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Submitted by the Public Information Office
Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey announced the county’s personnel office is implementing decentralized continuous recruitment exams to make it easier for residents seeking employment to apply for certain county positions throughout the year. The continuous recruitment applies to five different job titles.
“The county is looking for ways to streamline civil service in an effort to attract more candidates for open positions and continuous recruitment is a step in that direction,” said Godfrey, chairman of the legislature’s administration committee. “We want more residents to have more opportunities to seek employment with the county, beyond waiting for a test that has been typically given once a year.”
According to Mal Needler, county personnel officer, continuous recruitment means applications are accepted year-round, not just at certain times of the year. This allows tests to be given more frequently as well. The impacted positions are account clerical I, custodian, clerical I, clerical II and public health technician.
“The clerical I and clerical II attract a decent number of candidates, so that exam will now be given twice a year, rather than just once,” Needler said. “For the other three positions, which attract far fewer candidates, exams will be given on walk-in basis once a person completes their application. As soon as the exams are scored, candidates will be immediately added to the existing hiring list.”
Needler said the issue is that, with fewer people taking the annual civil service exams, the hiring lists are smaller and can be exhausted quickly. This means vacant positions go unfilled for longer periods of time, to the detriment of both the county and job seekers.
“These positions are all entry level and are the gateway to further opportunities with the county,” Needler said. “Continuous recruitment should help us fill them more quickly.”
All job posting and exam announcement can be found at https://niagara-portal.mycivilservice.com/exams.