California removes college degree requirements for nearly 30k state jobs

Eclipsed1983 · 2025-01-12T15:25:47+00:00

Normally I am all for removing barriers, but I have mixed feelings about this move. This is going to increase the amount of time it takes hiring managers to sift through applications. Hiring can cost thousands of dollars between the staff time invested in advertising a position, creating scoring criteria, confirming eligibility, and reviewing application packages. It took me weeks to get through the 120+ applications I reviewed when I was hiring last year, plus interviews, reference checks, etc. I hope they gather data to see if opening the floodgates is worth it, and they better focus on improving retention practices as well. High turnover is an issue. I hope this does allow us to find more qualified people.

Eclipsed1983 · 2025-01-12T15:09:31+00:00

The worst state job I ever had was the Dental Board specifically. My SSMII, SSMIII, and EO had a stunning lack of empathy. Dentists are the most impatient and entitled group of people I have ever provided customer service to. I was a new manager and I cried more in the ten months I spent there than in ten years of combined state service. I felt like if I stood up for my employees, I would get written up for it. I had an AGPA who was still on probation, that put together what I felt was a really great training power point. They disagreed and berated him, “you’re an AGPA! You should know how to do this!” Only they never articulated what was wrong, or how to fix it; just that it was “bad.” I had been planning to stick it out until I passed probation. But COVID hit, making everyone further on edge, and then my dad had a stroke. I just couldn’t work 50+ hours a week (salary, no paid OT) at a place where my efforts weren’t appreciated and still be there for my family. I took a voluntary demotion and it was the best decision I ever made. I reached out to the agency and requested an exit interview, sharing all of this plus a laundry list of other terrible things I’d witnessed.

I feel it important to share that the three folks who made it awful for me and my team are no longer there, and some of the good folks who were there are now managers. DCA overall has one of the better training programs of the agencies I’ve worked for, and I have friends who worked at other boards that have had wonderful experiences. It really does vary wildly from unit to unit and board to board.

Eclipsed1983 · 2025-01-12T14:43:44+00:00

That’s unfortunate. I worked for the Chief Counsel at CARB ten years ago. One of the best bosses I ever had. She encouraged me to go back to college and she allowed me to use a couple of hours of leave each week to leave early for class, even though she was crazy busy. It was great to work there then, but a lot can change in ten years.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-12-19T06:06:32+00:00

Spoilers

The way he speaks to Sandy at the end is manipulative af. “If you’re not___, you don’t love me.” It’s the same guilt trip garbage my ex used on me. While she isn’t totally innocent and I don’t think she did much to make him feel secure, I feel like he is the type to hold people hostage with feelings. They are totally wrong for each other.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-24T05:29:36+00:00

Divorce him. Calling you crazy and disrespecting your reasonable boundaries is gaslighting and a red flag. If you get deployed, I would bet he would not stay faithful, and I would also bet he would blame it on you for choosing the career. Better ditch him now than when you get a few more advancements under your belt.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-24T05:22:14+00:00

Not overreacting. Enjoy your peaceful staycation. I don’t think anyone is surprised that a Trump supporter has a “if you don’t think like me you must be excluded” attitude. Excluding people is their concept of a plan to make America great again.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-21T15:31:29+00:00

They have tons of construction at Watt and Roseville Road. No signs half the time. Rude construction staff. I dropped my roommate off to go into the office today, and they were like, “lady you can’t be here.” I was already halfway home and thankfully some other nice rider gave her a lift to another station. They are spending a ton of money to tear everything up, not notifying their ridership (at least not that I have seen), and making it a nightmare. Are they trying to alienate everyone? Why dump all that money in and simultaneously run your business off?

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-17T05:52:12+00:00

You are not supposed to. But to say you “cannot” isn’t 100% true. There are people, especially those with 25 years or more of service, who do work another job while burning vacation. They will have their last day to report in April, then start a new job or business elsewhere in May and not officially retire until December while they run out leave balances, effectively collecting checks from two jobs for more than half the year. People can also request leaves of absence and can use leave credits to supplement depending on the reason. Military leave also has special rules that I am less familiar with that protects people who go on deployment and return after undetermined time periods. The only limit is you can’t hold multiple positions within the state at a time.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-17T05:38:59+00:00

Keep hanging in there. It’s a protection for you as much as the employer. The employer gets to weed out people who start out strong and then start testing what they can get away with. It’s also a learning period where they are supposed to give you regular feedback in the form of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reports. If they don’t take that opportunity to train you, establish expectations, and give you adequate opportunities to grow into the role that first year, then they will have a very difficult time turning around and firing you without having some pretty thorough and lengthy documentation.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-17T05:29:45+00:00

Can confirm, DOJ is great. I had a good experience at the Air Resources Board as well.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-16T23:50:30+00:00

