Exam Bulletin - Business Service Officer I (Specialist)

State of California

Exam Code: EX-1592

Examination Plans Included:

  • BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST) - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST): $4,726.00 - $6,093.00 per Month

View the BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST) classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed exam. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the exam until the request is processed.

If you have tested for the Business Service Officer I (Specialist) classification as part of the Business Service Officer 1 (Specialist and Supervisor) Series exam in the previous 12 months, it may be too early for you to take this exam. Please check your CalCareer account for the retake date on your exam results notification for this classification BEFORE continuing this exam process. Retaking this exam under another or a new User I.D. and password, Social Security Number (voluntary, not required, information), or name is not allowed.  

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST) - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1592

For BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST), once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01592

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00104720 - BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST)

Either 1

One year of experience in the California state service performing duties comparable to those of a Business Service Assistant (Specialist), Range C, or of a Staff Services Analyst, Range B, in a business service assignment.
(Applicants who have completed six months of service performing the duties listed above will be admitted to the examination but must satisfactorily complete one year of experience performing these duties before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)

Or 2

Experience: One year of technical experience beyond the Trainee level in one or a combination of the following:
  1. Equipment and supplies management including the preparation of purchase documents. or
  2. Building management including lease negotiation and problem resolution. or
  3. Telecommunications including landwire and radio/microwave.
[Experience in California state service applied toward this requirement must include one year performing the duties of a class at a level of responsibility equivalent to that of a Business Service Assistant (Specialist), Range C.] and
Education: Equivalent to graduation from college. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

Position Description

00104720 - BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST)

Under general supervision, incumbents independently perform technical and analytical business service work of average difficulty in a variety of functions; assist in the performance of the more difficult and complex business service work; or are assigned responsibility for one or more functions of average difficulty. Functions of average difficulty are Purchasing, Facilities Management, Capitol Outlay and Telecommunications. (Analytical work of average difficulty is described as that which would otherwise be appropriate for a Staff Services Analyst.)

Incumbents are nonsupervisory but may serve as lead over lower level staff. With an appropriate restructuring of duties, positions allocated to this class may be downgraded to Business Service Assistant (Specialist) for recruitment purposes.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

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

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:

  1. English grammar and punctuation.
  2. Principles and practices of public administration.
  3. Financial record keeping.
  4. Office and automotive equipment and supplies.
  5. Bases for property values and the legal forms, procedures and requirements necessary in property transactions.
  6. Building management including office layout, lighting, heating and ventilation.

Ability to:

  1. Communicate effectively.
  2. Learn rapidly.
  3. Follow directions.
  4. Analyze data accurately.
  5. Reason logically.
  6. Maintain the confidence and cooperation of those contacted during the course of work.
  7. Utilize good work habits.
  8. Write specifications and determine whether incoming materials, supplies and equipment meet the standards set up in these specifications.
  9. Utilize office and automotive equipment and supplies effectively and economically.
  10. Prepare rough sketches of proposed alterations and repairs to premises and estimate costs.
  11. Inspect miscellaneous properties and equipment and correctly report their condition and recommend replacements.
  12. Plan and direct the work of others.
  13. Successfully negotiate agreements for office space, equipment, supplies and services.
  14. Prepare budgetary data on such needs.
  15. Analyze situations and problems accurately and take an effective course of action.

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER I (SPECIALIST) Classification will be established for:

  • State of California

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Business Service Officer I (Specialist) Training and Experience Exam Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your education, training, and experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. Possession of specific education is not required to be successful in this examination; however, such achievements may substitute for desirable levels of experience. All components of this examination have been carefully validated by tying them directly to job requirements and documenting their relevance to the position.

Tasks
  1. Placing, preparing and processing requests for purchases in compliance with procurement policies. 
  2. Coordinating the procurement process for products and services, including contacting vendors, researching product information, making cost comparisons, completing service and purchase request forms/contracts. 
  3. Developing specifications and service agreements/contracts to ensure repairs and services meet standards. 
  4. Logging, monitoring and tracking equipment/inventory using detailed records to identify available departmental resources. 
  5. Maintaining needed inventory by placing orders and restocking materials/equipment to address business needs. 
  6. Reviewing reports for content, quality, and format to ensure timely completion. 
  7. Filing documentation and other information to maintain and organize business operations records using standard filing and record keeping procedures.

Testing Departments

  • State of California

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

State of California
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@calhr.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (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 to 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 (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

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 scores.

State of California 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 judgment, 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) service-wide 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 from 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.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)