Planning assistant exam in city of LA

[rideabike]

I have been selected (one of many, I am sure) to take the 'advisory essay' exam for a Planning Assistant position with the City of Los Angeles.

Could someone fill me in on any details about the exam? The bulletin is gone from the City's personnel Website and I forget what info they gave when I applied.

Any info, advice is appreciated... as well as indications of the process at and after the exam as well as (!) how competitive things are for a position such as this.

Thanks in advance! Happy New Year!!

[planningExec]

I also have been selected for this exam.. I have no idea what to expect, other than a personal statement perhaps?

Any thoughts?

[HRose]

i am also scheduled for this essay test...i just searched for the job description because for some reason i didn't save it and this link should take you to a PDF of it
http://www.lacity.org/per/perspecs/7939.pdf
but in the original description that was posted, i remember it giving more info on the testing process, this description has nothing about it, i will probably call or email next week to try and get a little more info
a few months ago i took a multiple choice test for a planning assistant II job for LA county and strangely there were only about 15 people taking the test, i have a feeling there will be a lot more people taking this test

[nbarbuto]

Are you all scheduled to take the test on the 9th? I also am taking the essay exam.

[Chapin_Urbano]

I am scheduled for that same date, but I live in Fort Worth, Texas.

Does anybody know how many days after the Advisory Essay they scheduled interviews. I do not want to fly just for that and come back and a week later go for an interview.

Thanks for the advice.

[rideabike]

Wow. There must be lots of people taking the exam.

Mine is scheduled for 11:00 a.m... and other than the time, place, what NOT to bring, and the mention that it is an "advisory essay," there is no other information. And the bulletin is no longer online.

It'd be nice to have a clue going in!

Best of luck to you all.

[HRose]

definately strange how there were so few people at the LA county exam but how there will be a lot of people for this one...also my test is at 8 am so there will be so many people that they had to schedule different times! oh well i will just take it as additional experience/practice for the future

rideabike, don't know if you saw it but i posted a link for the bulletin a few posts up, but i think its different than the one originally posted because that had more info on the test

[Raf]

I took this test, oh 5 years ago. Basic planning stuff stuff with questions regarding CEQA, township range, calculating building sf, blah blah blah. Aced it, but by the time i was called back for an interview i already had a job. Good luck!

[vitruvius]

Are you all scheduled to take the test on the 9th? I also am taking the essay exam.

nbarbuto, did you take the test already? I mean essay...please let me know what it was all about and the topic. thx.
Vitruvius

[aspiringplanner]

I took the exam on the 16th at 11:00 AM. My understanding is that there was a group before me as well. How many people are applying for this and how many positions are open, you think?

[notabigcitygirl]

Dittos. I took the exam 2 years ago. It is a very straightforward, minimal planning knowledge type of test. I was called back for an interview, and that is where I made the points and was later notified that I was ranked #1. But they took so long (2 months) to make an offer that I too had already landed another job. The City of LA Director said that what has kept them from getting the best and the brightest is the ridiculously long time to get through the HR hiring process.

Do your best, be enthusiastic (as all planners are (!)) and keep looking...

[HRose]

I took the exam on the 16th at 11:00 AM. My understanding is that there was a group before me as well. How many people are applying for this and how many positions are open, you think?

so there were 2 testings on 2 days, i estimated about 50 people at my testing so that means maybe at least 200 people testing/interviewing
my interviewer said there were 40 people interviewing for the job so either he was misinformed or just trying to make it seem less intimidating

[vitruvius]

I took the exam on the 16th at 11:00 AM. My understanding is that there was a group before me as well. How many people are applying for this and how many positions are open, you think?

I don't get it when you guys say exam...
I just did an essay writing thing and that's it.
However; I know there's going to be an interview following the essay...
Has anyone here had any interview w City of Los Angeles for planning positions..?
Please let me know.

Vitruvius

[HRose]

the essay was the exam, they scheduled interviews the day you wrote the essay and for me i was interviewed the following week