What does it mean if you are put on the hiring list for the post office?

Applicants are tested and those who pass are placed on a list from which new hires will be made, if and when positions become available at the one or more office locations selected by the applicant. There are normally lists separated by the position for which the applicant has qualified. There is still no guarantee of being hired, because a physical and a personal interview will also be required.

Lists will expire at the end of a given period, after which no hires will be made from that particular list. It is obviously preferable to score well on the testing, to place higher on the list. But a careful selection of locations is also important, to maximize the chance of an opening becoming available.