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Being Prepared Can Help In Passing EU Concours
EU concours, the recruitment competition and examination process used to select staff for all European Union institutions, can be daunting process, but successfully making it through the process can open doors to many opportunities throughout Europe.
Open Competition
The European Personnel Selection Office is responsible for administering open competitions in order to select recruitment staff for all EU institutions. All permanent staff at EU institutions are recruited through the open competition process. Applicants come from all over Europe.
Small competitions may allow for a select few to gain entry into an EU institution position, but this is not the common entry process. There are temporary positions available, but these also require a selection and testing process. The Official Journal of the European Union's C series publishes a list of all EU open competitions.
Requirements
The Official Journal of the European Union lists all requirements of each competition and an estimate of available positions. Basic requirements are:
• Third level diploma
• EU citizenship
• A minimum of two EU languages (native tongue and second language of choice)
Stages Of Competition
There are typically 3 states to each of the EU competitions
1. Pre-selection testing normally covering EU knowledge (pertaining to many subject areas), including verbal and numerical reasoning and specific knowledge relating to the field of competition the applicant is applying for (i.e. law, science, etc.)*
2. Written tests are presented as essay style exams with candidates often required to write an analysis of information that is provided. Both first and second languages may be a requirement.
3. Interview process will likely test both languages. The questions asked will vary depending on the field the applicant is testing for.
*Normally pre-selection tests must be taken in the applicant's second language of choice with the test consisting of multiple choice selections.
Exam Centres
Examination centres are usually found in each EU member state. Larger countries will have multiple centres. Interviews are typically held in Luxembourg or Brussels.
Positions
The number of positions will vary, but will be stated in the notice for each competition. A reserve list is compiled, but this does not guarantee every candidate will get a job, just that they have passed the exam process and are qualified. Some candidates drop out during the process, so positions that were previously filled will be available, making it important to check the list frequently.