Establishing and continuously building upon your CalCareer account (jobs.ca.gov) is the ultimate first step in the State of California job search. Through your CalCareer account you can craft the application that you’ll use to apply for jobs electronically or in hard copy. After you’ve gotten your first job, your account and State application can be updated whenever you transfer, get promoted or take on new duties.
Follow our guide for how to create your CalCareer account and read about the benefits of doing so below.
How to Use Your CalCareers Account
1. Update your contact information
Keep your contact information up to date. If you’ve taken an exam and you’re on an eligible list, the contact information you have listed here is where departments will notify you with new job opportunities. Also, make sure the contact information for previous supervisors you have listed on your State Application are up to date.
2. Take Exams
The first step in the State of California Hiring Process is to take an exam. Searching for and taking exams is one of the most important things you can do. Take as many exams as you're qualified for, because it opens you up to the greatest number of job possibilities. Also, double-check the exams you've already taken. Exam eligibility expires in one or two years, so you may need to re-take an exam you've taken in the past. More and more, the State is making exams available to take online. You can take these after you've created your CalCareer account.
3. Receive alerts for job postings
Are you interested in a specific classification? Or maybe a position in a specific location? Through your CalCareer account you can sign up to be notified when jobs meeting certain criteria are posted. You can sign up to be notified any time an Office Technician job opens up throughout the State, for example. You can fine tune your notifications even further, if you wanted, and sign up to be notified anytime an Office Technician job becomes available with a specific department or in a certain location. Our guide can show you How To Register For CalCareer Account Notifications.
4. Change your employment preferences (conditions of employment)
Your employment preferences – also known as conditions of employment – are the criteria for what types of employment you’re willing to accept, and where you want to work. If you’re unwilling to accept a limited term position, make sure you only have “permanent” checked in your account. If you only want to work part-time, make sure this is selected and “full-time” is not. California Job Blog has an in-depth article on Conditions Of Employment that can be referenced for more information.
5. Receive employment inquiries from prospective employers
From inside your account, on the left side menu there is a “Messages” tab. Here you’ll find contact letters you’ve received. Contact letters are inquiries from departments who have posted a job that fit your conditions of employment. If, for example, you’ve passed the Associate Governmental Program Analyst exam and have listed yourself as interested in Full Time Positions in San Diego County, you should get a letter whenever a position matching those conditions is posted.
6. Create, store, and submit job applications
You should have at least one general application stored and ready to go for when your perfect California State job becomes available. But you can have multiple templates saved if you choose. Most of the information will be the same for each template. But if you can’t decide between wanting to be a Plumber or an Accountant, you can have separate templates geared towards each classification. We have an in-depth article on the state application (STD 678).
7. Upload, store and submit additional documents
Your CalCareer account is also a great place to keep additional documents stored. Oftentimes a department will want additional information when you submit an application. You can save your resume, transcripts or a copy of your diploma here. Some postings will require these be submitted along with an application.
There are a lot of Additional Documents For Your Application Packet, so use your CalCareer account to keep them organized. Scans of transcripts, diplomas, resumes and Statement of Qualifications can call be stored in your account and uploaded when you need them.
8. Track the status of job applications
From the menu on the left side, you can check the “Job Applications” tab for the status of any jobs you have applied for, or applications you have started but haven’t yet submitted. It’s a great way to keep organized when your applying for multiple vacancies. Read the California Job Blog Post on The State Of California Hiring Process to learn about how the hiring process works.
9. Search for Jobs
Maybe the most important thing you can use your CalCareer account for is to search for open positions. Without an account you can still search for vacant positions. But if you have an account and are logged in, you can create and save custom job searches. This can be a great time-saver for job-seekers. You can create broad job searches, like searching by county. But you can also create refined job searches, like positions in a specific job category in a specific location.
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