case study 1 epso

11 Completely Free EPSO Test Resources

Are you trying to prepare for an EPSO competition but don’t feel like investing in EPSO test preparation package from various prep services like ours? Maybe you are on a budget or don’t know yet if you actually will sit the test? Relax, we have you covered. Below we have compiled 11 completely free and trusted resources that will help you prepare for the EPSO exam.

We recommend you going through each resource as all of them will help you in their own way. Also, if you know of any other resources that you think we should include, drop us an email at [email protected] so that we can make this list even more extensive.

1. EPSO Sample Test

EPSOs own sample question database also called self-assessment test. Do not miss this website. It holds a great deal of valuable information and among them is the sample test part that can be accessed at the EPSO website . The number of questions included in the samples is mostly limited to 10 per category which doesn’t provide a lot of material to practice with but as it is directly from the source it should not be underestimated.

The tests are also available in all EU official languages, giving you the opportunity to practice in your native language. Expert tip: some of the questions included in the EPSO sample tests are known to show up on the real EPSO tests.

Unfortunately, EPSO doesn’t provide the correct answers or explanations to the questions but does inform you how many correct questions you had in each category. If you would like to know the correct answers and the explanations login on EPSOprep.com and find the videos containing the answers and explanations under the “Lessons” section.

2. Facebook groups

Facebook is the biggest social network where applicants to various concourses create groups and discuss questions, share tips, example questions and solutions, news & concerns. Some of these groups have been active for several years and hold very valuable materials that will give you great insights in how the competitions work. Users post comments about their experiences, what kind of questions they encountered and help each other out. This is especially valuable for those that are new to the competitions and have never sat an EPSO test or applied for a job through EPSO. Links to some of the biggest groups:

Assessment center group :

EPSO CAST group :

E-Tray group

Secretaries/Clerks

Administrator Generalist Exams (AD5)

3. EPSOprep demo with 70 free online EPSO test questions

All users that sign up on www.epsoprep.com for free get 70 questions with full explanations across 7 categories. After each test you can see the correct answer and read the explanations. Several abstract reasoning questions also have video explanations. It is also useful to analyze how you performed compared to other users and see how fast you answered each question in comparison to others. Click here to log in and get started with your EPSO training

Other articles

EPSO Verbal reasoning test guide

EPSO Abstract reasoning test guide

EPSO Numerical reasoning test guide

What is an EPSO test

4. National resources

All EU countries actively encourage their citizens to apply for EPSO jobs. For that reason, many of them offer free offline and sometimes online material and seminars across their country. They will usually invite ESPO employees or experts to share their experience but also tips and actual test material. This can be a very useful source as the information is usually coming straight from EPSO and can offer helpful info especially for those applying to an EPSO competition for the first time. The best way to find your country resource is to get in touch with the country specific EU careers Facebook page or local EU Parliament and Commission pages and websites.

The Swedish University Board for example holds annual seminars where they invite EPSO experts to share tips and experiences and hands out free material across some categories.

On the below link you can find free questions and although verbal reasoning test is in Swedish there are more then 50 EPSO test online questions in English.

The Swedish University Board

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade similarly arranges training sessions to help Irish candidates prepare ahead of the main EU Concours. They also provide free sample questions for EPSO exam in English on the link below.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs

5. EPSOprep Youtube channel

Here you can find example questions with video explanations and watch introduction videos to various categories. Our psychometric test experts share their knowledge and show what methodologies to apply to maximize your score. You will also find the correct answers and video explanations to real EPSO test sample questions. Visit our YouTube channel to view the channel

6. EU Careers & EU Careers Staff Ambassadors

The national EU Careers and their Ambassadors usually offer sample material in either physical form like printouts or leaflets or online. The amount of questions and the format can vary significantly between each countries local EU Careers offices, but it often serves as a good introduction into an EU career in general as well as giving you a good picture of the nature of the tests and giving you a helping hand in your EPSO preparation.

How do I get in touch with the EU careers? The fastest way is usually to email them directly or message your local EU Careers Facebook page directly. The “ambassadors” working are also often out on various events and visiting universities to inform students and others about the advantages of working for the EU organizations and some might even bring the preparation material with them at these times.

--- Category specific resources ---

7. numerical reasoning – practice mental calculation.

One of the most important factors in succeeding at the numerical reasoning tests is time management. A big part of the time is lost on typing the numbers in a calculator and performing the calculations. Mastering mental calculus skills will save you from performing some of the easier calculations and thus save valuable time. Practice your mental calculus skills on the below websites.

Practice with these quizzes that test your mental calculus speed.

8. Numerical reasoning - Get familiar with searching data in tables

Another aspect of numerical reasoning tests that takes time to master quickly identifying the needed data from tables and learn what data to disregard. Quia.com offers a tool to test your ability to quickly find the needed data from tables. The tests remind very much of the EPSO numerical reasoning tests.

EU’s own statistics agency hold an ocean of EU related data and statistics. Browse through the various data and practice interpreting the tables and finding various data. The data from Eurostat is especially relevant as the themes in EPSOs own numerical reasoning tests often resembles the one you will find in Eurostat although in much smaller format.

9. Verbal reasoning - Improve your reading with relevant resources

Test takers often find EPSOs verbal reasoning tests a bit intimidating. Being overwhelmed by the language and the amount of data in the text on top of the time pressure can be a stressful experience. There is however a way of preparing for the test. Try building up your reading skills by finding suitable reading material with a similar topics and difficulty level.

Find a text with similar reading complexity : make sure that the complexity of your reading resources resembles the one of EPSO. The readability score of EPSOs questions usually vary between 12 and 15 on the Flesch-Kincaid scale which is used to measure the reading difficulty of a text. Use the Datayze tool to check how the texts you are reading rank on the scale. Simply copy and paste the text into the tool to find out how it rates on the scale.

Find the relevant topics : EPSO verbal reasoning texts cover a wide range of topics from science, current news, studies, history, literature and so on. Make sure to diversify your reading accordingly. Obviously, you would need to adjust the reading sources to the language you are taking the test in but generally speaking business or science oriented newspapers tend to use appropriate complexity of language. Suggested English language resources are The Economist, Scientific American, National Geographic.

Jump into an unknow passage : EPSO verbal reasoning text passages are often excerpted from longer articles or texts which adds to the difficulty. For that reason, try to find a passage of about 150-250 words from the middle of the text and only read that passage. While you are reading, try to understand the main point of each passage.

10. Verbal reasoning - EU´s own websites

EU´s own websites contain data heavy articles where the reader needs to sort through to find relevant data. The advantage of reading these articles is two-fold.

Firstly, the topics and the language are often similar to the ones encountered in the real test making it easier for you to familiarize with the terminology and the subject. Additionally, even though no outside knowledge is needed apart from what the test question contains, it does help if you are knowledgeable in the topic of the question particularly in verbal reasoning and E-tray tests. Being familiar with the language and topics saves time understanding and reading the questions.

Secondly, it gives insight into the workings and the terminology of the organization, something that can prove very valuable in the later stages of the selection process such as E-tray and case study.

11. Verbal reasoning - Practice speed reading

The most important factor for success in verbal reasoning tests is of course understanding the text but if that comes at the cost of slow reading then you might have problems making it through the very time limited EPSO tests. That is why you need to make sure that you are reading at a competitive speed that doesn’t lose you too much time but also allows you to retain and understand what you have read.

Measure you speedreading skills on Freereadingtest and aim at performing at a level of at least 400 words per minute. There you can chose between numerous texts with varying difficulty and get a score that measures how many words per minute you read and your comprehension level. A very useful tool indeed! On Accelareader you can also input your own text and have the tool present the word one by one so that you find the right tempo.

Dont forget to read our guides to verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning.

Pefect preparation on your EPSO case study

You have been invited by EPSO to take a case study on the computer and are looking for sample tasks to help you prepare? Then you are right here

• The case study

Train the assessed competencies!

The case study confronts the applicant with a "real" problem that needs to be solved. This involves a series of documents, such as e-mails, reports, newspaper articles, etc., which must be analysed. Applicants write a text at a computer which is evaluated.

By our case study the following competencies can be trained:

• Analyis and problem solving
• Quality and result orientation
• Written communication
• Prioritising and organising

The case study is available in German and English:

Case study with individual evaluation or without

Case study "Mining" (as pdf) - with solution - EUR 29,00 (incl. VAT)

Case study "Mining" (as pdf) - with solution + individual evaluation of your text - EUR 89,00 (incl. VAT)

Case study "Mining" (as pdf) - with solution + individual evaluation of your text + De-briefing session (max 30 minutes) - EUR 129,00 (incl. VAT)

If you are interesed in receiving a case study, contact us! We will send all further information to you!

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Booklet no. 13 "The case study"

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Prepare for the EPSO Case Study

Are you about to take the EPSO tests? One aspect of the EPSO recruitment process is the EPSO case study. Learn what to expect on this test and how you can prepare for the case study in the best possible way.

• A full practice case study (45 minutes)
• Solution guide & detailed explanations
• Tests are in English! 

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During the EPSO case study, you are given approximately 15 pages containing various pieces of information about a subject relating to your application.

You are provided a computer to answer the case study and formulate a report within the 90-minute time limit. 

Please note that on the real assessment, you are required to produce a written report. In this pack, the report is in the form of a presentation.

Even though the formats are different, the main skills needed to either create a presentation or write a report are the same.

The most important thing is to summarise your findings in a clear, cohesive manner. Use the proposed presentations as notes for your report.

EPSO Case Study Preparation: The Basics

The EPSO case study is either taken as part of the assessment centre in Brussels or at a separate location beforehand in your county of application.

This is generally the same location you took your EPSO computer-based tests .

During the EPSO case study, you are given materials to read through ranging from emails, memos, reports, and other relevant articles—approximately 15 pages in all. Although in some EPSO competitions you are asked to take a pen-and-paper case study, most candidates are now asked to complete the assignment using a computer.

However, even in computer-based EPSO case studies, there is no spell check, nor is there the ability to use any 'normal' word-based features like copy, paste, underline, bold, etc.

In fact, you are not even given a paper and pen to take notes with. Instead, you are allowed the use of a small white board for notes. You must write a detailed report on the subject; it should include an introduction, a main body, and a full conclusion. The time limit for this test is 90 minutes. 

EPSO Case Study Example Questions

The style of the questions is such that you are basically asked to perform three separate tasks. In fact, completing these tasks is very similar to answering questions using the STAR method . You are asked to write a report detailing the following:

• An executive summary of the situation at hand.
• What are the problems facing the company/ situation at present?
• What do you recommend that would increase profits etc.?

It is your task to create a report detailing each step of the process. Firstly, you must demonstrate your knowledge of the area by elaborating the main concepts and details covered in the EPSO case study example.

Following this, you must detail any problems that are either covered intrinsically in the materials provided or that you can think of based on them. Finally, you must come up with possible solutions and recommendations that you think will increase the efficiency/profit margin of the company.

Your report should be between 500 and 1,000 words and should be a complete discussion of the subject. As there is a 90-minute time limit for this test, you have enough time to read through all the source material and write a detailed report if you work quickly.

EPSO Case Study Competencies

In your EPSO case study preparation, you need to be aware of the competencies that are being assessed. In fact, your case study report score is determined by the EPSO competency framework.

In general, there are four competencies measured. However, for some specialist roles, there is a fifth competency that is defined in your notice of competition. The four competencies are as follows:

Analysis and problem-solving – This means identifying critical facts in complex issues and developing creative and practical solutions. There are many facts to deal with as you can see in the official EPSO case study examples . You must show that you cope well with complex information and possess practical awareness to find good solutions to problems.

Communicating – This means communicating clearly and precisely in your writing. A good way of showing this is through the creation of a good plan at the top of your report and then going through the points in a clear and concise manner.

Delivering quality and results – There are very clear instructions informing you how to go about writing your report in the EPSO case study. Following these is not only a good idea but also vitally important, as these are the markers for the assessors scoring your report.

In the EPSO tests, there are set procedures that you must follow if you want to get a high score. Following these procedures demonstrates you are able to deliver quality and results.

Prioritising and organising – This means prioritising the most important tasks, working flexibly, and organising your workload efficiently.

These are a lot of items in the EPSO case study samples. Although much of the information is necessary to compile your report correctly, some of it is not. You must show that you are not distracted by this information and can select the important material and leave aside the 'chaff'.

How to Prepare for the EPSO Case Study

The most important thing to remember is the necessity of practising. Without a full understanding of what you need to do, you will not show your full potential and skill. JobTestPrep offers a variety of resources to help you prepare for the EPSO case study.

While our case study pack is generic, it does include a sample case study and a 3-steps solution to get a grasp of the main guidelines for approaching these kinds of assessments.

Please bear in mind that although the case studies in this pack are not 90 minutes in length, they do follow the same style as the EPSO case study.

Indeed, to answer these practice exercises well, you must possess the same skills required for the EPSO case study. As well as this, the pack also includes two model EPSO case study answers. 

Since 1992, JobTestPrep has stood for true-to-original online test and assessment centre preparation. Our decades of experience make us a leading international provider of test training. Over one million customers have already used our products to prepare professionally for their recruitment tests.

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Ya semos europeos

Bienvenidos al lado divertido de la unión europea/ welcome to the funny side of the european union., spring is here and the final epso competitions too – ast edition.

2023 has started with striking news. In May the new competition model will start but until then EPSO is doing its best to finalise all the competitions still in motion. Are you a candidate in one of them? Then this post is for you. Are you a future candidate? Then this post ( link ) is the one you are looking for. Yes, believe it or not, this time EPSO has not hung the « closed for refurbishment » sign and keeps working.

Ok, but you are not here to chit chat about EPSO competitions in general but about yours, because you have received excellent news from EPSO and you have been invited to the Assessment Centre or you are waiting for it. Nevertheless, you still feel a bit lost and you are not sure what or when to expect in your competition, right? Keep reading, we’ll tell you what will happen with all the EPSO competitions in motion at this moment, with the latest information available. In this post, you will find the information by reference number order, just scroll down until you find the AD competitions of interest to you [ AD competitions can be found here ] :

AST and AST/SC competitions

• EPSO/AST/150/21 ( AST3) Technicians in Audiovisual, Building and Laboratory.
• EPSO/AST/151/22 – Assistants – ICT infrastructures, cloud, networks and middleware Assistants – Digital workplace, office automation and mobile computing Assistants – Development/configuration, testing, operation and maintenance of IT applications and off-the-shelf solutions; Data management, data analytics and artificial intelligence Assistants – ICT security
• EPSO/AST/152/22 Linguistic Assistants ET- HR-IT.NL-PL-PT
• EPSO/AST/153/22 Head of administration (AST-4) in EU Delegations
• EPSO/AST/154/22 Assistants – Financial management ; Assistants – Accounting and treasury ; Assistants – P ublic procurement ; Assistants – Graphic design and visual content production ; Assistants – Social and digital media ; Assistants – Webmaster .
• EPSO/AST/155/22 Assistants in the field of operational security ; Assistants in the field of Technical security and Assistants in the field of occupational health and safety

WARNING – as we see too much drama around the competitions, we have made an extra effort to make all this a bit more palatable and funny. You can pass the competitions with a smile! (Still, note that the information is as accurate as EPSO competitions allow us to be).

What about my competition?

Let’s go competition by competition (from highest to lowest EPSO reference number). Please be aware that the following analysis is done based on the information published on the EPSO web-page and our experience as candidates (yes, once we were where you are now) and trainers.

1.-Technicians and support workers- Technicians( AST3) EPSO/AST/150/21 In 3 fields: Field 1: Audiovisual and conference technicians; Field 2: Building technicians; Field 3: Laboratory technicians.

Status : Do you remember our analysis laboratory technicians and for Audiovisual and Building ? Yes, at that time we used to write more in Spanish but the audience has become more international and so did we. Ok, you remember that. We knew the number of applications (389 candidates for 92 spots in Audiovisual, 663 for 114 spots in building, 378 for 20 in Laboratory spots and 176 for 15 spots on laboratory support ) then 265, 340 and 65 respectively (670 candidates in total) have been invited to the Assessment Centre that took place from mid-September until mid-December, i.e Winter was coming! Now winter is gone and still waiting for the results that should be released approximately as we write this post (fingers crossed, originally the results were foreseen to come out in February). Best of luck to our 50 candidates (croquetillas) who trusted us to prepare this competition.

About the Assessment Centre : First, they did the case study (last 4 July), after that two tests more were needed, which accounted for 130 out of the total of 170 points. The Situational competency based interview was worth 30 points and the booklet for the exam was published about a couple of weeks before the exams begin, stay alert! For the field-related interview, 100 points were at stake. The key factor was the structure of the information, no need to be an expert to talk about any topic but you need an expert to know what matters and how to explain it clearly and to the point . Remember you can join our Telegram information channel too where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition. Of course, If you think we can help you with our training, you can register for the next ones.

2.-EPSO/AST/151/22 – Assistants – ICT infrastructures, cloud, networks and middleware Assistants – Digital workplace, office automation and mobile computing Assistants – Development/configuration, testing, operation and maintenance of IT applications and off-the-shelf solutions; Data management, data analytics and artificial intelligence Assistants – ICT security

Status: Do you remember the analysis we did ? The 4 different profiles collected a total of 1300 applications approximately (221-260-721-117 respectively) for a total of 205 spots (by profile 47-55-74-29). While the ratio of candidates to spots is favourable, this competition requires excellent technical skills. Also, the complexity of the applications is rather high, which means that EPSO needed more time to evaluate them. The good news is, as we write this post, that candidates got their result from the Talent Screener, hurra!!!! And if you are wondering when your Assessment Centre is going to take place, it should start in the second half of April. (If you are looking our analysis for AD- ICT competition – go here )

About the Assessment Centre : First, we’ll have the computer-based tests (CBT). We know, you thought you had escaped it… keep dreaming. Still, there is no need to get a high mark, only passing it is enough (like it is the case for CAST exams).

In addition to the CBT, you will have to pass the following tests:  Case Study (40 points) and Situational Competence Based Interview (30 points) . Between the two tests you can gather a total of 70 points, with the particularity that in total you need 35 out of 70 to pass, but no minimum marks per competence are required. Our advice is that you start to prepare the Case Study as soon as possible.

Anyway, although the more points we get in competences part the better, th e key part is the field-related interview, where you will have to demonstrate your capacities in your field (not exactly your knowledge), and above all, your relevant experience for this position. In the field-related interview, up to 100 points are in stake with a minimum score of 60 points, the bar is high! Remember to visit this link when you are invited to the Assessment Centre. We can help you to prepare all the test or you can join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

3.- EPSO/AST/152/22 Linguistic Assistants ET – HR – IT – NL – PL – PT

Status : This is a competition that attracted many interested candidates and unfortunately offered few spots, about 4137 candidates for 76 final spots (a proportion in line with the old times of generalist AD5 competition). It began with the CBT (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning) with two language comprehension tests the last week of August and the first one of September. Then the candidates who obtained the pass mark in the reasoning tests and one of the highest overall marks in the language comprehension tests went through the eligibility check that took place throughout most of the Autumn. Right before Christmas, a few successful candidates (32 for Estonian, 43 for Croatian, 38 for Italian, 49 for Dutch, 59 for Polish and 48 for Portuguese) got their invitation to the Assessment Centre.

About the Assessment Centre : A single date for all profiles on the case study test (with 40 points) and the finalisation of a text was given (about the test check what we posted for the proofreaders text , it may be of help) . In addition, they had to sit the General competency-based interview , where only 30 points are at stake (as the core of the marks was given in the case study and the finalisation of a text).

4.- Head of administration (AST-4) in EU Delegations EPSO/AST/153/22

Status : The competition started after the 2022 summer break and most likely it will finish after the 2023 summer break, not bad for EPSO speed. At this moment, candidates already got their results of the CBT and have passed eligibility checks (Remember our webinar where we disclosed all the tricks for it) so they are facing the long wait to see who is invited to the Assessment Centre (120 of 487 will be invited)

Assessment : First, you will need to sit the Case Study and the Situational Competence Based Interview (SCBI). Between these two tests you can gather a total of 70 points, with the particularity that you need a combined overall 35/70 to pass but no minimum marks per competence. It means that you should avoid doing a bad Case Study or SCBI in general, but you have some margin to fail some of the specific questions within each test.

The more points we get in the competences part, the better ( we can help with that ). Still,  the key part is the field-related test , where you will have to demonstrate your knowledge, and above all, your relevant experience for this position. To do so, you will have the  Interview in the Field  (also structured but with a clear focus on your work experience), a test where you can get  up to 100 points  ( we can help  with that too). Last but not least, don’t miss the opportunity to join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

5.- Assistants – Financial management ; Assistants – Accounting and treasury ; Assistants – P ublic procurement ; Assistants – Graphic design and visual content production ; Assistants – Social and digital media ; Assistants – Webmaster -EPSO/AST/154/22

Status: Complicated (do you remember that one on FB?). The first of the big competitions to organise the CBT fully online (no possibility of taking the exam in a Prometric centre) gave as result a controversial outcome. Many candidates had issues with the procedure and/or the platform. Several even have complaint to the Ombudsman (and the European Court?) but considering the length of the procedure, EPSO could continue the competition and finalize it before the Court have time to fail against EPSO. Then it can be repeated among the candidates who didn’t make it (i.e Pachitis case or as many other failed (in Court competitions). So, let’s focus on the competition itself for the moment and the fact candidates .

If you want to take a pause to check youtube, you can r evisit our webinar on this competition, otherwise, we can share with you our forecast on the threshold marks. Based on very conservative assumptions (all candidates are eligible, only 25% of the candidates failed the CBT and final mars are equally distributed), we see for field 1 if you have 13 or above your chances are quite high of passing to the assessment, 12 points if you are in field 2. For fields 3,4,6 looks it will be 17 in verbal reasoning the mark , for field 6, considering the big number of candidates, it will 18 our forecast. In any case, we stick to our advice to wait until you are confirmed for the assessment, at that moment give your 100% to prepare it.

Now talking about the other tests, the competition turns into a classic. You will have to face the following tests:  Case Study and Situational Competency-Based Interview . Here you have 7 competences to be assessed (in AD competitions there are eight). Between the two tests you can gather a total of 70 points, with the particularity that you need an overall 35/70 to pass, but no minimum marks per competence. Don’t get over confident, do fine on these two and you will be fine for this part although the more points we get the better ( we can help with that ).

Anyway,  the key part is the field-related test  where you will have to demonstrate your know how on the field, explaining, in detail, your relevant experience for this position. The Interview in the Field is also somehow structured but as it has a clear focus on your work experience, is much more interesting and rewarding, you can get up to  100 points in that test  ( we can help  on that too), approx. 60% of all the available points. Remember you can also join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

6.- Assistants in the field of operational security ; Assistants in the field of Technical security and Assistants in the field of occupational health and safety – EPSO/AST/155/22

Status : The CBT took place in January this year, hopefully with fewer issues, and had no minimum passing mark. The key element is that only those candidates who obtain one of the highest scores in the whole test will have their application checked for eligibility. Applications will be checked until they positively check 3 candidates per position, who will be invited to the Assessment Centre. Considering that they need 300 candidates for the Assessment Centre, from an initial amount of almost 2400 (1587 , 244, 558 respectively for 44; 24; 33 places offered in the competition), it will take time and we don’t see the Assessment Centre happening before May this year.

Assessment Centre : Now talking about the other tests, the competition turns into a classic. You will have to face the following tests:  Case Study and Situational Competency-Based Interview . Here you have 7 competences to be assessed (in AD competitions there are eight). Between the two tests you can gather a total of 70 points, with the particularity that you need an overall 35/70 to pass, but no minimum marks per competence. Don’t get over confident, do fine on these two and you will be ok for this part, although the more points we get the better ( we can help with that ).

Anyway,  the key part is the field-related interview where you will have to show your knowledge on the field, explaining, in detail, your relevant experience for this position. The Interview in the Field is also somehow structured but as it has a clear focus on your work experience, is much more interesting and rewarding, you can get up to  100 points in that test  ( we can help  on that too), approx. 60% of all the available points. And don’t miss the opportunity to join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

[ Analysis of AD competitions can be found here ] :

When will epso contact me.

