Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Call Center Representative, Department of Child Support Services

Recruitment #16-1154-01

Introduction

***PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE BULLETIN***

This bulletin includes important information regarding a special requirement for this recruitment.

THIS IS A REOPENING OF AN EXISTING EXAMINATION. IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY APPLIED (OR STARTED AN APPLICATION) FOR THE CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE, DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES, EXAM # 16-1154-01, READ THIS ENTIRE BULLETIN. THERE ARE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REAPPLY FOR THIS RECRUITMENT. IN ORDER TO REAPPLY FOR THIS POSITION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EXAMINATION ANALYST AT LINDSAY.CHRISTOPHER@ACGOV.ORG TO HAVE YOUR PREVIOUS APPLICATION RELEASED BACK TO YOU.

THIS IS A REOPENING OF AN EXISTING EXAMINATION. The scores and dispositions of candidates for this examination will be merged with previous exam participants. If you have previously submitted an application and choose to reapply, your new score/disposition will replace your current disposition.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Postmarks are not accepted. Applications will only be accepted on-line.

NOTE: The Alameda County Department of Child Support Services is looking to recruit full-time, part-time, and SAN (Services-As-Needed) positions. Please make sure to indicate your "Employment Type" preferences on your application.

QUALIFIED BILINGUAL PERSONS WHO SPEAK ENGLISH AND ARE ALSO FLUENT IN SPANISH, CHINESE, VIETNAMESE, CAMBODIAN, LAOTIAN, KOREAN, MIEN, TAGALOG, AMHARIC, FARSI, DARI, TIGRIGNA, RUSSIAN, ROMANIAN OR SIGN LANGUAGE ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.  THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL BI WEEKLY COMPENSATION FOR PERSONS IN POSITIONS DESIGNATED BILINGUAL. Qualified candidates may be tested to demonstrate language proficiency.


SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: TYPING CERTIFICATE
A typing certificate with a typing speed of 40 net words per minute from a temporary agency, employment agency, or community college, printed on letterhead with the address and phone number of the agency or college must be uploaded to your online application (under the resume tab) by 5:00p.m. on the last day for filing; November 3, 2017. The typing certificate must be dated within six (6) months of the filing deadline.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your typing certificate is uploaded prior to submission of your application. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. NO EXCEPTIONS.

To obtain a typing certificate, you may wish to contact East Bay Works - Career Centers. Click on the following link, and go to the "locations" tab to locate a center near you. www.eastbayworks.com/  

DESCRIPTION

ALAMEDA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES (ACDCSS)
The Mission of the Alameda County Department of Child Support Services is to establish paternity, medical, and child support orders, and to collect child and spousal support payments in an efficient and cost effective manner while maintaining the respect and dignity of the public we serve.

Any custodial or non-custodial party may request that the Alameda County Department of Child Support Services aid in collecting their court ordered support. Members of the public are eligible for services regardless of whether or not they are receiving public assistance. The Department maintains court calendars at the Hayward and Alameda Court locations.

The Department has approximately 200 employees consisting of clerical support, call center support, paraprofessional, legal professional, technical, management and administrative staff. The Department is organized into functional silos: Administration and IT, Court Support, Attorney Team, Pre Order Services, Post Order Services, Client Services, and Office Support. The Department is located within the Hacienda Business Park (www.hacienda.org/) in Pleasanton, CA and services the entire Alameda County area.

THE POSITION
Call Center Representatives provide customer service in a call center environment and perform limited clerical or administrative functions.This includes greeting customers, establishing rapport, projecting a professional tone, looking up case information in various computer databases and answering questions based on that information. Incumbents record pertinent information in the computer system resulting from the call and complete other related work as assigned.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a track record of success in the following areas:

