Made the Eligibility List :) , Question.

[leowonderer]

I just got a letter from the department that I applied to saying I made the eligibility list after my oral interview. I am quite happy with that, I felt I did awesome in my oral and it paid off. The letter states that you passed and are on the eligibility list for 1 year and that BIs will start as personnel are needed.

I have never on a police eligibility list but I have read of them before. I know CHP has had such a list for sometime before the academy opened up again this year for example. I have no idea how high I am up the eligibility list it just says that you are on it. The department I am applying has rumored to have 20 positions available. I believe they are working on BIs from the last eligibility list.

How do you find out more information of eligibility lists? I live in central California, Southern California. Is it acceptable for me to call the department and ask questions about the eligibility list?

Thanks

One step closer to the job that I have wanted for some time...

[spitfire]

Couldn't hurt to try.

Call up & ask if it's possible to find out your ranking, if it's not then no harm, no foul. If acceptable, give her your name & cross your fingers.

[leowonderer]

I just called, they will not release the information. I really wish that they would say but I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens.

They are calling the first group first and so on is all they can say.

[LeoSoon]

I think they should tell you your position or go for a different department. I know they think that everyone is lucky to even apply for the position but believe it or not it takes time out of your life to go to all these test, oral panels, etc. You should at least know where you stand.

Also....what happens when the next wave of testing happens and they add more people to the list? You could be number 10 now, and end up number 20 next month. Some departments use time as a factor so you will at least keep your number on the list, but others go off total score which means you could fall lower and lower on the list as that year goes by.

I applied to a smaller dept here in CA and not only did they tell me my number on the list via a letter but they also called me and told me my chances of reaching BG and what I can do in 6 months to re-apply and make my score higher. I'm number 15 out of 48 but they are doing number 9's BG right now. So who knows.

Anyway, good luck with the list. ;)

[leowonderer]

Here is what the letter says with a little editing...

Congradulations! You sucessfully completed the oral test for the ....... Police Department. We will be conducting background investigations as our personnel needs dictate. You will be notified if an Background investigation is going to be initiated. Your eligibility will be in effect for one year.

Thank You for your interest in the .......Police department and good luck in your future efforts.

The letter is very vague on how it will be conducted. We were told that a large number of the people that passed the oral interview would go to BI. I have no more information on this at this time.

This is my major first choice department and since I am still in school until June I am going to wait until then and either reapply, go through a self sponsered academy in California and or apply at other organizations.

[Kimble]

This is my major first choice department and since I am still in school until June I am going to wait until then and either reapply, go through a self sponsered academy in California and or apply at other organizations.

Not saying you should bail out of the department you truly want to work for, but putting all your eggs in one basket is a big mistake that applicants make. It is always better to have too many options to chose from than apply to only one department/agency and have it not turn out for you. While you have the time, apply to other agencies. If you make it in the department you really want, then great, if not, you'll have something to fall back on. I imagine if you work for another department for some time, one of two things may happen: (1) you find you really like working there and are glad you applied when you still had the time to do so, or (2) you will have experience and training that will make you a better applicant to move to the department you originially wanted (or can possibly do a lateral transition if the department allows).

[JPHXS]

What ROS says is true i was in the Prescott PD elegibility list for a year and nothing, This is a small town so five of made it to the list including a detective from LA who was looking into moving over here.

I think you should apply to deparments which are hiring

Good luck!

[leowonderer]

This department was supose to be hiring. I do not know how it is working. I have several ways to go with my life right now even though I really want to be a police officer.

I am graduating this summer with a BS degree. I have my pre education classes and I can go into teaching rather easy. I have a good job now working in a electronics store (not great but good) but I do not want to do that for the rest of my life. I am considering if this does not work out to spend another year in school, finish my teaching credentials, take some course work that would be fun and start this whole thing all again in September of next year if I do not get in.

I know it is bad to put all your eggs in one basket. I am a very good canidate except no military which is not necessary. I have no work, police or life problems. I know that Orange Country Sherrifs department is hiring now same with Riverside Sheriffs department and LA Sheriffs department. Many local PDs are hiring too. The reason I am not applying all over right now is I want to finish school first and not worry about oral here, written there, etc before I graduate. If I start applying again in summer or fall assuming I do not get in to my first choice then I will go that way. Someone I work with just got to BI with Orange County Sheriffs department. There are opertunities out there, I just need to be ready for them.

If all fails I go self sponsered and go from there...

[scott715us]

I don't know how it is out west, but eligibility lists are just a pool of applicants that made it past the general physical agility/written process. When the agency in question decides to hire, they will pull folks from the list and begin the interview process. When the list gets low, they will conduct testing again. Of course, you beat out others and made the list, but hiring could take a while. Of course, having the politics couldn't hurt either as far as speeding up the process. ;)

[leowonderer]

Every department is different that is true.

At the physical agility test they stated that 70 percent of those that passed the oral , 20 percent would go to BI right now. I know I passed the oral but I do not know what placing I am, they will not say.

I felt I did really good on the oral, one of my strong points. The department had hiring in June and I do not know if all or most of them were called. Also a hint is that this department is opening a new station in the next year so posistions (like 20 or so may be avalable at that time. I know they are conducting interviews from June so I do not know where I am on the list. Most of this information came from officers I have talked too.

They should call the first from the list in January. If I do not get called then I just have to wait. Since I am in a bind with school right now I can not apply to somewhere like OCSD, or RSO right now. Since I know a new station will be going up I am abliged to wait 6 months, then maybe reapply with them, and a handful of other organizations.

I don't know how it is out west, but eligibility lists are just a pool of applicants that made it past the general physical agility/written process. When the agency in question decides to hire, they will pull folks from the list and begin the interview process. When the list gets low, they will conduct testing again. Of course, you beat out others and made the list, but hiring could take a while. Of course, having the politics couldn't hurt either as far as speeding up the process.

Just curious how do they rank the elgibility list for oral interviews or in my case BIs?

Thanks all again.

[LeoSoon]

Is this a secret department you applied to? ;)

[corporal716]

Up until last year they probably would have told you what number you were on the list, but something changed in 2003. I have been out for a while but recently tested for a Corrections SGT positions with a Central CA departement. I received a letter saying that I had passed and was on the list, but it did not say where. When I called they said they could no longer give out the information.

Good Luck

[leowonderer]

We will just say in the inland empire (So Cal city)...

If I get to BI I will tell everyone... :D

[hwpd]

Good job