Exam Bulletin - Executive Secretary I

State of California

Exam Code: EX-1712

Examination Plans Included:

  • EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I - Open

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

Classification Details

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I: $4,095.00 - $5,129.00 per Month

View the EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I classification specification.

Application Instructions

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):

  • EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I - Open

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

Exam Code(s):

    1712

For EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01712

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.

00101247 - EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I

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

00101247 - EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I

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 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 of large State agencies. The secretary's supervisor must have complex program responsibility requiring careful coordination of activities supervised, a considerable amount of responsible policy determination and a substantial 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 nonroutine 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.

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.

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

Examination Information

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing the examination.

Note: This examination is being given online and you are able to take the examination at any time on any day of the week. Once you click the "Start Executive Secretary I Examination" button, your time will begin. There is no way to pause, stop, or reset the timer once you start. A stable internet connection is recommended as no additional time will be provided for internet loss, power loss, or computer/browser issues. At this time, if you are unable to complete the timed examination, it is recommended you do not continue until you are able to do so.

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.

The written examination s designed to evaluate a candidate’s knowledge in the areas of:
  1. Situational Judgment
  2. Written Communication
  3. Analysis

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. 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
  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

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the EXECUTIVE SECRETARY I 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.

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)