EPSO will announce, on 17 and 23 November 2010, approximately 500-700 Assistant jobs in the EU institutions. Becoming an Assistant in an EU institution is an excellent opportunity: you get a chance to work in an international environment with interesting people on topics ranging from agricultural subsidies through nanotechnology research and international aid…or you may as well become an Assistant for President Barroso!
The salary is also excellent; starting net pay for EU assistants is well above 2500 EUR a month. But how to get this dream job? Join us on 30 November 2010 for a live, FREE online presentation where we give you tips and advice how to pass the EPSO Assistant exams! Until then, some key information:
1. Types of Positions
Assistants are to be recruited for EU institutions on two different levels:
- AST1 (EPSO/AST/111/10) – these are secretarial positions where anyone with the right qualification can apply from any of the EU's 27 Member States as long as your main language is one of the following: Danish, German, English, Spanish , French, Dutch, Portuguese, Swedish or Maltese;
- AST3 (EPSO/AST/112/10) – these are secretarial positions where anyone with some relevant work experience can apply from any of the EU's 27 Member States regardless which language(s) you speak! Positions will be available in the following fields:
- Statistics
- Finance / Accounting
- Human Resources
- Communication / Information Technology
2. What will the exams be like?
After submitting your application before 16 and 23 December 2010, you will be invited to the pre-selection (or admission) stage of the competition. For assistants, this will involve well-known test types as well as several new ones.
Verbal, Numerical and Abstract Reasoning Tests
- Verbal Reasoning: measuring your ability to understand texts in various topics.
- How to prepare: Online EU Training has 1000+ verbal reasoning practice tests in 8 languages - English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Bulgarian and Romanian
- Numerical Reasoning: measuring your ability to work with data and numbers using charts and tables.
- How to prepare: Online EU Training has 1000+ numerical reasoning practice tests in English and French
- Abstract Reasoning: using abstract geometrical figures and visual relationships, these tests measure your ability to interpret abstract concepts.
- How to prepare: Online EU Training has 700+ abstract reasoning practice exercises of various difficulty levels
New Test Types – Accuracy, Organising and Prioritising
The following test types are likely to be used in the "AST Professional Skills" part of the competition:
- Accuracy Tests: You will be presented with tables of data and then another table (the answer table) with the same information in a different structure: you must discover if there are any errors in the answer table.
- Inbox Management: you are presented with a list of emails and you must decide from four options what you will do with each of them.
- Organising and Prioritising, Diary management: to simulate real-life work situations, practical test types on handling emails or setting up priorities using a calendar will be most likely used.
- Computer Skills: no worries, you don’t have to write code or hack the FBI's systems! The test will assess whether you can use general office software (Word, Excel, Outlook, Google, and so on) quickly and effectively.
The good news is that Online EU Training will offer high-quality preparation materials (practice tests, online courses, tips & tricks and study materials) for each exam type of the EU Assistant (AST) pre-selection tests from 15 November 2010.
- Situational Judgement Tests (SJT): these are also part of the pre-selection testing for Assistants. These tests are designed to measure your behavioural competencies – delivering quality and results, communicating effectively, working with others, and so on.
You can check out a free demo of what an SJT looks like and read some tips & tricks about these tests (originally written for Administrator candidates but useful for ASTs).
The Assessment Centre (AC) for Assistants
If you succeed at the pre-selection stage, you will be invited to the Assessment Centre. An AC is a half-day or one-day event where your skills and competencies are tested:
- Structured Interview: this is not like a regular job interview; here you have a chance to give the assessors information on your past experiences and how you would approach a situation.
- E-Tray exercise: here you sit in front of a computer looking at a simulated Outlook inbox with emails arriving in real-time, calendar entries appearing, and so on. Your task is to decide what to do with each, based on all the information you receive.
Wish to know tips and how exactly to best prepare for the Assistant exams? Join our FREE live online presentation on 30 November 2010 by registering here! But hurry, only limited places are available!