Staff Services Analyst (SSA)

Taking and passing the SSA Transfer Exam confirms that you meet the necessary transfer requirements, however you will need to meet the new minimum qualifications (MQs) before being eligible for appointment. If you do meet the new MQs, you may also compete in the new online SSA exam for a list appointment as well. However, if you do not yet meet the new MQs, you will have to wait until you do meet the new MQs before being eligible for appointment.

The online SSA exam has changed from a Training and Experience Evaluation to an online timed multiple-choice written test. The new online written test will still be available online 24/7 on CalCareers.

The previous MQs required that candidate’s possess a Bachelor’s degree or a combination of CA state service experience and education, which must have included a minimum of 6 semester units in specific coursework. The new MQs remove the requirement for education and CA state service experience. Although someone with a Bachelor’s degree will still meet the new MQs, the new MQs now allow for a broader range of qualifying experience that can be either inside or outside the CA state service. Please refer to the examination bulletin or classification specification for the new MQs.

Current state employees who meet the MQs are encouraged to compete in the new online SSA examination; however, if you do not pass the online examination, hiring authorities may still consider you for appointment if you meet the SSA MQs and the necessary transfer criteria.

If you are not a current state employee, you will need to wait the necessary retake period before re-competing in the examination. If you are a current state employee, you will also need to wait the retake period; however, hiring authorities may still consider you for appointment if you meet the SSA MQs and the necessary transfer criteria.

After competing in the online SSA examination, successful competitors are placed on a list in score order. Candidates within a similar range of scores are grouped into ranks. The new online SSA examination will result in a list of candidates which will have three ranks (1, 2, and 3). Additionally, state service laws and rules allow for anyone in the top 3 ranks to be eligible for appointment as long as they meet the MQs. Therefore, meeting the MQs and passing the online examination will mean you are eligible for hire; however, you will still need to apply and compete for vacancies.

A list appointment is when you have successfully taken an exam and been hired as a result. Transfer appointments are permissive situations that allow an employee to move to a new position or classification based on their highest list appointment. These classifications must involve substantially the same salary range or salary level and shall be considered to involve substantially the same level of duties, responsibility, and salary for purposes of a transfer without an examination.

No. The classification specification revision and update to the MQs has made the SSA Transfer Exam unnecessary. There will now only be one examination, the online multiple-choice written test. For current state employees, hiring authorities may still consider you for appointment if you meet the new SSA MQs and the necessary transfer criteria.

Yes. In order to maintain list eligibility, you will need to compete in the new online SSA examination. The list resulting from the old SSA examination has been abolished.