Executive Secretary 1
Exam Code: 0PBDC
Department: State of California
Exam Type: Servicewide, Open
Final Filing Date: Continuous
CLASSIFICATION DETAILS
Executive Secretary 1 – $3,786.00 - $4,743.00 per month
View the Executive Secretary 1 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.
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.
Once you have taken this examination, you may not retake it for twelve (12) months.
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
Bulletin Date: 1/3/2023
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.
Executive Secretary 1
Either 1
In the California state service, one year of experience performing secretarial duties at a
level of responsibility not less than that of Secretary.
Or 2
Three years of experience in clerical work at least one year of which shall have been in
a responsible secretarial position performing a variety of difficult secretarial work.
(Experience in California state service applied toward the special one-year requirement
must be in a class with a level of responsibility not less than that of Office Technician.)
[Academic education above the twelfth grade may be substituted for one year of the
required general experience on the basis of either (a) one year of general education
being equivalent to three months of experience; or (b) one year of education of a
business or commercial nature being equivalent to six months of experience. Students
who are enrolled in the last semester or its equivalent of course work, which upon
completion will fulfill these requirements, will be admitted to the examination, but they
must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered for appointment.]
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Executive Secretary 1
This is the advanced journeyperson level. Under direction of the administrator of a
major subdivision of a large State agency or a comparable level executive. Incumbents
Bulletin Date: 1/3/2023
perform difficult and responsible secretarial work and relieve the administrator of a
variety of administrative and office details.
Positions at this level typically exist in major subdivisions or large field installations or
large State agencies. The secretary’s supervisor must have complex program
responsibility requiring careful coordination of activities supervised a considerable
amount of demanding personal contact with citizen groups and officials of other
governmental agencies.
Positions are allocated to this level where the administrator who is the secretary’s
supervisor has delegated a substantial amount of administrative detail and non-routine
work to the secretary. The potential for the level of delegated duties is directly related to
the importance and responsibility of the position of the administrator, the nature and
scope of the functions for which the administrator is responsible, and the level of public
contacts.
EXAMINATION SCOPE
This examination consists of the following components:
Multiple Choice Written Examination – Weighted 100% of the final score.
The written examination s designed to evaluate a candidate’s knowledge in the areas of:
1. Situational Judgment
2. Written Communication
3. Analysis
To obtain a position on the eligible list, a minimum score of 70% must be received. 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:
Knowledge of:
1. Modern office methods, supplies, equipment and procedures with particular
reference to the work involved in the office of an administrative official
2. Business English and correspondence.
Ability to:
1. Type at a speed of 45 words per minute
2. Read and write English at a level required for successful job performance
3. Direct the work of other support staff
4. Perform difficult clerical work
5. Keep difficult records
Bulletin Date: 1/3/2023
6. Make briefs of reports and correspondence and compose letters or reports
independently or from instructions, utilizing a wide knowledge of vocabulary,
grammar, and spelling
7. Perform minor administrative assignments independently
8. Handle with courtesy and tact a wide variety of public contacts both on the
telephone and in person
9. Communicate effectively
10. Understand and carry out directions following a minimum of explanation
11. Analyze situations accurately and take effective action.
Special Personal Characteristics:
A demonstrated interest in assuming increasing responsibility; mature judgment; loyalty;
poise; tact; and discretion.
Additional Desirable Qualifications:
Education equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade; ability to take dictation at 110
words per minute.
ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION
A servicewide, open eligible list for the Executive Secretary 1 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 twelve (12) 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.
PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION
Here is a list of suggested resources to have available prior to applying for the
examination.
Bulletin Date: 1/3/2023
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
Take the Executive Secretary 1 examination
TESTING DEPARTMENTS
State of California (all State of California departments)
CONTACT INFORMATION
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.
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
Bulletin Date: 1/3/2023
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
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 12th 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.
Bulletin Date: 1/3/2023
