Another factor that may be contributing to the hike in traffic is the . Top supporters of rivals and may be interested in an appointed post for after the election. But the number of jobs that can bypass civil service hiring rules is relatively small -- roughly 10,000. And all of the appointed positions are listed in what is called the , which will be updated and published after the election.

Who will fill the so-called plum jobs? Many campaign officials, no doubt, but both candidates tipped their hands a little during last night's town-hall-style debate in Nashville. In response to a question from moderator Tom Brokaw, McCain mentioned former eBay Inc. CEO Meg Whitman as a possible choice for Treasury secretary, and both he and Obama spoke highly of billionaire investor .

A major problem with getting a civil service job is the time it takes to get hired -- often many months, especially if a security clearance is required. "Unfortunately, when it gets six or nine months out, that's far too long," Bjorklund said. "Many of these qualified candidates are being hired by someone else."