California State Jobs Exam Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield California State Jobs Exam facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. The five stages of grief are, in order: → Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance
2. Previous database entries have inconsistent formatting (ALL CAPS vs Title Case). What should you do? → Check for standards; if none, recommend one while being consistent
3. You find a USB drive labeled 'Employee Salary Data' in the parking lot. Correct action? → Turn in to security officer without plugging in
4. Three offices handle permits, licenses, or inspections. North doesn't handle permits. Central handles inspections. What does North handle? → Licenses
5. A clerk must file correspondence from CalPERS, CalSTRS, and CalFire. What is the correct alphabetical order? → CalFire, CalPERS, CalSTRS
6. Under the California Public Records Act, how should you respond to a records request? → Provide records within 10 calendar days unless an exemption applies
7. Number series: 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, ___. What comes next? → 96
8. Toner cartridge costs increased 40% from usual vendor. What should you do? → Research alternative vendors and state-approved contracts
9. A bar chart shows Department A processed 1,200 applications while Department B processed 900. What percentage more did A process compared to B? → 33.3%
10. Creating a filing system for applications, correspondence, financial records, and compliance reports. Best approach? → Separate categories with chronological order within each
11. Which California state entity is responsible for administering health benefits (medical, dental, vision) for most state employees? → California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
12. Creating expenditure tracking spreadsheet. Which feature best spots overspending? → Conditional formatting highlighting cells exceeding budget
13. A California state employee who believes they were passed over for promotion due to discrimination should first file a complaint with which entity? → The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (CRD)
14. Under the ADA and California FEHA, an employer must provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause: → Undue hardship on the employer's business
15. You must approve a purchase order for your spouse's business. What should you do? → Disclose conflict of interest and recuse yourself
16. Which leadership style is best for an urgent safety emergency? → Autocratic/Directive
17. Which sentence avoids the dangling modifier? → Walking through the office, I heard the fire alarm.
18. 'All positions requiring security clearance also require background check.' Which contradicts this? → A position requires security clearance but has no background check
19. An employee receives a complaint via email about a coworker's rude behavior toward the public. The BEST action is to: → Acknowledge receipt, document the complaint, and forward it to the appropriate supervisor
20. When communicating with a member of the public who speaks limited English, a California state employee should FIRST: → Speak slowly, use plain language, and offer interpreter services if available
21. Which type of filing system arranges records based on geographic location? → Geographic filing
22. A California state agency receives a subpoena for employee records. The Office Technician should: → Forward the subpoena to the agency's legal office before releasing any records
23. When filing state employee records, you encounter two employees named 'James Smith.' What is the best next step? → Use their middle names or initials to differentiate
24. When should a supervisor involve HR? → For potential legal issues, harassment claims, or complex discipline
25. Electronic records stored on state systems are subject to the SAME retention requirements as paper records because: → California law defines records by content and purpose, not by physical format
26. When using a 10-key numeric keypad for data entry, which finger is traditionally placed on the '5' key as the home position? → Middle finger
27. Which document classification level applies to state records containing personal identifying information (PII) such as Social Security numbers? → Confidential
28. Block 25 on the CMS-1500 is where the provider reports: → TIN
29. Postage meter is low. 200 priority mailings must go today. Best action? → Add meter funds; if not possible in time, coordinate with post office
30. First step in a California state employee grievance process? → Informal resolution with immediate supervisor