FAQs for Promotional Job Applicants

I am looking to promote within the District. What is the best way to prepare for an examination?

1) Review the class description for the classification(s) you have interest in to become familiar with the duties, and required knowledge and abilities. Spend some time thinking about how your background education and experience reflect the aspects of the job you are applying for.


2) When applying for a recruitment, be sure your application clearly shows how your background education and experience relate to the entrance qualifications posted on the class description. Include all relevant job history, even if the experience was earned many years prior. 

3) If you are interested in promoting for a position that isn’t currently open, read the class description in advance to see if there are new skills you could learn or abilities you could develop to perform optimally in a future exam process.


I saw a recruitment posting for a position that I want to be considered for. Do I submit a Transfer Request Form or an application?

If the position you wish to be considered for is assigned to a higher salary range, you must submit an application during the recruitment period and participate in the testing process. If the position you wish to be considered for is within your current classification (i.e. has the same job title), then you would submit an Application for Transfer Form to the Personnel Commission. Please see additional information regarding transfers in the next question.


I am interested in applying for a promotion, but I want to work at a specific school site and that position is already filled. Should I wait to apply?

No! Eligibility lists are established for a period of one year, and therefore examinations are not run separately for each individual vacancy. Once candidates are placed on to an eligibility list, they can indicate whether they want to be considered for vacancies at certain sites. Those who don’t apply during the recruitment period are not guaranteed another examination process will be conducted once vacancies at additional sites occur.


I am interested in a recruitment that wasn’t advertised as promotional-only. Should I still apply?

Absolutely! Since Escondido USD is a merit system school district, the Personnel Commission is held responsible for finding the most highly qualified candidates based on the following merit principle:

Recruitment of job applicants should be from sources representing all segments of society, and selection and advancement should be determined solely on the basis of relative ability, knowledge and skills, after fair and open competition, which assures that all receive equal opportunity.

With that in mind, our District has highly capable employees who are likely to perform well in an examination process. In addition, virtually any exam open to the outside will be run as a dual exam, which grants up to 5 additional points to the final score of internal candidates based on years of seniority in a regular-status position.


Another employee has temporarily been working in a vacancy and is now rumored to be applying for the position. I am also interested in being considered. Should I still apply?

Yes! All potential candidates MUST participate in the testing process and be reachable in the top 3 ranks before they can be considered for hire. Candidates who temporarily fill a position are NOT guaranteed placement in the position on a permanent basis. Keep in mind that eligibility lists from a resulting exam are used for every position within the classification, not just for a single position; testing materials are not tailored to a specific desk. Therefore, temporarily filling a vacancy does not provide a significant amount of information about the content of the examination materials due to the fact that testing focuses on overall knowledge, skills and abilities for the classification rather than on the precise tasks assigned to a specific position.


I participated in an exam and did not perform well. What are my options?

Candidates may contact the Personnel Commission after a test part to review their results. Please note that candidates are not be allowed to review all testing materials as this could cause an unfair advantage for future exam administrations.


I want to apply for School Office Manager, but I have served as a School Clerk for 20 years and I don’t want to lose my seniority. Should I still consider applying?

Yes! When an employee promotes to a higher classification, they continue to retain rights to the previous classification(s) in which they have accrued seniority. Therefore, if bumped out of the new class, the employee would retain rights to the prior classification based on years of seniority accrued for the class.


I have been offered a promotion, but have been told I need to pass a new probationary period. Why does this occur?

Any time an employee serves in a new classification, the individual must pass a probationary period for that classification. If the employee has already passed an initial probationary period with the district but does not pass probation in the new classification, s/he has rights to bump into the classification held prior to that of the new classification. Keep in mind that in order to establish rights to bump into a prior classification, the probationary period must have been passed within that classification. 


How are reemployment lists, eligibility lists, transfer lists, and reinstatement lists used to fill vacancies and what lists have priority?

Reemployment lists are always utilized first when a position becomes vacant or when a new position is established. If there are no individuals with reemployment rights to the position, the hiring authority must consider all candidates within each of the categories for a given classification, listed below in no particular order: 

  • The top 3 ranks of the eligibility list 

  • ALL transfer candidates within the classification 

  • ALL voluntary reinstatement candidates for the classification 


What is the difference between a reemployment list and a voluntary reinstatement list?

A reemployment list is comprised of employees who have been laid off or reduced in hours per day or days per year and therefore are automatically reemployed in order of seniority as vacancies are filled. Those on the reemployment list have rights to vacancies that occur, before candidates from an eligibility list or transfer candidates can be considered.

A voluntary reinstatement list is comprised of employees who have voluntarily resigned from the District in good standing within the past 39 months and have since requested reinstatement into the classification from which they separated. Those on a voluntary reinstatement list are among those considered to fill a vacancy, but are not owed automatic placement into a position.


I applied for a transfer opportunity but the position was granted to an employee with less seniority. Why did this happen?

Transfers are not granted strictly due to seniority. Hiring authorities are allowed to consider the needs of the specific position being filled when considering transfer requests. However, all transfer requests are considered.


What is the difference between a voluntary transfer and an administrative transfer?

A voluntary transfer occurs as a result of a transfer request form submitted to the Personnel Commission by an employee. Voluntary transfers cannot be guaranteed, and multiple employees may have indicated interest in transferring to the same position. An administrative transfer occurs when administration determines that District-wide operations would improve in effectiveness and/or efficiency due to the transfer of one or more current employees into another position within the same classification. 


I am interested in working more/less hours per week. What should I do?

For more hours, please complete and submit an Application for Transfer Form to the Classified Personnel Department. For less hours, please complete and submit an Application for Decrease in Hours and submit to the Classified Personnel Department. Once an opportunity becomes available that matches your request you will automatically be considered by the hiring authority for that position, along with reinstatement candidates and those in the top 3 ranks of the eligibility list, if applicable. Please note that Applications for Transfer and/or Decrease in Hours Forms are only valid for one school year, after which they must be resubmitted to Personnel.


I am interested in working at a different site. What should I do?

Please fill out an Application for Transfer Request Form and submit it to the Classified Personnel Department. Once an opportunity becomes available that matches your request you will automatically be considered by the hiring authority for that position, along with reinstatement candidates and those in the top 3 ranks of the eligibility list, if applicable. Please note that Transfer Request Forms are only valid for one school year, after which they must be resubmitted to Personnel.


I have applied for a transfer to a different school site. Will my current supervisor be notified?

The Classified Personnel Department does NOT notify your supervisor when you submit a transfer request form, nor when you are included in a transfer interview. Employees are encouraged to notify their current supervisors as soon as they are offered a transfer position, if they have not already done so. Employees may choose to notify their supervisor immediately upon submitting a transfer request form.