The four steps

1. The exam is announced

The agency opens a filing period for a job class, often only every few years. The announcement sets the minimum qualifications from the class specification: the license, degree and experience a candidate needs to be eligible.

2. Candidates apply and test

Applicants file during the window and sit a public, competitive exam. Filing periods are often short, and when the window closes, it closes.

3. The eligible list is ranked

Passing candidates are ranked on an eligible list that the agency hires from for a set period. That period varies by jurisdiction. Oakland's eligible list FAQ, for example, describes lists that run from one to four years.

4. The agency appoints

The agency hires from the top of the list under its own rules. In New Jersey, for example, appointing authorities use the "Rule of Three". Veterans' preference and other rules apply here.

Why a good process still produces a thin list

Nothing in those four steps goes looking for candidates. The process ranks the people who apply, and it can only be as strong as the pool that files during the window.

For licensed technical roles, that pool is often small. The engineers who qualify are usually employed and not watching public job boards, so they don't hear about the exam until it has closed. When that happens, the list comes back thin, and the next chance may be years away. We explain why licensed engineers miss these windows in why licensed engineers skip civil service exams.

Where an outside recruiter fits

A civil service agency can't hire from a recruiter's shortlist. It can use an outside recruiter for recruitment outreach: the work in steps 1 and 2.

  • Before the window opens: map who holds the license the class requires, and where they work today.
  • When it opens: contact them directly, explain the role and the agency, and screen them against the class specification so only eligible people are encouraged to apply.
  • During the window: direct qualified people to the agency's application and confirm they filed.
  • Every month: report everyone contacted, who applied and why others declined, so the agency sees the whole market.

What the recruiter doesn't do is just as important. It has no part in the exam, the scoring, the eligible list or the appointment, and it doesn't prepare anyone for the test. Every candidate competes on the same exam as everyone else.

What to look for in an outreach partner

  • A clear line between what they do and what your agency keeps, in writing.
  • Screening against your class specification before anyone is referred, so your HR team isn't processing ineligible applicants.
  • Reporting on everyone contacted, not just the people who said yes.
  • A fee that doesn't depend on who you hire. A placement fee gives a recruiter a reason to care about the outcome of your selection, which a civil service process is designed to keep neutral.
  • A willingness to work within your procurement process and vendor registration.

That is how the MakoHire Talent Pipeline works for public agencies: a fixed monthly fee, no placement fee, and no part in the exam or the list.