FAQs
We work to provide quality human resource services to attract, develop, motivate, and retain a skilled workforce within a supportive environment. By taking a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the following frequently asked questions and answers, you will be better informed about the County’s job application, recruitment, selection, and hiring process.
What types of jobs are available with the County of El Dorado?
The County has more than 1,800 employees working in over 500 classifications. Employees work in locations all over the County, and there are jobs in every major professional group and in all trades, such as healthcare, law and justice, science, human services, and construction trades.
What employment types do you offer?
Regular Full-time: Appointment to a position in the classified service that requires eighty (80) hours per biweekly pay period.
Regular Part-time: Appointment to a position in the classified service that requires less than eighty (80) hours per biweekly pay period.
Limited Term: Appointment to a position in the unclassified service to accomplish a specific project of limited duration which has a fixed expiration date. A person serving under an at-will, limited term appointment are not considered regular employees and therefore do not attain civil service status. Employees serving under a limited term appointment do receive benefits (health, retirement, and paid leave benefits), but are not considered regular employees.
Extra Help: Appointment in the unclassified service to meet a temporary staffing need (e.g., existing vacancy, project, heavy workload, etc.) to maintain adequate coverage of work for short periods of time at frequent intervals, or where work is of a seasonal/recurring nature. Extra help employees are not considered regular employees, therefore do not attain civil service status. Extra help employees are compensated at the designated hourly rate for all time worked, but are not entitled to vacation, absence for temporary military duty, holiday pay, or other paid leaves or benefits, except as otherwise provided by policy or law.
How to I find out about the duties, requirements, and type of examinations for a job?
The job announcement will list the salary, job duties, and requirements you must fulfill to qualify for advancement to the next step of the recruitment and selection process. The job announcement will also list the type of examination(s) which may be given and the date by which applications must be submitted.
What if the position I am interested in is not currently open?
We only accept applications for positions that are currently open and posted on our Job Opportunities page. Applicants are encouraged to check the web page frequently for new postings. Job openings may be posted for a restricted time, applicants are encouraged to apply in a timely manner. If you are interested in a position that we is not currently accepting applications for, you can submit a Job Interest Card for the position.
How can I be notified of job openings that I may be interested in?
A Job Interest Card is a tool available for you to indicate job categories for which you would like to receive email notifications when a recruitment begins. For the next 12 months after you submit a request, you will receive an email notification each time a position opens with El Dorado County whose category matches one of the categories you've chosen. Watch a tutorial on the Job Interest Card process.
How long does the recruitment process take?
The recruitment process can range from two weeks to four months depending on the job classification, the number of vacancies, the complexity of the recruitment and selection process, and background investigations. A Human Resources team member will keep you apprised of your status in the recruitment process. Recruitments are competitive. If you are not chosen in your first attempt, don't be discouraged! Keep applying for jobs that you're interested in.
How do I apply?
All current employment opportunities are listed on the County's Job Opportunities page. If you click on the job title, the announcement for that position will appear. The first time you apply for a job, you will create an online account that includes a unique username and password. You may also use this account to apply for future job openings. You will apply online by clicking on the job title you are interested in and then clicking on the "Apply" link. Watch a step-by-step tutorial on how to apply.
What if I forgot my username and/or password to Governmentjobs.com?
Click on the "Sign-in" link in the top right-hand corner of the Job Opportunities page. There is a link for "Forgot Username" and "Reset Password". Both links will require the email address used when you signed up for the account. Once you enter your email address, your username and/or password will be sent to you by email.
Who do I call about a problem with NEOGOV/Government Jobs?
Please call NEOGOV/Government Jobs directly at (855) 524-5627. Their hours are Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM PST.
What if I don’t have a computer?
Keep in mind that all notifications will be sent to you via email. If you do not have access to a computer, you may visit a local library to use a public computer, or if you're local to El Dorado County, visit the Connections & Employment Resource Center (also known as the El Dorado County Connections One-Stop).
Is there a HR Representative that can assist with me with any questions I may have?
Yes! We are happy to answer any questions you may have including questions regarding how to complete your application, the recruitment process, and what to expect once you have applied. Human Resources can be reached Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM via email edcjobs4u@edcgov.us, phone: 530-621-5565, or you can also find the email address for the assigned HR Representative facilitating the recruitment process for a specific recruitment listed in the 'How to Apply' section of the job bulletin.
Why am I not receiving emails from the County of El Dorado?
You may need to add the County of El Dorado as a safe sender for your email account. Please add emails with the extension of @edcgov.us to your safe sender email list. This will help ensure that you receive all notifications. Periodically check your spam folder.
How much information should I include on my application?
The information you include in your online profile and any other recruitment and selection related documentation are integral parts of your examination and will be reviewed and evaluated based on the current job requirements. Only the education, experience, and training you list will be compared to the criteria measuring the qualifications for this job, and only applicants with the most relevant education, experience, and training will be included in each phase of the selection process. Therefore, it is especially important that your responses to each component of this process be as complete and detailed as possible. Be sure to list all relevant education, experience, and/or training that should be considered for the job you are applying for are included in the appropriate sections.