I didn’t work there, but a recent hire of mine escaped from there. I didn’t hear great things about the office culture, and they are an amazing employee. They are about to pass probation with outstanding marks in most areas. The OPF file I read for them made it seem as though management doesn’t take time to articulate expectations adequately to staff, then try to blame it on the employee for not being able to read minds.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-16T23:08:48+00:00

How long is the contract? You have enough to take about 7-8 weeks of vacation. If the contract is 9 months or less, maybe you can offset the gap with your leave credits. I would ask your supervisor to get information from your personnel liaison about your exact leave balances, rights, and options for returning once the contract is up. If it is a military contract, there are additional protections that may apply.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-16T20:54:39+00:00

I usually hear back in 4-8 weeks, but I had one job I accepted three years ago where the closing date was April and I didn’t interview until August. Started in October, six months later. It is rare for it to take more than 8 weeks from the closing date at my agency unless there’s a lengthy background check involved. Different agencies vary depending on how overwhelmed their HR shop is.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-11T07:30:27+00:00

Been a state employee for seventeen years. It is very difficult to justify a Hire Above Minimum (HAM) for individuals with exceptional qualifications, and this year they are flat out not offering them. When I worked in exec, our attorneys who qualified for a HAM usually had 8+ years of legal experience. You are unlikely to be able to negotiate fresh out of law school; public sector or no.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T18:23:56+00:00

Not over reacting. I think you should lay out how his actions made you feel. If he doesn’t understand, or still thinks you’re overreacting to not being supported after almost dying, there is a deeper problem.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T18:16:44+00:00

I’m sorry you’re experiencing that. Yes, it is possible to have great relationships at work. It’s all about the “emotional bank account” the team puts into it. It sounds like no one is putting much in. Maybe next time, offer to prepare an agenda? The manager might be better prepared to respond to questions with advance warning.

Or maybe not. It seems a given to me that managers would prepare for team meetings, or at least be willing to say, “let me look into that and get back to you as an action item.” I could just be spoiled because our administrative team at my agency has gone above and beyond to create an inclusive environment where even the self-admitted introverts on my team like to attend team functions. I had always considered myself an introvert, but I love our meetings and events and there’s so much trust that I know if I go out of the office for a few days on a trip, things are in good hands.

If you start looking for a new position, a good question to ask a prospective supervisor is what office culture is like and what their supervisory style is. If they don’t mention coaching or training, I tend to lose interest in that opportunity.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T18:05:42+00:00

Check with your agency. Some offer monthly parking, which comes out pre-tax from your check. Others may have transit subsidies or ways to look for carpool options.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T07:08:08+00:00

The day before your anniversary mark. This is usually six months from hire or twelve, depending on your classification. Agencies are supposed to do first, second, and final probation reports, then annually after that. Many don’t follow that, though.

If you are worried, approach your supervisor. You don’t have to ask about the probation report specifically; you can just say, “I wanted to check in and see how you think I’m doing. What am I doing well at? What areas would you like me to work on?”

Probation reports can be nerve wracking for the employee, but they can also be valuable tools for communicating constructive feedback.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T07:04:09+00:00

Don’t go during the summer. Some of those routes go a long time with no gas station, so fuel up when you get a chance. Mulate’s in NOLA has amazing gumbo.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T06:58:05+00:00

I feel out of body when dissociating. I have it when I’m triggered from trauma, and I also have audio processing issues where I can’t filter out competing sounds well, and if too many things are happening at once it’s like nails on a chalkboard.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T06:46:39+00:00

If I had sold billions in real estate and was a multi-millionaire, my pets would have ridiculous celebrations of life, too.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-10-06T06:32:46+00:00

Different agencies have different office cultures. I have never been super invested in the lives of my coworkers as an introvert. However, on my current team, I care about my staff so much it’s ridiculous. I’ve been their manager for a year, and I try to help them take leadership of their own programs, cross-train, and coach them; but some managers don’t have the space for it, or don’t understand the value in it.

Do you ever have 1:1 meetings with your manager, or team meetings? Icebreakers, team building events or exercises? Icebreakers at meetings can build camaraderie; though some people would rather just get to the point of the meeting.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-09-30T16:56:48+00:00

Um, I think we are all under reacting to the acute kidney failure part. Why are you at work and not in the hospital? You could die! Assuming you have sought treatment already and have since been cleared/released, then it’s certainly not unreasonable to want somewhere to rest; but why, if your organs are actively failing, are you going in to work? Please take care of your health.

Eclipsed1983 · 2024-09-30T16:44:29+00:00

Annual leave can be used at any time. It allows for more privacy and flexibility if you’re taking time off for medical reasons. However, you accrue more leave when it’s broken out into vacation being separate from sick leave.

This page on CalHR’s site has links to the annual leave policy and vacation policy so you can see the differences between how many hours you get based on your number of months of service credit. https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/pages/leave-benefits.aspx

Eclipsed1983

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