This is a summary of the Ca. State Personnel chapter on Recruitment for Civil Service Exams from its Merit Selection Manual. The presentation was given by Tom Gjerde at the State Recruiters' Round Table meeting on Feb. 6, 2014.

1. RECRUITMENT BY THE BOOK:
A SUMMARY FROM THE STATE PERSONNEL BOARD’S
MERIT SELECTION MANUAL

2. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A GREAT RESOURCE TO JUSTIFY
YOUR DEPARTMENT’S RECRUITMENT PROGRAM…

3. AND DEVELOP A SOLID RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN…

4. THEN USE THE SPB’S MERIT SELECTION MANUAL.

5. YOU CAN FIND IT HERE.

6. AND THIS IS WHAT SECTION 3300 COVERS:

7. THE AUTHORITY TO RECRUIT…

8. RECRUITMENT BEST PRACTICES…

9. HOW TO DEVELOP A RECRUITMENT PLAN…

10. A SAMPLE RECRUITMENT CHECKLIST…

11. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR STATE RECRUITERS…

12. DISCUSSION POINTS FOR RECRUITERS…

13. NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY.

14. “This section provides information to State agencies
and departments on the role of recruitment in the
civil service examination process.”

15. “In the civil service permanent appointment and
promotion…THEbe made under a general system based
shall WRONG APPLICATIONS.
on merit ascertained by competitive examination.”
Constitution of the State of California, Article VII, Section 1(b)

16. “…public employers are authorized to engage in
recruitment and outreach activities… in an effort to
recruit members of under-represented groups in entrylevel positions.” Government Code Section 11139.6

17. Additional Relevant Authority…

18. Additional Relevant Authority…
Government Code Sections:
18500(c)
18900(a)
18933
18939
18950
18951
19232
19233
19234

19. Additional Relevant Authority…
California Code of Regulations, Title 2
Section 547
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Americans with Disabilities Act
California Fair Employment and Housing Act
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures
(29 CFR 1607)

20. “The basic tenet of recruitment is to attract qualified
individuals into the State’s civil service...”
POLICY SUMMARY

21. “…such recruitment efforts shall include broad and
“The basic tenet of recruitment is to attract qualified
inclusive recruitment efforts for all civil service
individuals into the State’s civil service.”
examination processes conducted on an open or
POLICY SUMMARY
open-nonpromotional basis.” POLICY SUMMARY

22. The following elements shall be included in broad and
inclusive recruitment efforts:
Printed advertisements
Radio
Television
Internet
Direct Mail
Billboards
Recruitment Fairs
Career Fairs
Presentations to Colleges and Universities,
High Schools, Technical or Trade Schools,
Community-based Organizations, or Professional
Organizations
Etc.

23. “Recruitment is the first phase of the State’s
selection process.” THE VALUE OF RECRUITMENT

24. IT ALSO PROVIDES A LIST OF BEST PRACTICES.

25. “Recruitment should be a sustained departmental
activity rather than an ad hoc or spontaneous activity in
PRACTICES
response to a specific examination process.” BESTCONDUCTING
FOR
RECRUITMENT
ACTIVITIES

26. Best Practices for Conducting Recruitment Activities:
1. Evaluate the job-related qualifications.
2. Review past recruitment efforts.
3. Identify potential sources of applicants.
4. Identify how and/or from where high-performing employees
have typically been recruited/selected.
5. Work with departmental examination staff in designing an
effective examination plan.
6. Foster relationships with potential applicants/sources of applicants.
7. Establish a variety of recruitment venues.
8. Utilize enthusiastic employees as recruiters.
9. Respond to all employment inquiries received.
10. Develop short-term and long-term marketing/outreach plans.
11. Develop an annual recruitment and outreach schedule.

27. Best Practices for Conducting Recruitment Activities:
12. Become knowledgeable about the labor market and the career
field for which recruitment efforts are being conducted.
13. Survey potential applicants.
14. Use focus groups of new employees.
15. Review current workforce demographics and departmental
workforce planning efforts.
16. Identify appropriate advertising venues.
17. Conduct on-campus recruiting.
18. Establish student internships.
19. Conduct outreach efforts at the high school level.
20. Utilize workshops or presentations to inform applicants.
21. Hold an exclusive job fair.
22. Establish consortia with other agencies and departments to
maximize recruitment efforts.

28. IT RECOMMENDS HOW TO DEVELOP
AND IMPLEMENT A RECRUITMENT PLAN.

29. AND PROVIDES YOUR DEPARTMENT WITH
AN EASY-TO-USE CHECKLIST.

30. SO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY OF SECTION 3300
OF THE MERIT SELECTION MANUAL TODAY.

31. http://spb.ca.gov/content/laws/selection_manual_section3300.pdf

32. IT’S ALL YOU NEED TO DEVELOP A SUCCESSFUL
RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN.

33. THANK YOU. DISCUSSION?