PG&E's Pre-Employment Testing Program: PTB, IST & Clerical Test Explained

PG&E's hiring process has several stages: an online application, a phone interview, one or more pre-employment tests, and a face-to-face interview.

Phone Interview: After you apply online with your résumé and application form, you'll have a phone interview with a PG&E recruiter, covering your work history and career goals. PG&E also offers a pre-recorded video interview as an alternative: a webcam session with 5 or 6 questions, giving you 3 minutes to record each answer. Unlike a live call, you can re-record your answer as many times as you'd like before submitting.

Pre-Employment Test: Once you've had your initial interview, you may be invited to complete one or more of PG&E's pre-employment tests. Which one depends on the role you're applying for, covered in detail below.

Excel Test: If you're applying for a role such as Electric Settlement Associate Analyst or Business Finance Analyst, you may also be asked to take an Excel test, covering formatting, editing, protecting cells, and creating charts and graphs, in as much as 40 minutes. Some roles also require an FCC license test in addition to the primary test.

Face-to-Face Interview: If you score well on your pre-employment assessment, you'll be invited to a face-to-face interview, typically a panel conversation with a Human Resources manager and the head of the department you'd be working in. More on what to expect in that interview further down this page.

If you receive a job offer, you'll need to complete a drug test within 72 business hours of the offer.

PG&E uses pre-employment tests to fairly evaluate applicants and help ensure those hired are likely to succeed and stay safe on the job. Tests are developed and validated to PG&E's own professional testing standards, and which one you take depends on the role you're applying for.

• Materials Handler and Utility Worker roles require the Physical Test Battery (PTB). Utility Worker roles also require the Work Orientation Inventory (WOI).
• Mapping Technician, Engineering Estimator, and Scheduler roles require the Industrial Skills Test (IST).
• Clerical positions and Meter Reader roles require the Clerical/Meter Reader Test (CTB).

Each job posting lists the specific test or tests required for that role, so you'll know exactly what to prepare for before you apply. Below, we break down what each test actually covers and how to prepare for it.

The PTB is required for Materials Handler and Utility Worker roles. Utility Worker roles also require the Work Orientation Inventory (WOI).

It's administered in one session covering two parts: Numerical Ability (75 items across whole numbers, decimals, and fractions, 10 minutes) and Space Visualization (50 items in a block-pile format, 5 minutes). No calculator is allowed.

The math and spatial reasoning aren't advanced on their own, what makes the PTB difficult is the time pressure: under 10 seconds per question in both sections. If you fail, PG&E requires a 90-calendar-day wait before you can retake it, a real delay if you're counting on this role.

Prepare for the PTB with our full PrepPack, built to match PG&E's real time limits and question format.

The IST is required for Mapping Technician, Engineering Estimator, and Scheduler roles.

It's administered in one sitting covering three parts: Reading Comprehension (25 items, 30 minutes), Working with Numbers, Charts, and Graphs (25 items, 30 minutes), and Mechanical Principles (36 items, 20 minutes), one hour and 20 minutes total. No calculator is allowed.

None of the three sections are conceptually hard on their own. What makes the IST difficult is moving through all three back to back at that pace. Candidates who fail must wait 90 calendar days before retaking it.

Prepare for the IST with our full PrepPack, built to match PG&E's real time limits and question format.

The CTB is required for clerical positions and Meter Reader roles.

It's administered in one session lasting about an hour, covering five components: Computation (5 minutes), Language Skills (5 minutes), Problem Solving (10 minutes), Coding (5 minutes), and Visual Speed and Accuracy (5 minutes). No calculator is allowed.

Each section tests a different skill, arithmetic, proofreading, word problems, code-table lookup, and rapid visual comparison, so the challenge isn't any one section, it's switching between five different skill types under a sharp timer for each. Candidates who fail must wait 90 calendar days before retaking it.

Prepare for the CTB with our full PrepPack, built to match PG&E's real time limits and question format.

The face-to-face interview typically takes place at a PG&E location, usually as a panel conversation with several managers. PG&E uses the STAR technique to structure behavioral questions:

• Situation: You'll be asked to describe a challenging situation from a previous job.
• Task: The interviewer wants to know what you were trying to achieve, so emphasize your motivation.
• Actions: Explain exactly what you did, what alternatives you considered, and why you chose that course of action.
• Results: Describe what you achieved, how it met your objectives, and what you learned from the experience.

Beyond behavioral questions, be ready to talk about safety in the workplace. Familiarize yourself with PG&E's safety rules before the interview, and think through a safety story you can share with recruiters. Other questions will be technical. The following list contains some of the questions asked during PG&E interviews:

• What is your experience with safety initiatives?
• Have you ever been faced with an immediate safety issue and how did you deal with it?
• Describe the leadership triangle and the influence you had in it that led to a consensus decision.
• Provide an example of a time when you had to make a difficult decision that others may have opposed.
• Describe a time that shows how you overcame a large challenge in your previous role.
• Describe three elements of your personality that make you a good fit for the applied position.
• What was your greatest accomplishment?
• What is a good example of a safety story that you can share with us?
• Tell me about a time when you made a mistake at work. Did that affect your professional relationship with a stakeholder? How did you handle or resolve it?
• What does the term VOIP mean?
• If you were replacing a large diameter pipeline in a commercial area, what considerations would need to be made to assure the pipeline was installed successfully?
• What are D.b.s., T3, and Fiber optics?
• What experience have you had with FERC?

Go over these questions and prepare your answers in advance. Coming to the interview equipped with clear, confident answers will help you create a favorable impression on the interviewers.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the US. Founded in 1905 and now headquartered in Oakland, California, PG&E employs approximately 23,000 people and provides natural gas and electric service to approximately 16 million people across a 70,000-square-mile service area in northern and central California.

PG&E hires across trades, operations, customer service, administrative support, and power plants, from union-represented craft and field roles to professional and management positions.

Pay: compensation varies by role, location, and union classification (many field and trade roles are represented by IBEW Local 1245, with professional roles represented by ESC IFPTE 20 or SEIU Local 24/7). As an example, a Utility Worker position currently starts at $38.74 an hour, though PG&E posts specific pay ranges on each individual job listing.

Benefits: PG&E offers medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) with company matching up to 8%, and a cash-balance pension at no cost to the employee. Additional benefits include paid time off, tuition reimbursement of up to $8,000, and ongoing professional development and training programs.

For most non-management positions, getting hired means passing one or more pre-employment tests first. Your score can meaningfully affect your standing in the hiring process, so it's worth taking the preparation seriously, which is exactly what the rest of this page will help you do.