County of San Diego Executive Assistant Interview Questions
& Process

The County is a great place to work, but it's tough to get hired. The interview process is long, usually involving multiple interviews and several skill assessments. It takes weeks to complete the entire process, including background checks, before HR contacts you. Once you're in, it's easier to move to other departments.

The first step is applying on the county website. It's a general pool, not a specific location. HR scores your application, which takes a few days. You get an email with your score. Mine was 100, likely due to past office assistant experience. Your name goes on a list, and HR sends top names to hiring departments for openings. It's up to them to contact you for an interview. Sometimes you might take a test, but I didn't, maybe because of my score. I got weekly emails saying I qualified for positions but no interview invites. I heard the lists are alphabetical, so it might have taken a while. Finally, an email said a department was interviewing and I had to self-schedule through my account for an interview a week later. The interview had a 3-person panel who took turns asking questions and writing down my answers. Afterwards, they said they'd call if they wanted a second interview. They called the next day, said I was a top candidate, and would schedule a second interview after a reference check. They called a few days later to schedule it for the next day. I went in and was offered the job. Keep in mind, departments differ, so I'm unsure if all have two interviews. It's slow but worth it!

Applied online, then I took a civil service exam about a month after applying. My score came back a month after the exam. I didn't hear back about an interview for a really long time, about 8 months. When I finally went in for the interview, there were 2 supervisors who interviewed me and they were really nice. They asked me about my computer skills and what software I knew, mentioning that Microsoft Office experience was a plus. They also inquired about my current job and my motivations for seeking employment with them. Additionally, they asked about my views on diversity and how I manage stressful situations. It felt like they asked fewer questions compared to a previous interview I had for a similar role at another office. I filled out some paperwork for a background check, and they called me with a job offer about a week later. The whole background check process, including fingerprints and a full medical exam, took about 6-8 weeks, and then I was just waiting to get an official start date.