administrative assistant

patient coordinator

medical biller

executive assistant

registered nurse case manager

State of California

As a longtime State Worker, I was thrilled to see that there was a place online to compare different agencies -- one of the biggest pluses to working for the State is that you can move around internally every two or three years, and it appears, on credit applications and such, that you have held down the same job for years and years. This is because, technically, you work for the State, not for any specific Department. So, although I've worked at nine different jobs over the last 18 years or so, it appears that I've worked steadily for the same company (because I actually have!). This is a huge positive for me; I'm surprised more people don't comment or take advantage of it.

Having said that, I must say that reading the reviews was really disappointing in a number of ways. It wasn't really helpful to me for the following reasons:

1) If you work for someone who is elderly or disabled in their home, you are an In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) worker. IHSS ARE NOT STATE WORKERS. Just in case there is some remaining confusion about this, I'll repeat it: IHSS ARE NOT STATE WORKERS. They aren't even approved or paid by the state, which makes it all that much more curious as to why so many IHSS workers are under the delusion that they are state workers. They are not. Their technical employee is the elderly or disabled person for whom they work; the county determines the hours required and handles all the paperwork. They do belong to the same union -- SEIU -- that state workers do, but so do many other non-state employees. So, the dozens of IHSS reviews here are useless if you're looking for comparisons between state agencies, which I assume is the main reason people come here.

2) A good number of the reviews are from people who are clearly confused about their employer. I'm referring to the person who said he filed tax returns for the State as a custodian. This is simply impossible. There is no way that a custodian with the State would ever be given tax returns to file. The very thought is ludicrous. Also, I think there may be some confusion as for whom this person actually works. All custodians I know of are contracted out. There are some State-employed custodians, but the vast majority are contracted out and are not even State Workers. Also the person who said that advancement was easy without education is obviously a longtime employee. This used to be true. No more, and not for the last ten or twelve years. In order to get onto the professional state track, you almost have to have a Bachelor's Degree. You can't really get hired on the professional level without one. My secretaries (support staff) have had educations ranging from Bachelor's Degrees to Ph.Ds. There is a lot of competition for state jobs and the state wants educated staff to fill them.

3) Seasonal clerks are not State Workers either, although they get paid by the state. They are like Temp workers, and cannot really give a credible example of what a department is like because they aren't there long enough. Student assistants and especially Retired Annuitants, on the other hand, usually work for relatively long periods of time at agencies and are good sources of information.

4) What would be tremendously helpful is the position title, the Department and Section --even the Unit, if possible, for whom the reviewer is writing. As I said, something like that is long overdue -- some agencies are just known for being very good -- CalPERS has a great reputation, for example, while Office of Emergency Services has an awful reputation, and has had ever since I've worked for the state. Someone told me it was like working in a viper's pit, and nobody I know from the office disagrees with that assessment. Franchise Tax Board has a reputation for being fair but the expectation is military-like punctuality and precision. If that doesn't bother you, it's probably a good match. Someone who prefers a little more autonomy might find it cumbersome. 

 Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst Office are the creme de la creme of State Agencies,. Hard to get a job there and you'll work 50-60 hours a week if you get it, but you usually promote very high and very quickly to the agencies you are working with. This is the kind of information I was hoping to receive, except instead of secondhand info as I just provided, I was hoping to hear what it is really like from people who actually work there. And a lot of people won't want to talk about their specific units since these are smaller groups, and there is always the fear of identification -- everyone knows the malcontent in the group!

But even a Section/Bureau, whatever you want to call it can be helpful. For example, Education is known as the Bureau of State Audits (BSA) West (presumably because it's located West of BSA). Lots of former BSA workers apparently at Education. This is good for the most part since BSA is an agency, probably the only one in the state, that promotes on merit. These are people who have earned their stripes. You can move up very rapidly at BSA if you're good. So you've got some really great people coming over to Education. But even Education, with it's superior reputation, has areas that a lot people avoid like the plague. 

A really helpful review system would identify these trouble spots across the State System, so you at least know what you're getting into if you accept a job there. This could be an incredible tool, but it would require a great deal more oversight to ensure that the information being offered is helpful. Because there isn't a state worker alive who is going to find IHSS reviews even remotely helpful, THAT I can guarantee!