Many of you ask about when EPSO will tell you that you have made it to the next phase, or have been invited to the Assessment Centre, or…. you read/heard rumors about the development of the competitions somewhere. Better to isolate yourself from that noise and focus on the real messages. EPSO commits itself (it’s in Annex II of the notice of competition) to communicate with you after the Talent Screeners have been evaluated to inform you on the results and to invite you to the Assessment Centre. In the meantime,  it can take weeks or months to receive any information   or being notified that we have passed to the next phase of the competition,  so keep calm. If you are feeling desperate for the lack of news,  you can always contact EPSO too,  as candidates you are entitled to do so but be careful, replies can be a bit cryptic or copy/paste from the notice.

What can I expect of this job? How much will my salary be?

Both are typical questions of the candidates, therefore we invite you to check Annex I and Annex II from the notice of competition. As you can see from the images above, go to Annex I of the notice to find all the details of your expected tasks to be performed once you are an administrator in the area of ICT (The Commission counts on you!!!). And last but not least, above you find the table with the gross salaries for each grade (the net amount is usually similar to the gross one, and it can be higher depending if you have family dependent on you and other conditions).

Can you help me?

Let share some useful links for this competition and any other.

List of useful resources for EU competitions

• El test de razonamiento verbal.
• El test de razonamiento numérico.
• El test de razonamiento abstracto.
• La entrevista estructurada
• Presentación oral
• Free webinar on the talent screener  for the ICT (AD-AST) competitions – 2nd March
• Youtube channel
• CBT (in Spanish)
• A ssessment sessions   – for all the Assessment test (Theory in English or Spanish. Practice can be done in EN,FR,ES)
• Application review  (EN/ES/FR/IT/DE)
• CAST Sessions  -have you been invited to a job interview? Do you want to improve your chances of being selected in a CAST process?

Spring is here and the final EPSO competitions too – AD edition

Ok, but you are not here to chit chat about EPSO competitions in general but about yours, because you have received excellent news from EPSO and you have been invited to the Assessment Centre, or because you are waiting for those news. Nevertheless, you still feel a bit lost and you are not sure what or when to expect in your competition, right? Keep reading, we’ll tell you what will happen with all the EPSO competitions in motion at this moment, with the latest information available. In this post, you will find the information by reference number order, just scroll down until you find the AD competitions of interest to you [ AST competitions can be found here ] :

AD-Administrators competitions

• EPSO/AD/398/22 – Administrators -ICT infrastructures, cloud, networks and middleware ; Administrators – Digital workplace, office automation and mobile computing ; Administrators – IT and data governance, programme/portfolio and project management, project management office (PMO), business and enterprise architecture Administrators – ICT security
• EPSO/AD/399/22 – Administrators in the field of Audit
• EPSO/AD/400/22 -Administrators and experts in the field of space ; Administrators and experts in the field of defence industry
• EPSO/AD/401/22 – Administrators in the field of energy : Administrators in the field of climate and Administrators in the field of environment .

1.-EPSO/AD/398/22 -All ICT competitions (AD Level) : Administrators -ICT infrastructures, cloud, networks and middleware ; Administrators – Digital workplace, office automation and mobile computing ; Administrators – IT and data governance, programme/portfolio and project management, project management office (PMO), business and enterprise architecture Administrators – ICT security

Status: Do you remember the analysis we did on this competition? Still fresh despite being from February last year. The 5 different profiles collected a total of 2620 applications (respectively 404-186-769 -986 -375) for a total of 350 spots (by profile 71-49-70-73-87). While the ratio of candidates to spots is favorable, this competition requires excellent technical skills. Also, the complexity of the applications is rather high, which means that EPSO will need more time to evaluate them. Most likely, the Eligibility Check will be conducted shortly, but then they will need to evaluate the Talent Screener. Expect to hear news about the Assessment Centre by end of Autumn 2022.

About the Assessment Centre: First, it’s expected it will begin after Easter (6-10 April), pay attention to any warning/email on your EPSO account. If EPSO proceeds as usual, we’ll have the computer-based tests (CBT) first. We know, you thought you had escaped it… keep dreaming. Still, there is no need to get a high mark, only passing it is enough (like it is the case for CAST exams).

In addition, you will have to pass the following tests at the Assessment Centre:  Case Study and Situational Competence Based Interview (SCBI). Between the two tests you can gather a total of 80 points, with the particularity that you need and overall 40/80 to pass, but not minimum marks per competence. Don’t forget the SCBI booklet is published 2 weeks in advance of the first candidate having his/her exam. Anyway, although the more points we get in competences part the better, the key part is the Interview in the Field where you will have to demonstrate your capacities on the area of it (not exactly the same as your knowledge), and above all, your relevant experience for this position. In the Interview in the Field, you can get up to 100 points.

Most likely, you’ll take the case study first and the interviews will go by blocks, with all the candidates in one field having their SCBI and then all again having the field related. Remember to visit this link when you are invited to the Assessment Centre . We can help you to prepare all the test or you can join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

2.- Administrators in the field of Audit EPSO/AD/399/22

Status and about the Assessment Centre : Not bad, at this stage is the most advanced ongoing competition. After more or less one year (application period closed 12th April 2022), they are having their Assessment Centre online. As we speak, field-related interviews are taking place and they already did the Situational Based Interview and the Competence based interview for general competences. Good luck to all our candidates who have trusted us to prepare these test.

3.- Administrators and experts in the field of space & Administrators and experts in the field of defence industry EPSO/AD/400/22

Status : yes , we know, this competition is rocket science but its speed is closer to paper airplanes. Still, remember that for science and defence patience is key (check our webinar-analysis if you want to recapitulate). EPSO announced the results of the eligibility checks right before Christmas (what a present!) but as you can see, between 1 out of 2 or 3 made it. Those were the bad news, the good ones being that the threshold to pass the Talent Screener is expected to be low. As you can see on our table below, places for the Assessment Centre are not far from the number of candidates.

As we speak, the evaluation of the Talent Screener is taking place and we expect the results will come out soon (any time as we write this post) have been published the day after we released this post so now we have 97, 48, 108, 54 respectively (see table below) candidates who have passed the Talent phase, meaning their Assessment Centre will take place (most likely) between late April and June .

About the Assessment Centre : First we’ll have the CBT (computer-based test) as usual in a specialist competition. Still you don’t need much to pass it (like an ordinary CAST exam) and there is no need of having a high mark, only passing it is enough.

Then the competition turns into a classic. In front of you, you have two of the most classic test you may face: Oral presentation (a typical test in EU-law or generalist AD5) and Situational Competence Based Interview (remember, the booklet for this test is published 2 weeks in advance of the first candidate taking the exam). Between the two tests you can gather a total of 80 points, with the particularity that you need and overall 40/80 to pass but not minimum marks per competence. The more points we get in competences part, the better ( we can help with that ).

Still, the key part are the field-related tests, where you will have to demonstrate your knowledge, and above all, your relevant experience for this position. To do so, you will have the Interview in the Field (with clear focus on your work experience) and the field-related written test (where you will have to demonstrate your know-how, and all the information/knowledge you need is provided as part of the documents related to the assignment). The pass mark in each of these two tests is 25 out of 50 ( we can help with that too).

4.- Administrators in the field of energy ; Administrators in the field of climate and Administrators in the field of environment EPSO/AD/401/22

Status : This competition has the honor of being the last AD competition of the old EPSO mode l but it doesn’t mean it will move faster than the competitions that preceded it. You also need to consider the big amount of candidates in this competition, as we speak we know there are 1762; 917; 1853 candidates respectively in the 3 fields, when the finals spots are 54 for Energy, 49 for Climate and 52 for Environment. We assume you have diligently followed our first webinar-analysis and the second webinar for some hints so hopefully you will be among the 450 (+/-) candidates invited to the Assessment Centre.

Considering that they are still in eligibility phase and EPSO is fully involved in the new model, there is a likely scenario where the Assessment Centre of this competition will take place in Autumn this year . Fingers crossed.

About the Assessment Centre : First we’ll have the CBT (computer-based test), not so terrible as it looks, as there is no need of having a high mark, only passing it is enough.

Now talking about the other tests, the competition turns into a classic. You will have to face the following tests: Case Study and Situational Competency-Based Interview . Here you have 8 competences to be assessed. Between the two tests you can gather a total of 80 points, with the particularity that you need an overall 40/80 to pass, but no minimum marks per competence. Don’t get over confident, do fine on these two and you will be fine for this part, although the more points we get the better ( we can help with that ).

Anyway, the key part is the field-related test where you will have to demonstrate your know-how on the field, explaining, in detail your relevant experience for this position. The Interview in the Field is also somehow structured but as it has a clear focus on your work experience, it is much more interesting and rewarding, you can get up to 100 points in that test ( we can help on that too), approx. 60% of all the available points are at the stake here.

[ Analysis of AST competitions can be found here ]

Many of you ask about when EPSO will tell you that you have passed to the next phase, or have been invited to the Assessment Centre, or…. you read/heard rumors about the development of the competitions somewhere. Better to isolate yourself from that noise and focus on the real messages. EPSO commits itself (it’s in Annex II of the notice of competition) to communicate with you after the Talent Screeners have been evaluated to inform you on the results and to invite you to the Assessment Centre. In the meantime,  it can take weeks or months to receive any information   or being notified that we have passed to the next phase of the competition,  so keep calm. If you are feeling desperate for the lack of news,  you can always contact EPSO too,  as candidates you are entitled to do so but be careful, replies can be a bit cryptic or a copy/paste from the notice.

Both are typical questions of the candidates, therefore we invite you to check Annex I and Annex II from the notice of competition. As you can see from the images above, go to Annex I of the notice to find all the details of your expected tasks to be performed once you are an administrator (the Commission counts on you!!!). And last but not least, let us remind you an AD7 (step 2) will join the institutions with a net salary well above 6.000 € and this can be higher depending if you have family dependent on you and other conditions.

Are you a candidate in an EU-competition facing a proofreading tests? Or a finalisation of a text? Some useful ideas on how to prepare them

We know that among our readers there are candidates of the competition of proofreaders/language editors – Greek, Spanish , Estonian , Gaelic , Italian , Portuguese (EPSO/AST/148/21) and Linguistic Assistants Estonian – Croatian(HR) – Italian – Dutch(NL) – Polish – Portuguese (EPSO/AST/152/22) EPSO/AST/152/22 . Some of you even asked for some help to prepare the specific tests that you will have to face in these competitions. Let’s bring our expertise and share with you some tips and trick to prepare this.

Proofreaders/language editors – Greek, Spanish, Estonian, Gaelic, Italian, Portuguese (EPSO/AST/148/21)

A fter the summer break, the Assessment Centre will be rolling full steam, but be careful!!! You will face 2 different computer-based tests, one of them being the usual CBT (verbal, numerical, abstract reasoning), and the other one a Proofreading and correcting test . As there are two tests, there are two booking dates:

• for the CBT you have to book the date between 09-13 September and take the exam 17-18 October (at home or in a Prometric/EPSO facility);
• for the Proofreading and correcting test you have to book between 29 September-5 October and take the exam 31 October – 4 November (only in a Prometric/EPSO facility) .

Don’t forget to read carefully all the indications you receive from EPSO when doing the bookings (believe it or not, they contain a lot information). Check the starting dates for the rest of the tests, as for each language they begin on a different day between mid September and mid October and the interview phase will last 1 month. If you want to know more about the Assessment Centre as a whole, read our previous post.

How can I prepare the Proofreading and correcting test test?

Our recommendation would be to practice. Try practicing with the  Reform of the European Ombudsman’s Statute , you can divide it into two parts and you have it in several languages ( Spanish ;  French; Italian ;  German ). Another example which is available in the 24 official languages are  the Factsheets of the European Parliament  as they cover a wide list of subjects and allow you to practice with some legal & policy terms. This test just implies translation, so any document from the institutions officially translated to our language 2 can help us practice.

Of course, we can’t forget about the  State of the Union 2021  (which is available in the 24 official languages), or any SOTEU speech from previous years (here for instance  2020  and  2018 ). Finally, you can check the documents about the  Political priorities  of the Commission or other similar documents, as well as the official journa l with all its texts published in the 24 official languages. Overall, they want to be sure you know how to do the following:

• proofreading electronic manuscripts in terms of typography and inputting authors’ corrections,
• preparing and checking proofs for publication in various formats and media,
• preparing manuscripts in electronic format or on paper in terms of spelling, grammar and syntax, and checking texts for their coherence and uniformity,
• checking compliance with stylistic conventions and rules, and the compliance of the texts with the Interinstitutional Style Guide adopted by all the European Union institutions,
• checking the quality of work performed by outside contractors in the field,
• preparing the Institution’s documents for publication and finalising texts in typographical terms,
• checking texts translated into the language of the competition for consistency with the original language,
• monitoring linguistic developments and changes and informing colleagues of them,
• taking part in terminology work and in the quality control process for translations of documents,
• various other types of language work, such as moderation of content of website pages.

Considering this, the practice with the documents previously listed is simple.

• First step : copy the two texts to be reviewed in a Word document,
• Second step : ask someone to introduce small changes of format, typos, etc. Proofreading will cover both the linguistic aspects (grammar, spelling and punctuation) and typography . If this person is another colleague in the same competition even better, you can prepare the documents for each other. Save it with and without track changes.
• Third step : follow the same principle as indicated in the Notice of Competition. Take the text nº1 in language 1 and correct it while comparing it to the source text in Language 2. Then take text nº2 to make the proofreading without the comparison to the source text in Language 2. AND don’t forget to reason/justify your corrections. In total, you can’t use more than 2h 30 min to do this.
• Fourth step : correct the texts by comparing them to the original text. Analyse the part where you have made mistakes and why.
• Fifth step : go back to the first step and repeat

2.-EPSO/AST/152/22 Linguistic Assistants Estonian; Croatian(HR); Italian; Dutch(NL); Polish; Portuguese

The linguistic assistants competition is currently organizing the CBT (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning) with two language comprehension tests. In total, about 4137 candidates (for 76 final spots) will take this exam in the last week of August and the first one of September.

We all know the verbal, numerical and verbal reasoning tests, but what will the language comprehension tests look like? They will consist of 12 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), which are designed to assess your linguistic abilities in terms of vocabulary, grammar/syntax constructions and style. To see real examples, c heck EPSO web page .

We need to excel in the part of the comprehension test , as only the files of the candidates who obtained the pass mark in the reasoning tests and one of the highest overall marks in the language comprehension tests will undergo the eligibility check . That is, the eligibility check will be performed in the descending order of candidates’ overall marks obtained in the language comprehension tests. The files will be checked until the number of candidates deemed eligible reaches three times the number of successful candidates sought for each language, i.e. 36 for Estonian, 42 for Croatian, 30 for Italian, 42 for Dutch, 36 for Polish and 42 for Portuguese. A proportion in line with the old times of generalist AD5 competition.

Once we make it to the Assessment Centre, we will be required to «finalise» a text… what does that mean?

About the finalisation of a text: This test is about correcting formatting mistakes in a translation. The source text in language 2 will be provided on screen. A translation of this text into language 1, provided as an editable text, contains mistakes in the language and the format in comparison to the source text. The candidate is asked to detect and correct these mistakes, in order to match the source text. The test lasts one hour. [EPSO dixit]. So to train for this, we propose the same strategy as we did above (check above for the source texts) and to follow these steps :

• First step : copy a text (1000 words should do it) to be reviewed in a Word document,
• Second step : ask someone to introduce small changes of format, typos, etc . If this person is colleague in the same competition even better, you can prepare documents for each other. Save the document with and without track changes.
• Third step : follow the same principle as indicated in notice. Take the text in language 1 and correct it while comparing it to the source text in Language 2. In total, you can’t use more than 60 min to do this.
• Fourth step : correct the text by comparing it to the original text and the track changes version. Analyse the part where you have done mistakes and why.
• Fith step : go back to the first step and repeat.

Can you help me further with my tests?

Of course, if you think we can help you with our training, you can check out our  next sessions or register for the next ones.  And yes, we also prepare the field-related interview, it’s all about the methodology. Remember you can  join our Telegram information channel too  where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

Finally, let’s share some useful links for this competition and any other.

Who said Holidays? EPSO and the competitions keep moving forward

Yes, believe it or not, this time EPSO has not hung the « closed for holidays » sign and keeps working. Competition results are being published one week after another. On this, let us stop for a just a moment and say Congratulations to all of our more than 30 «croquetillas» (our candidates) who passed EU Law and Agriculture competitions. August is a lovely month to celebrate the success and recharge your energy to apply for Officer positions in the European Institutions back in September.

Ok, but you are not here to read about the success of others but about yours, because you have received excellent news from EPSO and you have been invited to the Assessment Centre. Still you feel a bit lost and you are not sure what you can expect in your competition, right? Keep reading, we’ll tell you what will happen with all the EPSO competitions that will have their Assessment Centre exams between 1st September – 31st December 2022 (and if you want to know how good we are with foreseeing the EPSO-future, check our previous post on the topic ). Let’s try to answer to all of you with the latest information available. In this post, you will find the information by reference number order, just scroll down until you find the ones of interest to you :

• EPSO/AD/376-7-8/20 – Greek -Language (EL) Lawyer-Linguists French -Language (FR) Lawyer-Linguists Polish -Language (PL) Lawyer-Linguists
• EPSO/AD/382/20 (AD5 and AD7) -Administrators in the field of external relations
• EPSO/AD/396/21 Irish-Language (GA) Lawyer-Linguists
• EPSO/AD/397/21 Administrators in the field of maritime affairs and fisheries
• Bonus – Schengen acquis
• EPSO/AST/148/21 Proofreaders/language editors – Greek, Spanish, Estonian, Gaelic, Italian, Portuguese

1.- Greek-Language (EL) ; French-Language (FR) ; Polish-Language (PL) Lawyer-Linguists EPSO/AD/376-7-8/20 –

Status: At the moment where we are writing this, a total of 70 candidates have made into the Assessment Centre (26 in Greek, 21 in French and 23 in Polish) after passing the Eligibility Check and the preliminary translation test (after 2 years, only!). An optimal number if we remember there are 45 spots (15,20 and 10 respectively), what makes a proportion of one spot per 1,5-2 candidates in each competition, not bad at all! So it’s expected all the candidates can be tested in just one month (one test per week). Remember that in the online Assessment Centre, you will do each test on a different day, not all the tests at the same time. However, don’t forget to check your invitation to the Assessment Centre for the full details (believe it or not, EPSO provides a lot of info in their communication to you – hint: click on the links of the letter!!!)

About the assessment: First, our old classic test the General competency-based interview in the company of another classic since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Situational Competency base interview (CBI) . On top of that, you will have to sit the Field test interview. Careful!!! This is a particular one, in your competition the Field-related interview is aimed to assess your specialist knowledge and command of the language in the field of national law and European Union law. During the interview, you will also be asked to give an oral presentation .

Another aspect to remember in this competition is that your final mark will be composed of your results in the following tests: Translation into the competition language (from language 2 and language 3 – up to 120 points) + CBT (up to 40 points) + Translation review (up to 40 points) + Assessment competences (up to 80) and finally the field related interview (up to 20) , in total 300 points.

Of course, if you think we can help you with our training, you can check our  next sessions or register for the next ones. And yes, we also prepare the field-related interview, it’s all about the methodology 😉 Remember you can join our Telegram information channel too where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

2.-Administrators in the field of external relations EPSO/AD/382/20 (AD5 and AD7 )

Status: After a very long wait (check the analysis we did long time ago), candidates received their results of the Talent Screener. Kindly enough they did this before the summer so now it’s time enjoy the summer and the Assessment Centre all together. Who said you can’t practice an EPSO interview in the swimming pool? So the lucky 105 in AD7 and 165 in AD5 candidates remaining (+/- 3 candidates per 1 place) will have the opportunity to try this original method of training.

About the assessment: The trick here is the candidates will face a double written test, first the Case study (competences, not related to external relations) and then the written test in the field (yes, this one will be about competences for external relations, not knowledge). Be ready for an, at least, 5-hour exam (or even longer) between the two tests combined. The other tests you will need to take are and General competency-based interview ; and the Field-related interview , which will be organised in different dates. Do you need help with the written tests? Or the interviews? Check the info about our next training sessions if you think we can help you (we don’t provide a swimming pool, but we give you all the EPSO stuff). Another way of staying tuned is to join our Telegram channel where we’ll alert you on more details.

3.- Irish-Language (GA) Lawyer-Linguists EPSO/AD/396/21

Status: This one is moving a bit faster, it helps when you only have 40 candidates for 35 spots (yes, 35 spots) who have completed and submitted their application by the end of January 2022. Since then, the translation test have passed and now they are eagerly waiting to take the CBT in October to end the year with the Assessment Centre.

About the assessment: First, you will have to face the General competency-based interview together with the Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and the Field test interview. Careful with the last one!!! In your competition, the Field-related interview is aimed to assess your specialist knowledge and command of the language in the field of national law and European Union law. During the interview, you will be asked to give an oral presentation too.

Another aspect to remember in this competition is the marking . Your final mark will be composed of you results in Translation into the competition language (from language 2 and language 3 – up to 120 points) + CBT (up to 40 points) + Translation review (up to 40 points) + Assessment competences (up to 80) and finally the field related interview (up to 20) , in total 300 points.

If interested in our CBT training in English, write us to [email protected], remember you can join our Telegram information channel too where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition. Of course, If you think we can help you with our training, you can register for the next ones. And yes, we also prepare the field-related interview, it’s all about the methodology 😉

4.- Administrators in the field of maritime affairs and fisheries EPSO/AD/397/21

Status: Do you remember the analysis we did ? You should, it’s from the end of 2021, so not too long ago. This competition provides fresh evidence that EPSO competitions are sailing forward once the tsunami of the COVID has passed :). Initially, there were 913 candidates for 86 spots. After the Eligibility Check and the evaluation of the Talent Screener, only 260 candidates are left and even a lower number (as the CBT took place in June and not everyone passed it) got his/her invitation to the Assessment Centre. Now, starting on the 13th September (your new lucky day), with the case study, the competition-ship is arriving to its final ePsORT.

About the assessment: First you will face the Case study (competences, not related to fisheries) and then the interview, including the field related interview (yes, this one will be about competences in the domain of maritime affairs and fisheries, not knowledge) and the general competency-based interview . Do you need some help to row stronger in this competition? check the info about our next training sessions if you think we can help you (we have navigated these waters). And don’t worry, the bad jokes will be kept at bay during the sessions or we’ll throw ourselves overboard… oops!

5.-EPSO/AD/398/22 -All ICT competitions (AD Level) : Administrators -ICT infrastructures, cloud, networks and middleware ; Administrators – Digital workplace, office automation and mobile computing ; Administrators – IT and data governance, programme/portfolio and project management, project management office (PMO), business and enterprise architecture Administrators – ICT security

Status: Do you remember the analysis we did ? Still fresh from February this year. The 5 different profiles collected a total of 2620 applications (respectively 404-186-769 -986 -375) for a total of 350 spots (by profile 71-49-70-73-87). While the ratio of candidates to spots is favourable, this competition requires excellent technical skills. Also, the complexity of the applications is rather high, which means that EPSO will need more time to evaluate them. Most likely, the Eligibility Check will be conducted shortly, but then they will need to evaluate the Talent Screener. Expect to hear news about the Assessment Centre by end of Autumn 2022.

About the assessment: First, we’ll have the computer-based tests (CBT). We know, you thought you had escaped it… keep dreaming. Still, there is no need to get a high mark, only passing it is enough (like it is the case for CAST exams).

In addition, you will have to pass the following tests at the Assessment Centre:  Case Study and Situational Competence Based Interview . Between the two tests you can gather a total of 80 points, with the particularity that you need and overall 40/80 to pass, but not minimum marks per competence. Anyway, although the more points we get in competences part the better, the key part is the field-related test where you will have to demonstrate your capacities on the area of it (not exactly your knowledge), and above all, your relevant experience for this position. To do so, you will have the Interview in the Field (also structured but with clear focus on your work experience) up to 100 points in that test. Remember to visit this link when you are invited to the assessment. We can help you to prepare all the test or you can join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

BONUS TRACK.- Experts in technical support to Member States’ Structural Reforms  EPSO/AD/391/21 – 1  and Experts in the Schengen acquis  EPSO/AD/391/21 – 2 (only this)

Status:  As you remember, the candidates applying for the Structural Reforms competition were  far more than expected and the CBT  was called upfront. Results were out at end of October and candidates waited for the results of the Talent Screener. Finally, the results came out ( more or less as expected ) and 140 candidates for structural reforms (with 45 places) and 75 (with 25 places) for Schengen acquis have been invited.

About the assessment:  We got a mix of items for the Summer, classic competence interviews : General competency-based interview (CBI), Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and then the F ield test (interview and written test) despite t he cuts in the assessment . For the moment, the written test in the field was held  the 30th May . and the SCBI test is still in coming in September!

AST competitions

1.-proofreaders/language editors – greek, spanish , estonian , gaelic , italian , portuguese epso/ast/148/21.

Status: It has been a while since candidates were informed that this competition was moving towards the Talent Screener evaluation and now their patience bore fruit. The initial number of candidates who applied were high, specially for some languages as we got 732 candidates for Greek, 871 Spanish, only 67 for Estoninan, the record for Italian with 992 and more regular number 241 for Portuguese. Of all of them, only 51, 54, 33, 54, 42, 51 respectively have been invited to the assessment. How do we know? remember what is said in the notice «A maximum of 3 times the number of successful candidates sought for each language will be invited to this phase» .

About the assessment: Now, right after the summer break, the Assessment Centre will be rolling full steam, but be careful!!! You will face 2 different computer test , one the classic CBT (verbal, numerical, abstract reasoning) then you need to take the Proofreading and correcting test . So as there are two test, there are two booking dates ; for the CBT you have to book between 09-13 September and take the exam 17-18 October (at home or in a Prometric/EPSO facility) ; for the Proofreading and correcting test you have to book between 29 September-5 October and take the exam 31 October – 4 November (only in a Prometric/EPSO facility) , Don’t forget to read carefully all the indications from EPSO and when doing the bookings (believe it or not, they contain a lot information).

The tests you will sit besides the ones mentioned above are the General competency-based interview (which will take about 2 weeks for all the candidates to complete), as well as the Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) (another 2 weeks). Check the starting dates, as each language begins in a different one between mid September -mid October and their interview part last 1 month.

Our recommendation would be to practice with the  Reform of the European Ombudsman’s Statute , you can divide it in two parts (it’s longer than 450 words) and you have it in  Spanish  ;  French ; Italian  ;  German  . Another example available in the 24 official languages are  the Factsheets of the European Parliament  as they cover a wide list of subjects and allow you to practice with some legal & policy terms. This test just implies translation, so any document from the institutions officially translated to our language 2 can help us practice.

Of course, we can’t forget about the  State of the Union 2021  (which you have in the 24 official languages), or any SOTEU speech from previous years (here for instance  2020  and  2018 ). Finally, the documents about the  Political priorities  of the Commission or other similar documents can also help you practice for the test and the official journa l with all its texts published in the 24 official languages. Overall, they want to be sure you know how to do the following:

Last but not least, check our next training sessions if you think we can help you with the assessment interviews and write an email to [email protected] if interested for a training of the CBT in English.

2.-Technicians and support workers- Technicians( AST3) EPSO/AST/150/21 In 3 fields: Field 1: Audiovisual and conference technicians; Field 2: Building technicians; Field 3: Laboratory technicians.

Status : Do you remember our analysis laboratory technicians and for Audiovisual and Building ? Yes, at that time we used to write more in Spanish but the audience became more international and so did we. Ok, stop the chit-chat. We knew the number of applications (389 candidates for 92 spots in Audiovisual, 663 for 114 spots in building, 378 for 20 in Laboratory spots and 176 for 15 spots on laboratory support ) but now we know that 265, 340 and 65 respectively (670 candidates in total) have been invited to the assessment that will take place from mid-September until mid-December i.e Winter is coming!!!!

About the assessment: With the case study already done (last 4 July), only two tests remain pending, but they account for 130 out of the total of 170 points. The Situational competency based interview will be 30 points and the booklet for the exam should be published, at least, a couple of weeks before the exams begin, stay alert! For the field-related interview, 100 points are at stake, so make sure you prepare well to guarantee a good performance. The key factor is the structure of your information, no need to be an expert to talk about any topic but you need an expert to know what matters and how to explain it clearly and to the point . Remember you can join our Telegram information channel too where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition. Of course, If you think we can help you with our training, you can register for the next ones.

3.-EPSO/AST/151/22 – Assistants – ICT infrastructures, cloud, networks and middleware Assistants – Digital workplace, office automation and mobile computing Assistants – Development/configuration, testing, operation and maintenance of IT applications and off-the-shelf solutions; Data management, data analytics and artificial intelligence Assistants – ICT security

Status: Do you remember the analysis we did ? The 4 different profiles collected a total of 1300 applications approximately (221-260-721-117 respectively) for a total of 205 spots (by profile 47-55-74-29). While the ratio of candidates to spots is favourable, this competition requires excellent technical skills. Also, the complexity of the applications is rather high, which means that EPSO will need more time to evaluate them. The Eligibility tests have finished and now the Talent Screener evaluation is ongoing, so expect news on your Assessment Centre by mid or end of Autumn, not earlier.

In addition to the CBT, you will have to pass the following tests:  Case Study (40 points) and Situational Competence Based Interview (30 points) . Between the two tests you can gather a total of 70 points, with the particularity that in total you need 35 out of 70 to pass, but no minimum marks per competence are required.

Anyway, although the more points we get in competences part the better, th e key part is the field-related test where you will have to demonstrate your capacities in your field (not exactly your knowledge), and above all, your relevant experience for this position. To do so, you will have the Interview in the Field (also structured but with clear focus on your work experience), where up to 100 points are in stake with a minimum score of 60 points, the bar is high! Remember to visit this link when you are invited to the Assessment Centre. We can help you to prepare all the test or you can join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition.

4.- EPSO/AST/152/22 Linguistic Assistants ET – HR – IT – NL – PL – PT

Status : Last but not least, the linguistic assistants is in the moment of organizing the CBT (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning) with two language comprehension test. In total, about 4137 candidates (for 76 final spots) will take this exam in the last week of August and the first one of September.

We need to excel in the part of the comprehension test , as only the files of the candidates who obtained the pass mark in the reasoning tests and one of the highest overall marks in the language comprehension tests will undergo the eligibility check . That is, the eligibility check will be performed in the descending order of candidates’ overall marks obtained in the language comprehension tests. The files will be checked until the number of candidates deemed eligible reaches three times the number of successful candidates sought for each language, i.e 36 for Estonian, 42 for Croatian, 30 for Italian, 42 for Dutch, 36 for Polish and 42 for Portuguese. A proportion in line with the old times of generalist AD5 competition.

About the assessment: It will take some time to come, maybe you will hear of your invitation at the end of the year. If this is indeed the case, expect a single date for all profiles on the case study test and the finalisation of a text ( check what we posted above for the proofreaders text, it may be of help) . In addition, you will have to sit the General competency-based interview , where only 30 points are at stake and which will probably executed very quickly (over the span of few weeks). So be sure the day of the case study and the finalisation of a text is your best day here.

Many of you ask about when EPSO will tell you that you have passed to the next phase, or have been invited to the Assessment Centre, or…. you read/heard rumors about the development of the competitions somewhere. Better to isolate yourself from that noise and focus on the real messages. EPSO commits itself (it’s in Annex II of the notice of competition) to communicate with you after the Talent Screeners have been evaluated to inform you on the results and to invite you to the Assessment Centre. In the meantime,  it can take weeks or months to receive any information   or being notified that we have passed to the next phase of the competition,  so keep calm. If you are feeling desperate for the lack of news,  you can always contact EPSO too,  as candidates you are entitled to do so but be careful, replies can be a bit cryptic or copy/paste from the notice.

