PGE Hiring Process: Job Application, Interviews, and Employment

This post provides detailed information on the hiring process at the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), including the job application and interview requirements candidates need to meet to be employed.

PG&E Hiring Process

The recruitment process at PG&E involves the following stages:

Job Application Process

Generally, you start by filling out an online application form that is posted on the company’s website.

The process should take approximately 15 minutes and will be available to everyone who is legally eligible to work in the United States.

After online application form submission, you will be contacted regarding your selection for a personal interview.

Job Assessment Test

During the recruiting process, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) needs candidates to complete pre-employment tests for a wide range of positions.

The pre-employment tests are formed by two parts: cognitive and psychomotor.

Tips for Passing the PG&E Assessment Test

Here are some tips you can apply to successfully pass the PG&E pre-employment test:

Read carefully all information about the required tools and computer needs before the test
Read the instructions sent by e-mail carefully
Come prepared, with everything you need
Before the test, read a few practice questions in advance
Watch the interactive computer tutorial
Try to answer each question as specifically as possible, in standard English
After you finish the test, don’t leave your computer open until you’ve read all feedback provided by application process testers, as well as feedback from supervisors and managers who work here.

PG&E Interview Process

The interview process is the most important part of the recruiting process at PG&E. Interviewers gather information about your background, skills, and knowledge through interviews.

The interviews can start out as a phone call/screening and then proceed to a face-to-face interview. Additionally, there is also a group interview.

Tips for Passing the PG&E Interview

Here are some tips to make sure you do well during the interview:

Take notes during the interview, so you can remember details about your performance
Make sure your clothes and appearance are clean, neat, and professional
Listen carefully to the questions, and provide complete answers
Be confident in your answers.

PG&E Interview Questions and Answers

Here are sample PG&E interview questions (and suggested answers) that are generally asked during the hiring process:

Why do you want to work for Pacific Gas and Electric?

I will like to work for PG&E because I have an interest in working in the utility industry, and PG&E has a good reputation.

2. What specific tasks will you perform as a supervisor?

As a supervisor, one of my responsibilities would be to provide support for employees performing tasks related to line maintenance. Additionally, I would train lower level employees to become proficient in their job responsibilities, including inspecting and maintaining electrical lines.

3. What is your previous experience with electrical equipment?

While I have no previous experience with line maintenance, I have been working in the utility industry for several years.

Additionally, I am familiar with monitoring and maintaining electric lines.

4. Have you ever received formal training in technical work?

Yes, while working at my past employer I received formal training in electrical line repair and inspection.

5. How long have you worked for your current employer?

I have worked for my current employer for more than two years.

How Long Does PG&E Hiring Process Take?

You will receive an email confirmation shortly after submitting your application to confirm that it was received.

The procedure will then vary depending on the role, but most applicants should receive more information within a few weeks.

Some candidates that submitted their application said they heard back from the company after a month.

The pre-employment test usually takes a day. The interview lasts around two weeks. The typical employee had two interviews and received a response about employment within a week.

Regardless of whether you apply for full-time, regular work, or part-time employment, the entire hiring process at PG&E typically takes one to three months, if not more.

Major PG&E Careers and Jobs

Here are major PG&E careers and jobs candidates can explore:

Distribution Technician

Description: Distribution technicians repair and maintain distribution circuits, or “lines,” which are used to distribute electricity from a central station.

Distribution technicians install, repair, and maintain these lines, wiring telephone poles and serving office buildings.

2. Equipment Maintenance Helper

Description: Equipment maintenance assistants perform routine maintenance on equipment used in the distribution of electricity, or the “line maintenance” that takes place between power plants and transmission facilities.

3. Line Maintenance Helper

Description: Line technicians are responsible for maintaining electrical lines and overhead conductors, as well as installing and repairing damaged lines, according to company policies and procedures.

They climb utility poles and towers, and drive specially equipped trucks.

4. Supervisor – Distribution Services

Description: Supervisors in the Distribution Services department supervise teams that maintain PG&E’s substation equipment, which is located within or near customers’ premises.

Customers may benefit from improvements in efficiency and reliability, due to the upkeep performed by distribution service teams.

5. Underground Utility Worker

Description: Underground utility workers install and maintain underground facilities, such as manholes and storm drains.

They also repair, replace, or maintain power poles and electrical equipment such as transformers.

What to Expect Working at PG&E

The benefits offered by PG&E include health insurance, annual leave days, and paid holidays.

Additionally, there is training to help employees become competent in their line maintenance duties and have access to career advancement through employer-provided training programs.

What Employees Dislike about Working at PG&E

There are a few things some employees do not like about working for PG&E, including:

The work environment can be very loud and difficult for those who have sensitive hearing.
Some crew members are tense, since team members work fast paced jobs and need to be on time to do their job correctly.
The pay is not extremely competitive, and some find it difficult to live off of one paycheck.
Those who don’t enjoy a fast-paced work environment may not find working for PG&E ideal.

PG&E Company Profile

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is a publicly traded American investor-owned utility (IOU).

PG&E serves 5.2 million customers in the northern two-thirds of California, from Bakersfield to northern Santa Barbara County, almost to the Oregon and Nevada state boundaries.

PG&E is the major subsidiary of the holding firm PG&E Corporation, which has a market valuation of $3.242 billion as of January 16, 2019.

PG&E was founded on October 10, 1905, via the merging and consolidation of prior utility companies, and by 1984 was the “biggest electric utility corporation” in the United States.

PacifiCorp, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, Bear Valley Electric, and Liberty Utilities are the other five regulated, investor-owned electric utilities (IOUs) in California.

When the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) attributed the corporation major culpability for two distinct disastrous wildfires in California in 2018 and 2019, the company attracted extensive media attention.

Losses in federal bankruptcy court resulted from the official determination of culpability.

On January 14, 2019, PG&E announced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in response to its culpability for the devastating Northern California wildfires of 2017 and 2018.

The business wanted to emerge from bankruptcy by June 30, 2020, and was successful on Saturday, June 20, 2020 when U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali granted final approval of PG&E’s bankruptcy plan.