Public recruitment processes are expected to be transparent, competitive, and fair to all applicants. Whenever government institutions advertise vacancies, job seekers invest significant time and resources preparing applications with the expectation that the recruitment process will be conducted in a manner that promotes equal opportunity and public confidence.

One of the key stages in any recruitment exercise is shortlisting. While there is no universal rule that dictates the exact number of candidates that must be shortlisted for every position, public service commissions are generally expected to shortlist a sufficient number of qualified applicants to ensure meaningful competition during interviews. When only a handful of candidates are shortlisted for multiple vacancies, applicants naturally begin asking questions about the criteria used and whether the process was sufficiently competitive.

Transparency becomes even more important when recruitment portals continue displaying applications as "in progress" long after shortlists have been released. Such situations create confusion among applicants who are left uncertain about the status of their applications and whether the recruitment process is being conducted fairly.

Hello Nyakundi,

Kindly hide my identity

I would like to raise concerns regarding a recent recruitment exercise by the County Government of Nakuru for Youth Polytechnic Instructor III positions.

According to the advertisement, there were 11 vacancies available for the position.

However, what has raised eyebrows among many applicants is that only 12 people were shortlisted for the 11 advertised positions.

This has left many of us wondering whether the recruitment process was sufficiently competitive and whether enough qualified applicants were considered.

As job seekers, we would like to understand the standard practice when it comes to public service recruitment.

How many candidates should ordinarily be shortlisted for government positions?

Is it normal for only 12 candidates to be shortlisted for 11 vacancies?

Were there genuinely so few qualified applicants, or were deserving candidates left out of the process?

Adding to the confusion is the fact that many applicants' online portals still indicate that their applications are "in progress."

As a result, applicants remain uncertain about whether the recruitment process has been finalized, whether additional shortlists are expected, or whether their applications are still under consideration.

The lack of clear communication has created frustration among many young people who applied for the positions in good faith and were hoping for a fair opportunity to compete.

We are therefore appealing to the Nakuru County Public Service Board and the County Government of Nakuru to provide clarification regarding the recruitment process.

How were the shortlisted candidates selected?

Why were only 12 people shortlisted for 11 available positions?

And why do applicant portals continue to display "in progress" despite the publication of the shortlist?

Transparency is critical in public recruitment because it helps build confidence among applicants and assures the public that employment opportunities are being awarded fairly and competitively.

We hope the relevant authorities will address these concerns and provide the clarification that applicants deserve.