I would like to express my concerns and frustrations regarding the managers within the State of California. While I understand that every organization has its challenges, I believe it is important to address these issues in order to improve the overall functioning of the government.

First and foremost, one of the main issues I have observed is a lack of effective communication from managers. It seems that information often gets lost or distorted as it trickles down from higher-level managers to employees. This results in confusion, poor collaboration, and misalignment between departments. Clear and timely communication is vital for promoting efficiency and ensuring that everyone is working towards the same goals.

Another area of concern is the lack of accountability among certain managers. There have been instances where managers have failed to take responsibility for their actions or decisions, which has had negative consequences for their subordinates. This lack of accountability undermines employee morale and hampers the overall effectiveness of the organization.

Furthermore, some managers have displayed favoritism and a reluctance to listen to differing viewpoints. This creates an unhealthy work environment where employees may feel discouraged from speaking up or offering suggestions. Open dialogue and a culture of inclusiveness are essential for fostering innovation and ensuring that all perspectives are heard and valued.

Additionally, I have noticed a significant gap in professional development opportunities for managers within the State of California. Investing in ongoing training and development programs would benefit both managers and their subordinates, as it would enhance leadership skills, encourage adaptability, and promote continuous improvement within the organization.

Lastly, there seems to be a lack of transparency at times, particularly when it comes to decision-making processes or important organizational changes. Employees often feel left in the dark, which can lead to frustration and a sense of distrust. Building a culture of transparency and inclusivity will help foster a positive work environment and create a more engaged and motivated workforce.

In conclusion, my review highlights some key concerns I have observed with managers within the State of California. Addressing these issues by emphasizing effective communication, accountability, unbiased decision-making, continuous professional development, and transparency will contribute to a more productive and harmonious work environment. Improvement in these areas is essential for the success and reputation of the organization as a whole.

I handle contracts for all Title and Escrow contract, coordinate all equipment for 3 District offices, coordinate and arrange all training for 3 District offices, open and close project coordination phases, and many other things that come up throughout each day. Each day brings new challenges and adventures handling so many issues with short completion time frames.

I have learned a significant amount about real estate acquisition, and have enjoyed using my experience in budgeting, allocation, and overall handling and management of overhead and project coordination.

The team environment is exceptional; we work well to get the job done quickly and correctly. I enjoy working with this team very much.

The hardest part of my job can be dealing with implementing what management has directed for rapid completion with zero-based budgeting. Creativity and communication is key: communication with team members and with management when we will meet deadlines and especially if deadlines will slip; I enjoy working together to create a way to make it happen.

The most enjoyable part of my job is when an exceptionally difficult - even considered impossible - task is completed well; team effort is the key, and giving credit where credit is due.

During my civil service with the State of California there was really no typical work day once I became an analyst, because management priorities and assignments could change instantly when directed by the department; they did provide the necessary training to complete required work. I learned how to organize and manage my assignments and work day effectively between internal and external customers, and work efficiently with limited resources as budgets decreased. Management offered opportunities to learn different skills to develop oneself, they were also concerned with how family and outside factors could impact daily work. Co-workers were willing to share what they had learned in the past, and assist each other to perform at their best; friendships developed outside of work. A diverse population and workforce increased awareness and acceptance of all segments of society. Hardest part of any position was the short turnaround times for many short-notice drills when legislature requested information. Most enjoyable aspects were producing an excellent work product that was recognized by management and customers.

Being a teacher was a new experience for me. I would get out the instuction manual and being instuction as I was instucted to do, The children seemed to enjoy my style and the seem to do well. Then after two leson plans I would give the children a break. After a short ten minute break , the students and I would begin again and continue through the last three lesson.  What I learned from this experience was. I was able to instruct and be a very good teacher, how I knew this was by the results. The star testing proved this. My son was A student in my class and his scores had greatly improved from last year score.I believed that by my management of a small group of fifth graders, and becoming a papr educator, I was able to learn to scope my manament skills in to a very differnt way then most people and the proof was in the star testing results. The hardest part of the job was being taking seriously by fellow co-workers. However, after the results of the star testing were returned I was asked to return for another group of fifth graders and I knew that I was then a great para-educator and I was being taken seriously. I really began to enjoy the job, I think I also enjoyed the job , I like to help people.

I worked at the State Treasurer Office for 8 months.I did enjoy working there because of the excellent employees I worked with.  The office I worked with was a small deparment that had about 38 employees at the time I joined. The position I did was Office Technician. Basically I was doing a lot of arranging travel for the Executive Director and setting up meetings. My daily tasks included answering phone calls, copying documents, filing them electronically and shredding them once the project has been approved. I was also charged with setting up binders for committee meetings once a month for projects to be approved by the Deputy Treasurer. In case the first Office Technician was out of the office I had to answer all calls, sort through mail and do the normal tasks they do. This was a very heavy call agency even if I was told it wasn't like that every day. I felt overwhelmed with workloads at times and was always told that everything that came across my desk was important even if i had other important tasks that were deemed important. Two people doing the same job could not even finish everything needed to be done that day.

As an RPM Assistant-Case Manager for the State of California At Risk Youth is a way of life, not a job. Our program helps youth who may be at risk of dropping out of high school. I have worked with youth 16-18yrs old both male and female for the past 12yrs, you must have compassion and service to community skills in order to serve our clientele.  A typical day at work is anything but typical, we work in a very unique environment. Case Managers work with our residential youth, teaching, training residential and post program goals and life coping skills.  We assist with placement and follow our clients for 12 months post program.  We participate in mentor training, build community partnerships and obtain resources for our students . The programs main goal and objective is to get our youth back on track to graduate high school and have success beyond  school.  Our teams are very cohesive and demonstrate high standards at all times as we serve our youth.  Losing  even one student (not completing the program) before during or after the program is one of the hardest parts of our mission, but one of the most enjoyable part of working with our youth is experiencing their growth during and after they have graduated the program.

I worked under the Department of Public Health Life Safety Code Unit. I did clerical work for the department. Surveyors would send their write up on a facility, I had to export it to one of our systems, then send it to the supervisor for review. After it was approved, it was then given the "okay" to send to the facility in which they needed to fill out how they were going to correct their mistakes on their survey. Once it was received back, I inputted all information into the computer system and tracked it on a log. Then, the survey needed to be copied, sent to the district office, and filed away.

I learned a lot about the department and about many other departments through the state and what each department does.

Management was very organized. It helped keep everyone on task and made sure all deadlines were met.

The hardest part was during the end of the fiscal year; it also considered the busiest time of the year. Everything needed to be done and submitted on time.

The most enjoyable part of the experience was that I was able to work in a professional environment with people who have been with the department for many years, so I learned an extensive amount about what our department did in terms of service to the community.

well it’s a state job and it has its pros and cons 
management is a hit or miss. you have some managers who are willing to help you out all the way or you have some managers that make faces when you go ask questions. all they do is sit at their desk and play with their phones when there are so many things that needs to be done. some coworkers are just meh… they can get away with anything and they make the new hires do so much more but they get paid like so much more.  I believe if anyone does apply, they will get the job because the coworkers are uneducated and rude because this agency will take anybody! If you know how to become your managers’ favorite at the office, you can just lazy out the day and for the time that you are there. Compared to new hires, the senior employees at the agency don’t work as much and still get away with it. For the amount of pay that you get and for the amount of work and stress that you have to deal with each day, it is not worth it. If you want a stable job  and not care about getting compensated enough and not care about anything, do consider working for the state. It is an okay entry level position. 

A typical day at work working for the State of California was very pleasant and staff got a long well with each other and some were tolerable with one another as well. Everybody worked and we had a functional supervisor who helped out as well when there was a backlog. We had a manager who was both strict and flexible depending upon the matter at hand, but rules that required compliance.  Staff and management in the organization as well as in the office were professional.  The hardest part of the job was when employees would hear about individual complaints and we would all be penalized for wrongdoings.  The most enjoyable part of the job is just getting along with staff and helping each other out.  In this particular facility, it was visible as to how we all worked together as a team to accomplish the goals of the facility's vision.  The people we served became a learning and educated accomplishment to see a better change for the people we served and the organization showed pride and respect for the job that they set out to do.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Administrative assistant 20 salaries reported	$28.53 per hour
Patient coordinator 14 salaries reported	$25.17 per hour
Medical biller 13 salaries reported	$27.85 per hour
Executive assistant 17 salaries reported	$32.41 per hour
Registered nurse case manager 2 salaries reported	$63.50 per hour

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