How it works
A guided path from your resume to a decision you can defend.
CalHired follows the same five steps every time. Each step produces something the next step depends on, which is why your documents stay consistent.
- 1
Upload your resume
Start with the most detailed resume you have.
- • Bring the most complete resume you have, even if it is out of date.
- • PDF and DOCX are supported, and you can paste plain text instead.
- • Nothing from the resume is treated as approved until you review it.
- 2
Complete your career story
Answer guided questions about accomplishments, responsibilities, and results.
- • You answer one question at a time, in plain language.
- • Follow-up questions help turn a vague answer into specific evidence.
- • You can save your progress and come back later.
- 3
Approve your Career Profile
Confirm exactly which information CalHired may use.
- • Every item shows where it came from and its current status.
- • You confirm, edit, or exclude each item.
- • Only confirmed and user-added evidence may be used in documents.
- 4
Evaluate a state job
Add the job posting and duty statement to receive an evidence-based assessment.
- • Add the job posting and the duty statement.
- • You receive an apparent eligibility finding and a separate competitiveness score.
- • The evaluation explains what supports the result and what is missing or unclear.
- 5
Create your application materials
Generate a tailored resume, required written response, and interview preparation.
- • Generate a tailored resume and the required written response.
- • Receive an interview-preparation packet built from the same approved evidence.
- • Read and edit everything before you use it.
Guided questions
How a weak answer becomes usable evidence.
Short answers are common and normal. CalHired asks follow-up questions until the answer contains the specifics a hiring panel looks for.
Initial answer
“I helped improve store performance.”
Follow-up questions
- 1. What problem were you trying to solve?
- 2. What actions did you personally take?
- 3. How many employees or locations were involved?
- 4. What measurable result occurred?
- 5. Over what period did the change occur?
Stronger evidence
Overtime and shrink were rising across three locations. I rebuilt the weekly scheduling process and introduced a nightly count for high-loss categories across 42 employees at three stores. Over nine months, overtime dropped 18% and shrink fell from 2.4% to 1.1%.