Recruitment Information

In an effort to hire more Parole Agents, CDCR’s Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO) asked the Office of Peace Officer Selection to recruit and test a new generation of candidates.

The Peace Officer Recruitment Unit (PORU) worked closely with DAPO staff to photograph agents in the field and develop new marketing material. To promote the Parole Agent exam, PORU staff launched a marketing campaign entitled “Take the test and join the best.” PORU added several pages describing Parole Agent career opportunities to the CDCR web site and posted job announcements on major job boards such as Yahoo! Hotjobs and CareerBuilder. CDCR also paid for keyword search results on Google and its affiliates, leading thousands of people to the department’s web site. The Department also used “viral marketing,” sending mass emails to thousands of its employees and to members of California’s law enforcement community. The result: more than 3,500 qualified candidates signed up to take the Parole Agent exam in March and April.

Testing is now closed, but may resume as DAPO’s needs increase.

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Since 1999, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has received a growing number of its peace officer applications through the State Personnel Board web site. Last year, more than 80 percent of those applying for Correctional Officer, Youth Correctional Officer and Youth Correctional Counselor chose to apply this way. As of February 1, 2008, CDCR stopped accepting paper applications. Institutions and recruitment teams have been directed not to distribute scannable applications to the public. To access the online application, click the “Apply Now” icon on this website.

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During the months of February and March of this year the Office of Workforce Planning (OWP) collaborated with 20 institutions to conduct hiring workshops targeting mental health professionals such as Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Recreation Therapists, Psychiatric Technicians and Social Workers. Over 120 candidates attended the statewide workshops. To date, over 20 hires have been made from these institution workshops. Last fall, OWP conducted 21 hiring workshops with over 500 attendees resulting in over 150 hires.

The objective of the hiring workshop is to highlight the benefits of working for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and provide candidates the opportunity to speak with mental health professionals currently working in the institution. These “Subject Matter Experts” carry insight and provide detailed knowledge of a day in the life of mental health professionals working in a CDCR institution. The candidates are given a tour of the institution and the opportunity to interview for vacant positions. Many times, tentative offers are made on the spot.

Feedback from workshop attendees indicates that the hiring workshop gives them a true sense of what it is like to be behind the walls of a CDCR institution. They gain the atmosphere, camaraderie, and passion that are part of the CDCR experience. Institution hiring workshops conducted over the last two years have resulted in over 369 hires.

OWP will continue to work closely with the institutions to ensure qualified candidates are available for hire for the critical and hard to recruit classifications.

- By Sharon Lovell, Recruiter

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Click to open "Events" Calendar:

Peace Officer Events Calendar

Non-Peace Officer Events Calendar

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Online: www.cdcr.ca.gov/careers
Call: (888) 232-4584
E-Mail: careers@cdcr.ca.gov

Online: www.cdcr.ca.gov/careers
Call: (877) 793-HIRE
E-Mail: medcareers@cdcr.ca.gov

Online: www.cdcr.ca.gov/jobs
Call: (866) 232-JOBS
E-Mail: recruit@cdcr.ca.gov

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