For the first time in seven years, Commissioner Kathryn Garcia says the Department of Sanitation is looking for new applicants to fill their ranks.

Since the process takes so much time, requirements from the start of the application to actually getting a job can change. A YouTube video from the department says applicants need to be at least 17 years old.

There are no formal licensing or education requirements to take the civil service exam, but applicants must be 21 years old and possess a high school diploma or GED, as well as a CDL license at the time of appointment.

According to the department's website, the starting salary of a sanitation worker is $33,746, but the current labor agreement allows for an increase to $69,339 following the completion of nearly six years of service. Employees say those numbers do not include overtime.

The filing period for the exam begins Oct. 1 and runs until the end of the month. The actual exam will be offered in February of next year.