A_Socialist_Gardener's journey

I've been on the job hunt for civil service positions in Southern California, focusing mainly on local cities and school districts since they seem to be the only ones hiring lately. I've applied to what feels like hundreds of these jobs, all of which utilize those frustrating eligibility lists. It seems like the process is supposed to be merit-based, but honestly, it feels anything but. The interviews are scored using a vague rubric that doesn't seem to reflect true qualifications. I've gone through multiple rounds of testing for part-time desk jobs, only to end up on some call-back list for a year without any updates. It’s disheartening to think that this method is meant to find the best candidates when it often feels subjective and inefficient. I've heard stories about nepotism in government hiring, where connections can outweigh qualifications, which only adds to my frustration. Has anyone else experienced this? It just seems like a broken system.