  • Working under pressure in a high volume, call center, environment.
  • Utilizing a multi-line call center phone system.
  • Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff, peers, other agencies and the public.
  • Maintaining confidentiality.
  • Contributing to overall team effort to meet and exceed goals.
  • Responding to customer inquiring within established timeframes.
  • Learning and applying specific operations and procedures on the job.
  • Prioritizing calls to meet individual and team goals.
  • Evaluating and controlling problematic situations and offering solutions.
  • Defusing hostile client calls and offering solutions.
  • Actively listening, understanding, following and communicating oral and written directions and applying them effectively in a variety of situations.
  • Using sound judgment when evaluating a wide variety of information.
  • Identifying alternatives from diverse sources and choosing the best solution from available options.
  • Ability to communicate effectively verbally while utilizing exceptional telephone etiquette skills, and in writing including accurate spelling, proper grammar, punctuation and correct vocabulary.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Graduation from high school, or possession of a certificate of proficiency issued by the California State Board of Education, or possession of a G.E.D. certificate

AND

Experience:

Either I


The equivalent of six months of full time experience in the class of Clerk I or in an equivalent or higher level-clerical class in Alameda County classified service (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts). This experience must have been in a position in which the majority of duties involved direct customer service to the public, either in person or over the phone.

Or II

The equivalent of one year of full time experience in a call center position

Or III
Experience:

Any combination of training, education and experience that will provide the knowledges and abilities listed below.

Special Requirements:

Must be able to type at a minimum of 40 net words per minute from clear copy

A thorough background investigation, including fingerprinting will be conducted of all candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of employment to ensure they are suitable for Child Support related work. A felony conviction will be disqualifying

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Modern office practices and procedures including the use of standard computer programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Business arithmetic
• Laws, regulations, and codes governing the access to, and use of, confidential information and legal documents
• Legal terminology applicable to child support documents
• Techniques and practices for dealing with individuals from various social-economic and ethnic groups, in person, via telephone, and through correspondence (including stressful contacts with irate and hostile individuals)


Ability to:

• Work under pressure in a high volume call center environment
• Use a multi-line, call center, phone system
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, peers, other agencies, and the public
• Maintain confidentiality
• Learn specific operations and procedures of job
• Contribute to the overall team effort to meet and exceed call center performance goals (this includes quantitative and qualitative goals which are set by the department)
• Prioritize calls to meet individual and team goals
• Respond to customer inquiries within established turnaround times
• Evaluate and control problematic situations and offer solutions
• Diffuse hostile client callers
• Listen, understand, follow and communicate oral and written directions and apply them effectively in a variety of situations
• Use sound judgment when evaluating a wide variety of information. Identify alternatives from diverse sources and choose the best solution from several options, then initiate appropriate actions within prescribed guidelines
• Respond to a constant influx of telephone calls
• Effectively communicate verbally while using excellent telephone etiquette skills
• Effectively communicate in writing; including accurate spelling, proper grammar, punctuation, and correct vocabulary

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

The examination will consist of the following steps: A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum (education/experience) and special (ability to type at a minimum of 40 net words per minute from clear copy) requirements. Those candidates who possess both the minimum and special requirements for this position will move on to the next step in the examination process which is a performance examination. The performance examination will be a computer-based OPAC examination which will be qualifying only (pass/fail). Those candidates who successfully pass the performance examination will move on to the next step in the examination process, an oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises. CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION. We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit.  Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position.  Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position.  Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

Selection Plan

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Deadline for Filing:

5:00 p.m., Friday, October 27, 2017 
5:00p.m., Friday, November 3, 2017

Review of Minimum Qualifications and Special Requirement:

Thursday, November 9, 2017
Monday, November 20, 2017

Performance Exam:

December 5th - December 7th, 2017

Thursday, January 4, 2018 

Panel Interviews*:

Wednesday, January 3rd - Friday, January 5th, 2018

January 24-25, 2018


Updated 12/10/2017

*The combined oral examination/hiring interview, in addition to establishing an eligibility list, may serve as the final selection interview for vacancies in this classification.

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs

BENEFITS

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

  • Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
  • Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
  • Vision
  • Basic Life Insurance 
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
  • County Allowance
  • Health Flexible Spending Account
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
  • Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

  • Short-term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

  • 11 paid holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Management Paid Leave**
  • Group Auto/Home
  • Commuter Benefits Program
  • Guaranteed Ride Home
  • Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
  • Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
  • Child Care Resources
  • 1st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Lindsay Christopher, Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
Lindsay.christopher@acgov.org | 510-272-6393

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer