The process is usually quite standardized but they've changed some things around recently. About 300+ people are invited to partake in a standard exam consisting of a proofreading/editing portion and a data entry, numerical/alphabetical filing portion. Once you pass this part, a small portion of those people are invited for a practical exam on the basics of Word/Excel and typing speed. This is followed directly by a panel interview where I received a few questions on a piece of paper and was given 10 minutes to write notes on it. Then I met with two people (and a voice recorder) who read off the exact same questions and I had 20 minutes to answer them. This whole process SO FAR has been very impersonal and cold, but I'm guessing that's just civil service selection processes for you. They have to make sure they're fair to everyone. That being said, the lady whom we sign in with during the interview - Sue - was mean. It's one thing to be impartial and professional, but she could afford to have some manners. Once you pass this part of the interview, you are ranked and hired according to your rank and the positions that open up within the next 12-24 months.

I had a relatively smooth experience. You will be placed in a pool when you passed the tests and initial interviews. Don't hesitate to accept interviews with different departments until you get an offer letter from one of them. A lot of information on each different departments are on the EBMUD website.