Is it really possible to get an EU job? Ever wondered what is the best strategy to prepare for an exam?
EU Training has gathered 7 issues that all those wishing to get an EU job should know!
1. The notice of competition shows more than it seems. This is the no. 1 document that EPSO considers authentic and all information contained within is your key reference. The notice of competition has far more information than many people think: apart from the formal requirements (required citizenship, diplomas, work experience), it also contains several indicative figures about how many people will be accepted for the (pre-)selection tests, the oral exam and the reserve list. This info is essential to evaluate your chances, along with the deadlines that will help your exam preparation planning.
2. Use books in the exam's language! A common mistake is to use books in your native language like Italian, Polish or Romanian, whereas the exam will be in English, French or German. If you memorise all institutions' names and abbreviations in your mother tongue, you can have serious trouble distinguishing between the Council of Europe, the European Council and the Council of the EU when you take an EPSO test under time pressure. Abbreivations are even harder: NATO in French is OTAN, but what do you do with programmes like ERDF, EAGGF and others?
3. Plan your preparation 3 months ahead! We are all so busy with work, family, friends or travelling that time seems to run too fast - setting out clear goals and milestones for the preparation will triple your odds! Make yourself a strict roadmap, counting backwards from 'Exam Day'. From week 12 to week 8, read and study textbooks on the EU institutions and make sure to practice verbal and numerical reasoning at least twice or three times a week. From week 8 to week 4, focus on more specific topics such as energy policy or the Court's procedures, and start reading the EU's official website for the latest developments. From week 4 until the Big Day, repeat all that you have learned and take practice tests day and night, especially in verbal and numerical reasoning. It will go fine, as long as you know where you are heading!
4. Focus on the essentials first, then go into details! Avoid getting caught up in details you cannot really understand yet - maybe you covered that part too early in your preparation! Having the right background knowledge in EU issues is a prerequisite to understand the nuances and technical details of a policy, an EU programme or an initiative. Knowing the abbrevations, decision-making procedures or internal processes is impossible without having a sound understanding of the institutional setup.
5. Read EU news on a daily basis! Being familiar with what's happening is not only useful to be up-to-date but it will help you tremendously in understanding the EU labyrinth based on practical, real-life examples. The European Council passed a conclusion on the financial crisis? You will remember everything you learned about the European Council with no effort if you see the 27 heads of state and government with the Commission President on a 'family photo'! Thirdly, reading about EU issues in English or French will boost your reading comprehension skills and you will score much better in verbal and numerical reasoning.
6. Be familiar with the exam itself! Knowing which steps are coming, how many people can pass the pre-selection phase and consequent steps, how long does the written exam last and what is the minimum score to get are information that will influence your chances of success. Find out in advance whether you are allowed to use a calculator in the numerical reasoning part so you can be mentally and physically prepared for all scenarios. If you are aware that you have 25 minutes for a certain task, you can make sure to finish in 20 minutes and leave 5 minutes for revision; however, if you find this out at the exam, you risk losing precious minutes that may cost you dearly.
7. Apply for every exam you can! If you are serious about getting an EU job, you can and should apply for any exam that you qualify for. Very important though to make sure that there is no conflict between the exams you wish to take part in. As a main rule, EPSO allows candidates to sign up to all exams in parallel but it is not allowed to take part in two sub-profiles of the same exam (e.g. an AD5 competition may have a 'Public Administration' and 'Law' sub-profiles, in which case you can only apply for one of them). If in doubt, check the notice of competition and ask EPSO for guidance - it's always better to be safe than sorry.