I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at City of Poway (Poway, CA)
Interview
The whole process begins with a test. They will send you an email and offer three times for you to take the test. The test is a 100 question, multiple choice test with three sections (Word/Excel, Spelling/Grammar, and Customer Service). I believe they let about 70 people take the test and the top 15 scorers will be selected to move on for interviews. After the test, they schedule two rounds of interviews. After the first round, they will narrow it down to five applicants to move forward and then pick their new admin assistant from the five finalists.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
If a drunk person came into the office screaming for you answer their questions/address their concerns, how would you handle the situation?
I applied online. I interviewed at City of Poway (Poway, CA) in Mar 2026
Interview
It was a very typical process for a public sector role. If you meet the role's minimum requirements, you are invited to take an online exam. First-round interviews are 25 minutes and are held over Zoom. Aside from the HR rep, the panel members are from other municipal administrations in San Diego County. Second-round interviews are 30 minutes long and are in-person at City Hall; panel members are from the respective department. You are scored at each phase in the process. Although I did not receive an offer for the role, it was a very pleasant and welcoming experience. HR was excellent at communicating all steps, including the denial. In this unfortunate age of ghosting and poor communication, I appreciated HR's clear communication.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Which quality would your supervisors suggest is your: a) greatest strength, and b) your greatest weakness?