

Q. How do I find out my "status" on any specific recruitment?

A. Contact our office by phone during regular business hours (8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m, M-F). You'll receive a prompt, courteous reply.

Eligible Lists

A list of qualified candidates will be established in order of standardized scores. You will be informed of the score and rank into which you were placed if you were successful in the examination process; keep this notice as the Human Resources Department cannot provide the information to you later. Referrals to County departments will be made from this list.

The County will notify you by mail when you have been certified and will notify you if you are to contact the department. Sometimes, the department contacts candidates for selection interviews. Do not call a department or Human Resources to ask when you will be interviewed unless asked to do so. Candidates' names will remain on eligible lists for twelve months unless otherwise indicated on the job announcement, or unless there is a significant change in the examination procedure, in which case they will be informed by mail.

Application Information

To apply for a specific position, you must submit a completed County Application. Resumes and application forms from other agencies are not accepted in lieu of the County application. If additional information or certificates are required, they will be mentioned on either a Supplemental Application Form or on the Job Announcement Bulletin.

If submission of a typing certificate is required as part of the employment process, you may obtain this certificate from an agency approved by SJC. Typing certificates must indicate that the test was a five minute test and also include the number of gross words typed and number of errors.

If you want to obtain application materials, please contact the Human Resources Department directly at (209) 468-3370. Application materials can be download here in PDF format or they can be picked up in person at the Human Resources Department, Room 106 in the Canlis Building. Application materials can not be faxed to applicants.

If you want to hear a current listing of open recruitments, please call the job line at (209) 468-3377. Applicants who wish to be notified of an open recruitment for a specific job classification are encouraged to submit a stamped, self addressed interest card for that job classification. Interest cards will be sent to an applicant when an open recruitment for that job classification is conducted. Interest cards can only be submitted for specific class titles.

To review the class specification for all County classifications, applicants are encouraged to visit the Human Resources Office and review the classification and salary binders available to the public.

Testing / Examination

Please refer to the specific job announcement for test topics and dates. You will be notified by mail of test time and location. If you feel that you need special testing arrangements due to a disability, please notify the Human Resources Division as soon as you receive your notice. The County pays the cost of the initial required examination for employment.

The exam process includes turning in a complete application which clearly demonstrates that you meet the minimum requirements and achieving a competitive score on a test or evaluation, if applicable. You will be notified by mail of your examination results. You may not retest for the same classification for 60 days. If you do retest the higher of your scores determines your ranking, until the score expires (one year).

Recruitment Process

The Recruitment Process begins with the Job Announcement Bulletin. The Bulletin usually describes the steps that will be followed in the recruitment. This Bulletin is posted outside the lobby of the Human Resources Office.

The first examination step for all recruitments is review of all submitted application materials to determine if the applicant meets the minimum qualifications stated on the bulletin and has submitted a complete application. Possession of the minimum qualifications is not necessarily a guarantee of further advancement in the application process.

Depending upon the number of anticipated or actual qualified applications received, additional steps often include an application screening, written exam, performance or practical exam or an oral exam. The highest scoring applicants of a testing step proceed to the next step until an eligible list is established. Candidates remain on an eligible list for a minimum of one year and are "certified" in rank order to a hiring authority when a vacancy occurs.

Results of recruitment steps, ranking on the eligible list, and notice of certification to the hiring authority are sent to participating candidates by U.S. Mail, normally within 10 working days after each recruitment step takes place. The entire recruitment process usually lasts 6-10 weeks.

Probationary Period

All regular County employees must satisfactorily complete a probationary period of twelve months. Upon promotion, employees must complete a new probationary period.

Background Investigation / Physical Exam

Prior to appointment, some positions require applicants to be fingerprinted and pass a background and/or psychological investigation which may include a polygraph test. Some positions require the candidate to pass a pre-employment physical and/or drug test. The County pays the cost of this testing.