To replace traditional methods of minimum competency testing in personnel selection, a two stage cutting score procedure is proposed. The Angoff procedure is modified so that only a subset of test items, which assess essential job related skills, are used to determine the cutting score and to identify qualifed applicants. As a measure of item content validity the Lawshe rating scale is used by a panel of judges. Essential items are identified, and difficulty indices estimated for a hypothetical population of minimally qualified examinees; the sum of the item probabilities, over judges, equals the minimum cutting score. The second procedural stage involves the identification of test items assessing useful, but not essential skills. The number of these items answered correctly, plus the number of correct essential items is used to rank qualified candidates. This procedure provides a rational methodology for producing an applicant eligibility list for jobs requiring specific skills and abilities in view of constraints imposed by the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. (AEF)