California Code, Government Code - GOV § 18930

Examinations for the establishment of eligible lists shall be competitive and of such character as fairly to test and determine the qualifications, fitness, and ability of competitors actually to perform the duties of the class of position for which they seek appointment.

Examinations for managerial positions, except for career executive assignments as defined in Section 18547, peace officers defined in subdivision (a) of Section 830.2 of the Penal Code, and managerial positions of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in the classes of State Forest Ranger IV and Assistant Deputy State Forester, shall be held on an open basis unless the appointing authority determines otherwise.  “Managerial position” means those positions having the duties which are defined under “managerial employees” in subdivision (e) of Section 3513.  When an open examination is administered for a noncareer executive assignment managerial position, the names of the applicants who pass the examination with a passing score shall be placed on one list and ranked in the relative order of the examination score received.

Examinations may be assembled or unassembled, written or oral, or in the form of a demonstration of skill, or any combination of these; and any investigation of character, personality, education, and experience and any tests of intelligence, capacity, technical knowledge, manual skill, or physical fitness which the department deems are appropriate, may be employed.