European Personnel Selection Office A career at the

European Personnel Selection Office A career at the heart of Europe Presentation by Joan Flanagan Education Officer European Commission Representation in Ireland 9 February 2011

EPSO selects staff for: Commission Court of Justice Council Court of Auditors Parliament Economic & Social Ctte Ombudsman Ctte of Regions …and many other agencies of the EU Data Protection Supervisor 9 February 2011

Getting a job in an EU Institution • EPSO selects candidates • European Institutions recruit from selected candidates 9 February 2011

Are you looking for: • Challenging work? • Meaningful work (public service)? • Opportunities to travel? • Opportunities to change job and progress? • Opportunities to change place of work? • A career…? … then look no further! 9 February 2011

How to apply • Entry is by open competition • Apply online on: www. eu-careers. eu • Regular cycle of competitions • Selection procedure = 5 -9 months 9 February 2011

www. eu-careers. eu 9 February 2011

Who can apply • Citizens of the 27 Member States • Having at least 2 official EU languages of which one is EN, FR or DE • 3 languages before first promotion 9 February 2011

Categories of staff AD – Administrators administrators, policy makers, researchers, managers, translators, interpreters … • University degree AST – Assistants administrative assistants (e. g. in finance, HR, IT), technicians, secretaries, proofreaders … • Higher Secondary Education (at least) NB: Specific requirements for each competition 9 February 2011

The competition stages 9 February 2011

Competition structure > 10, 000 applicants typically 1 : 50 1. Computer Based Tests (CBT) – multiple choice tests in EN, FR or DE – test centre in your country – all applicants 2. Assessment – EPSO assessment centre in Brussels All defined in a published “Notice of competition” < 300 successful 9 February 2011

1. Computer based tests Computer Based Tests (CBT) • verbal & numerical reasoning • abstract reasoning • situational judgement testing • AST: professional skills • Linguists: language skills • (EU knowledge is no longer tested) • in second language 9 February 2011

2. Assessment • AD (one day) - Case study in the field (written) - Group exercise - Oral presentation - Structured interview • AST (half a day) - Professional skills test - Work simulation - Structured interview 9 February 2011

What are we testing during the assessment Knowledge - Specialist knowledge (in EU context) - Second language - Main language Competencies - Analysis and problem solving - Communicating - Delivering quality and result - Learning and development - Prioritising and organising - Resilience - Working with others + - AD: Leadership 9 February 2011

Conclusion - Reserve list • List of successful candidates • Basis for recruitment by Institutions • Valid for at least one year – often extended 9 February 2011

Process of recruitment • Institutions invite candidates for interview • Job offer made • Candidate has option of accepting or remaining on reserve list 9 February 2011

Staffing levels by Institution Committee of Regions 1% Economical and Social Committee 2% Court of Auditors 2% European Court of Justice 3% European Parliament 13% European Ombudsman 0, 5% Council 9% European Commission 70% 9 February 2011

Career function group AD (Administrators) function group AST (Assistants) Director-General AD 16 Director-General/ Director AD 15 Administrator working for example as: Director / Head of unit / Adviser / linguistic expert; economic expert; legal expert; medical expert; veterinary expert; scientific expert; research expert; financial expert, audit expert AD 14 Head of Unit/Adviser/linguistic expert; economic expert; legal expert; medical expert; veterinary expert; scientific expert; research expert; financial expert, audit expert AD 13 Head of Unit/principal translator, principal interpreter, principal economist; principal lawyer; principal medical officer; principal veterinary inspector; principal scientist; principal researcher; principal financial officer, principal audit officer AD 12 AD 11 AST 11 Head of Unit/senior translator; senior interpreter; senior economist ; senior lawyer; senior medical officer; senior veterinary inspector; senior scientist; senior researcher; senior financial officer, senior audit officer AD 10 AST 10 AD 9 AST 9 Translator; interpreter; economist; lawyer; medical officer; veterinary inspector; scientist; researcher; financial officer, auditor AD 8 AST 8 AD 7 AST 7 Junior translator; junior interpreter; junior economist; junior lawyer; junior medical officer; junior veterinary inspector; junior scientist; junior researcher; junior financial officer, junior auditor AD 6 AST 6 AD 5 AST 5 AST 4 AST 3 AST 2 AST 1 9 February 2011 Assistant working for example as: Personal assistant (p. a. ); clerical officer; technical officer; IT officer Senior clerk; senior documentalist; senior technician; senior IT operative Clerk; documentalist; technician; IT operative Junior clerk; junior documentalist; junior technician, junior IT operative Filing clerk; technical attendant; IT attendant, Parliamentary usher.

Attractive career • Strong focus on training & development • Language training encouraged (3 rd language required for first promotion) • Job mobility: career development positively encouraged (successive changes of department/field) • Basic monthly salary for AST 1: 2, 650€ • Basic monthly salary for AD 5: 4, 350€ • Additional allowances for: expatriation, household, dependent child, education • Flexitime arrangements • Part-time working arrangements • Maternity leave of 20 weeks • Parental leave of 6 months 9 February 2011

Other working possibilities • Contract agents • Traineeships • Seconded national experts http: //europa. eu/epso/discover/careers/staff_categories/index_en. htm 9 February 2011

Further information www. eu-careers. eu General Information in 23 languages Applications accepted in 3 languages (English, French, German) 9 February 2011

Questions? 9 February 2011

Contacts in the Representation in Ireland Education officer: Joan. Flanagan@ec. europa. eu Head of Information Timothy. Hayes@ec. europa. eu www. euireland. ie 9 February 2011