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city of San Diego Interview Questions
& Process

Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.

Based on 83 interview experiences · FREE TO READ

1.8 Rounds average
Average Typical difficulty
75.6% Positive experience

Which role are you interviewing for?

25 roles · 83 reports

Candidate interview experiences

First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at city of San Diego.

Showing 4 of 83
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city of San Diego

Public Information Clerk

Operations · a year ago

Entry Average Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Other

The application process seemed simple enough, but then it became a confusing waiting period. I applied in August 2024 and had an interview in September. I didn't hear anything back about the position or interview until the following year. It took them over 6 months after the interview to let me know they decided to go with someone else and that I wasn't hired, and then they asked to schedule a time for feedback. If you're expecting a prompt response from them, don't hold your breath. I felt the engagement was poor, and they seemed totally uninterested during the interview.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • What would you do if a customer arrived seeking help just as you were logging out to go home for the day?
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city of San Diego

Management Intern

Other · a year ago

Intern Average Positive experience Accept offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical

I had interviews with two engineers. They asked me standard interview questions, like what my strengths and weaknesses are, and about my classwork. They also asked about my hobbies. They reviewed my past experience and asked me to talk about my time working at X-Company.

Confirmed questions5 questions
  • Can you tell me about a strength you have?
  • What about a weakness?
  • What relevant coursework have you taken?
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city of San Diego

Administration Assistant

Operations · more than a year ago

Entry Average Positive experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral

The interview process was pretty chill, the people were really nice. It could take anywhere from a month to a couple of months to finish. They'll shoot you an email with the date, time, and place for the interview. You'll have about 10 minutes to prep for the questions they give you, and then you'll meet with the interview staff.

Confirmed questions3 questions
  • Tell me about your proficiency with Microsoft Word.
  • How familiar are you with Microsoft Excel?
  • Can you describe your experience using [specific office program]?
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city of San Diego

Associate Planner

Operations · more than a year ago

Entry Average Negative experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Background check
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical

I traveled from out of state for an interview for the Associate Planner position in the Engineering & Capital Projects Division. The interview itself went okay. They asked about my background and experience, then a few technical questions. Despite traveling from out of state, I never received any communication back about the job, even after trying to contact them a month later. It was incredibly rude of them, and I'm advising everyone in my field to avoid this division.

Confirmed questions1 question
  • Could you describe your familiarity with CEQA/NEPA?

city of San Diego Interview Questions

Quoted word for word from city of San Diego interview reports.

How would you respond if a person experiencing chest pain approached your lifeguard tower for help?

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Can you explain your understanding of the primary settling process?

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How would you handle a parent who is upset about their child's school performance after visiting the tutoring center?

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What would you do if a customer arrived seeking help just as you were logging out to go home for the day?

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How would you deal with someone who wanted to file a complaint?

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What is your motivation for pursuing a career as a prosecutor?

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Formats, difficulty and experience

Across all 83 city of San Diego interview reports.

Interview formats

Behavioral 55.9%
Technical 23.4%
Presentation 10.3%
Other 6.9%
Group 2.8%

Interview difficulty

Easy 24.1%
Average 67.5%
Difficult 8.4%

Candidate experience

Positive 75.6%
Neutral 13.4%
Negative 11%

Reports by job function

Operations 27
Other 20
Engineering 18
Finance 5
HR 4
Legal 3