Southern California job seekers can use new state AI tool

RIVERSIDE (CNS) - Southern California residents looking for state jobs can use a new artificial intelligence-powered tool today to identify career opportunities that match their skills and experience.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the Skills Matching tool Monday. The new feature is available through the state's CalCareers website, allowing job seekers to upload their resumes and receive recommendations for state employment classifications that align with their qualifications.

Newsom said the technology is intended to simplify California's hiring process and help applicants identify potential career paths without having to navigate the state's extensive classification system.

``We're taking the search out of finding a state job -- and connecting people directly to roles that are right for them. There's no reason this process should be this onerous -- especially when we have the tools and technology to make accessing state jobs easier,'' Newsom said.

The tool was developed through a partnership between the California Department of Human Resources and the state's Office of Data and Innovation. It uses generative artificial intelligence to analyze an applicant's resume and suggest state job classifications based on the person's skills and experience.

According to the governor's office, information from uploaded resumes and conversations is not stored or saved on the website. Each use begins a new session without retaining data.

``I'm proud of the work our teams have done to pioneer the AskCA engine, a critical feature supporting Californians seeking employment with the state,'' Monica Erickson, director of the California Department of Human Resources, said in a statement. ``This tool will help hundreds of thousands of applicants understand where to begin their search and cut through the specialized terminology of state classifications.''

The tool uses technology developed for AskCA, another state initiative designed to help residents access government services related to employment, starting businesses and recovering from disasters.

Since its preliminary launch, the Skills Matching prototype has received approximately 21,500 clicks from people exploring the tool, according to state officials. Nearly 8,000 users have submitted resumes or other information to receive job classification recommendations, officials said.

The new tool is part of a broader effort to streamline hiring for state positions, including changes intended to reduce application screening times and eliminate duplicative recruitment procedures.

State officials said an Accelerated Hiring Guide introduced in partnership with the Government Operations Agency and State Personnel Board is estimated to save more than 500,000 hours of staff time annually.

The guide is designed to reduce applicant screening times by 80% to 85% by allowing departments to defer minimum qualification checks until candidates are selected for interviews.

The state is also simplifying hiring for certain licensed professionals, including marriage and family therapists and clinical counselors, by allowing applicants to use existing professional licenses or certifications instead of completing a full state examination, officials said.

Another initiative combines vacancies across multiple departments into shared job announcements, an approach intended to reduce administrative work and speed up hiring.

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration recently adopted a similar recruitment model, resulting in 23 student hires during its first hiring event, according to the governor's office.

The new job-matching system follows other state efforts to expand the use of artificial intelligence in government operations.

Those efforts include the state's AskCA initiative and Engaged California, an online public engagement platform initially tested with people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.

Job seekers can access the Skills Matching tool through https://calcareers.ca.gov/.