Please note: All experience must be at a 40-hour work week (full-time) equivalency. Regardless of the calendar years/months an applicant has had in a position, our minimum qualifications are indicative of full-time (40 hour a week) employment. Any part-time employment must be evaluated to prorate the years/months that can be credited, and hours worked beyond the 40-hour work week are not eligible for consideration.
How do I attach additional documents to my application?
The last step before submitting your application is uploading attachments. First, use "Choose attachment type" to select the type, and then use the "Upload" button to browse and select your attachment. If you have previously uploaded attachments, you can use the "Recent Uploads" button to access these files.
My resume includes all the information you should need. Can I just submit my resume and a cover letter to apply to a job opening?
No. You must submit a completed County of El Dorado employment application for each job you wish to apply. All work experience must be included in the "Work Experience" section of your application. Do not refer to a resume or other documentation. You must also complete and submit any additional information listed on the job bulletin, such as required supplemental questions.
Do I need to complete all of the fields in the employment application and answer all of the supplemental questions?
Applicants are required to complete all the application fields, including listing all relevant work experience and job duties in the employment application and provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. Failure to do so may result in a lower rating or disqualification. Be specific when responding to questions. Do not respond with "see resume" or "see above." This will result in no score on that response. The subject matter experts reviewing your responses cannot see your resume and are only scoring your responses to the supplemental questions.
What happens to my application after it has been submitted?
Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications that are listed on the job announcement. You will receive notification from Human Resources once your application has been screened.
Following the initial review, those applicants deemed to have met the minimum qualifications will be subject to further evaluation consisting of one or more of the following items:
- Application evaluation
- Competitive rating of the application
- Supplemental questionnaire
- Written examination
- Job-related exercise
- Writing assessment
- Computer skills examination
- Structured oral examination
The tentative examination types are listed on the job announcement along with tentative examination dates.
Following completion of the evaluation process, an "Eligible List" is developed. Applicants are notified of their status, and the "Eligible List" is referred to the county department for which you applied, who may then conduct hiring interviews.
Can I change my application after it has been submitted?
Once your application has been submitted, you cannot make any changes to your education or work experience. Therefore, it is important that you enter all of your relevant education (degrees earned or in progress; units completed) and work experience that demonstrates how you meet the minimum qualifications of the position.
If your name, email address or other profile information has changed you can log in to Government Jobs and update that information. Those changes will be reflected for notification purposes for any active applications.
If I want to apply for more than one job, do I have to submit more than one application?
Yes, you must submit a separate employment application for each job you are interested in. There is no limit to the number of jobs for which you can apply.
How will I receive notifications about my application?
You will receive notifications via the email address you provided on your application. If your contact information changes at any time, you can update it in your master profile.
What are the most common reasons why an applicant may get a notice stating that they don't meet the minimum qualifications?
If you do not provide enough detail about your work experience and duties in the "Work Experience" section of the application, your application may not move forward in the recruitment process when Human Resources is determining if you meet the minimum qualifications. For example, if applying for Equipment Mechanic, writing "2 years as a mechanic" does not provide enough detail about the duties you performed in that job. Writing, "As a mechanic at the Ford dealership, I performed equipment diagnostics, and was in charge of maintenance and repair of heavy and light equipment such as trucks, tractors, graders, and caterpillars" provides more information about the duties performed and enough information to assess and compare your experience against the minimum qualifications.
What can I do if I believe my application was rejected in error?
A disqualified applicant or candidate may request reconsideration of the disqualification by filing a written notice to the Director of Human Resources within three (3) working days from the date of electronic notification of disqualification. The request for reconsideration must contain specific allegations of fact, citing the exact basis for the request and the relief requested. The information provided by the applicant or candidate must be for clarification purposes only, as the Director cannot accept any new information that is not already noted in the application. The burden of proof shall be on the disqualified applicant or candidate. The decision of the Director on the request for reconsideration shall be final, except as otherwise required by law. Please note that notifying or conferring with Human Resources without filing a request for reconsideration does not extend the time for filing an appeal.
My application was approved, now what?
If your application is approved, congratulations! You will be notified by Human Resources of the next step in the examination process.
Do I get extra points on the examination if I'm a veteran?
Yes, when there is an open recruitment and you pass all phases of the recruitment and selection process, the County of El Dorado gives veterans preference points. You must provide a copy of your DD214 and a copy of your disability award letter showing additional points for disabilities, if applicable.
What is an eligibility list?
An eligibility list is an arrangement of eligible candidates for County employment in a classification who are qualified as a result of the recruitment and selection process. Eligibility lists remain in active for three months or until cancelled at the discretion of the Human Resources Director. Whenever an eligibility list is cancelled before the required three months, Human Resources will notify the affected eligible candidates. Eligibility lists may be extended beyond the required three months, however, once an eligibility list has expired, it cannot be extended.
I'm on the eligibility list, now what?
The most qualified applications will be referred to the hiring department for hiring interviews. Should your application be referred throughout the duration of the list, you will be contacted to schedule an interview.