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TextEligible Lists FAQ
- Why does the county use eligible lists to fill positions?
- What is the purpose of the 3-month eligible list?
- How are education and experience used to determine "Minimum Qualifications"?
- What happens if I meet the minimum qualifications?
- What does the "Expires" date mean?
- How do I renew my eligiblity?
- Are resumes placed in a rank order on the eligible list?
- How do I improve my chances of being considered for an interview from an eligible list?
Why does the county use eligible lists to fill positions?
Eligible lists are often used to fill categories of positions (such as Administrative Assistant III) that become vacant frequently throughout the year. Rather than announce each job opening, an eligible list allows a department to establish a ready pool of qualified applicants to interview. The department can then fill the position more quickly.
The advantage for applicants is that they do not have to apply over and over again as jobs in that category become vacant —they will automatically be considered for every vacancy in that job category. Specific job opportunities may be advertised on a case-by-case basis after it has been determined that there are not enough applicants on the eligible list who meet the requirements of the position. This is generally rare.
What is the purpose of the 3-month eligible list?
The 3-month, renewable eligible list is used to keep the eligible lists current. Hiring managers have indicated that they want to review resumes of applicants who are actively interested in job opportunities. The 3-month renewal date helps to separate the “active” applicants from those who are no longer interested, have found other employment, or have left the area.
Note: Although failure to renew your eligible list application every three months will not result in your elimination from the eligible list, it will significantly reduce the likelihood of your being considered for vacant positions. Most eligible list resume searches will be limited to applicants who have applied (or renewed their eligibility) within the last three months.
How are education and experience used to determine "Minimum Qualifications"?
Every advertised position includes a statement of Minimum Qualifications. Your resume is evaluated to determine whether you meet those qualifications for the requested eligible list(s). To meet the minimum qualifications you must have a combination of education and experience equal to the minimum qualifications. This means that qualifying experience may be considered equivalent to required education and vice versa. In some situations, education may not be substituted for experience, and you must have the required experience in order to be considered qualified. The job announcement will usually state any restrictions on the substitution of education and experience.
What happens if I meet the minimum qualifications?
For eligible lists used to fill Administrative Assistant jobs, your resume is not prescreened to determine if you meet minimum qualifications. Instead, your resume is simply added to the applicant pool for the job class (Administrative Assistant I, II or III). When vacancies occur in those job classes your resume, along with all the others in the pool, is evaluated to determine: (1) if your education and experience match up well with the vacancy; and (2) whether you meet the minimum qualifications for the job class.
What does the "Expires" date mean?
The dates shown on the "My Status" page in AIMS are the date that you last renewed your eligibility for the eligible list and the date that your eligibility will expire. After the "Expires" date, it is unlikely that your resume will be considered for vacant jobs filled from that list.
How do I renew my eligibility?
You can renew your eligibility for another three months at any time. Just use the "Quick Apply" feature in AIMS and apply to the eligible list again. Be sure that your resume is up-to-date, since the resume that currently resides in your AIMS account will be submitted when you renew your eligibility.
Are resumes placed in a rank order on the eligible list?
No, there is no attempt to rank applicants on an eligible list. The eligible list is simply a pool of applicants that county hiring managers can consider for a vacancy in that job category.
How do I improve my chances of being considered for an interview from an eligible list?
When there is a vacancy, the pool of applicants in the eligible list for the appropriate job category are scrutinized for specific qualifications, which have been provided by the hiring manager. The resume database is used to locate the applicants with the best match of skills, education and other appropriate criteria. The resumes of those applicants whose skills most closely match the job criteria are sent to the hiring manager for further consideration. The hiring manager will then determine which applicants will be contacted for an interview.
Therefore, to improve your chances of being considered, it is very important to have a comprehensive resume that describes your work experience in detail, including software capabilities, professional certifications, training courses taken, etc. You are most likely to be considered for a position if your skills and education match closely with the skills required for the particular vacancy. It is also important to renew your eligibility every three months.
Please understand that being on an eligible list does not guarantee that you will receive an interview. There are typically several hundred people on each of these eligible lists at any given time. Being on an eligible list simply makes an applicant eligible for consideration.
If you have additional questions about the eligible list process, please e-mail us.
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