Both are typical questions of the candidates, therefore we invite you to check Annex I and Annex II from the notice of competition. As you can see from the images above, go to Annex I of the notice to find all the details of your expected tasks to be performed once you are an administrator in the area of ICT (The Commission counts on you!!!). And last but not least, let us remind you an AD7 (step 2) will join the institutions with a net salary above 6.000 € and this can be higher depending if you have family dependent on you and other conditions.

They are here!!! EPSO opens the Assessment Centre for more 10 competitions (major update of all competitions)

We don’t know if it was the sun over brussels during the first weeks of the Spring season that made the competition flourish or simply the willingness to end the traffic jam of competitions caused by the pandemics, but in last weeks, the candidates of more than 10 different competitions have received excellent news and have been informed they made it to the Assessment phase. With all the changes that have taken place and the sudden rush, many of you are are asking about what will happen in your competitions, particularly: what are the next steps? How should I prepare my Assessment Centre? Then let’s try to answer to all of you with the latest information available. In this post, you will find the information for the following competitions (by reference number order, just scroll down until you find the ones that interest you):

• Administrator – Anti-fraud investigations EPSO/AD/394/21 4 profiles (AD7 & AD9)
• Administrator in the field of Data protection EPSO/AD/393/21
• Administrators in policymaking and law-making in the field of health, food safety, auditing inspection and evaluation EPSO/AD/392/21
• Member States’ Structural Reforms and Experts in the Schengen acquis EPSO/AD/391/21
• Administrators in the field of Chemicals Policy EPSO/AD/390/21
• Lawyer-Linguist – (BG); (CS); (FR); (GA); (HU); (PL) EPSO/AD/383 to 388/21
• Administrators in the field of external relations EPSO/AD/382/20 (AD5 and AD7)

AST and AST/SC competitions will be in a different post.

Almost finalised Competitions

• Administrators in the field of sustainable agriculture and rural development EPSO/AD/389/21 – AD6
• Administrators in the field of European Law EPSO/AD/381/20
• Administrators in international cooperation and managing aid to non-EU countries EPSO/AD/380/19 – AD7 and AD7

Will the new competences change anything in my competition?

Business as usual, no changes here. The fact the old competences are defined in the notice of competition guarantee they will remain stable for your competitions, otherwise EPSO should amend it to introduce the new ones. Probably, they will wait until these competitions come to an end before introducing changes to the competences that will be evaluated. We expect to see the new competences in future competitions as Space & Defense , we’ll keep you posted.

Let’s go competition by competition (from highest to lowest EPSO reference number). Please be aware that the following analysis is done based on the information published on the EPSO webpage and our experience as candidates (yes, we once were where you are now) and trainers.

1.- Administrator – Anti-fraud investigations EPSO/AD/394/21 4 profiles (AD7 & AD9)

Status: At the moment we are writing this, a total of 205 candidates have made it to the Assessment Centre for 68 spots (if you want to see the precise data, check the table on the left), what leaves a proportion of one spot per three candidates, not bad at all! The case study has a date (5 of May), the rest of the assessment will take place between end of April and end of June. Remember that the on-line strategy for the Assessment Centre is to do each test at a different moment, not all the tests at once, but don’t forget to check your invitation to the Assessment Centre for the full detail (believe it or not, EPSO provides a lot of info in their communication to you – hint- click on the links!!!)

About the assessment: First, our old classic test – the Case Study (of competences) with 40 points. Then another classic among the classics, the Competency base interview (CBI) with another 40 points. Together they should add, minimum, 40 points (out of 80). On top of that, the Field test interview (it counts 100 points out of which you need 50 points. Of course, If you think we can help you with our trainings, you can check our  next sessions or register for the next ones. And yes, we also prepare the field-related interview, it’s all about the methodology 😉 Remember you can join our Telegram information channel too where we’ll alert you of any news regarding your competition and our trainings.

2.-Administrator in the field of Data protection EPSO /AD/393/21

Status: At the moment we are writing this, 230 candidates passed the MCQ (multiple choice questionnaire) on data protection and (a quite fast evaluated) Talent Screener. As we write this, only the case study has indicative date (20 of May), the rest of the Assessment Centre tests are expected to take place from mid May until the end of June. Also, don’t forget the CBT Test, this competition has the particularity where there is no passing mark of CBT but its results (up to 40 points) is added to the total. Then a candidate can get up to 300 points (40 from CBT + 40 from MCQ on Data protection + 80 competences + 140 field related). Also, don’t forget to check your EPSO profile twice per week! We did our full analysis of this competition here that we suggest to read, specially because the marking system is a bit different from what we are used to.

About the assessment: Old classic test the Case Study (of competences), scheduled originally for May, now it seems to be for June and in May only the CBT. Complementarily we got the Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and on top of that the Field test interview that counts almost double than the competence test (so you know where you need to put your higher effort). All things considered, better to be a proven expert in Data protection to have a fair chance of passing this competition but don’t undervalue the points from the other test. Of course, If you think we can help you with our trainings, you can check our  next sessions to prepare all assessment test or register for the next ones and don’t miss the opportunity of adding some points with the CBT (all points count!).

3.-Administrators in policymaking and law-making in the field of health EPSO/AD/392/21 – 1 food safety EPSO/AD/392/21 – 2 auditing inspection and evaluation in the field of health and food safety EPSO/AD/392/21 – 3

Status: Remember our analysis of this competition ( profile 1 , profile 2 and profile 3 )? Well, not much has changed. In total, there has been 1454 applications (split in 710, 465 and 289 respectively on each profile). As for the spots available, there are 47, 30 and 30 respectively. So the wise EPSO decided to do the eligibility check first (CV screening) and then continue to the Talent Screener evaluation. Now, 125, 90 and 90 candidates for profile 1,2,3 respectively have been invited to the Assessment.

About the assessment: It’s becoming tendency to begin in specialist competition with the CBT. For this one in particular, candidates will have between 27 and 29 of April to take the test and obtain 10 points verbal and 10 points (minimum) from numerical and abstract test combined to pass (if you need some hints, we got our post about the CBT ) . When the Assessment Centre comes, you will have to prepare the following: Case Study (scheduled for the 5 of May. The rest will come between May and June: Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and Field related interview in two different days. If you think we can help you with our trainings, you can check our next sessions or register for the next ones.

4.-Experts in technical support to Member States’ Structural Reforms EPSO/AD/391/21 – 1 and Experts in the Schengen acquis EPSO/AD/391/21 – 2

Status: As you remember, the candidates applying for the Structural Reforms competition were far more than expected and the CBT was called upfront. Results were out at end of October and candidates waited for the results of the Talent Screener. Finally the results came ( more or less as expected ) out and 140 candidates for structural reforms (with 45 places) and 75 (with 25 places) for Schengen acquis have been invited.

About the assessment: We got a mix of items for the end of Spring and beginning of Summer (June-July) , classic competence interviews : General competency-based interview (CBI), Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and then the Field test (interview and written test) despite t he cuts in the assessment . For the moment, the written test in the field is confirmed as the first test on the 30th May . Get ready!!! If you think we can help you with our training (including the field related part, as many of our successful candidates can confirm), remember to check our next sessions (case study + written test on the 26th April) or join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes .

5.-Administrators in the field of Chemicals Policy EPSO/AD/390/21

Status: It has been a long time since we did our analysis of this competition but it’s still valid. The eligibility checks were done and the Talent Screener evaluation results for 518 candidates were long expected. Finally 140 have been invited to the assessment.

About the assessment: This time, the calendar for this competition is full of particularities. First the CBT test will take place beginning of June (2nd and 3rd to be precise) but much earlier, will be the written test in the field, on the 26th April. Candidates will face the following tests: General competency-based interview (CBI); Situational competency-based interview (SCBI) and the Field-related ones (Interview and written test). Check our next training sessions if you think we can help you (we think we can).

6.- LAWYER-LINGUISTS (AD 7) EPSO/AD/383/21 – Bulgarian (BG); EPSO/AD/384/21 – Czech (CS); EPSO/AD/385/21 – French (FR); EPSO/AD/386/21 – Irish (GA); EPSO/AD/387/21 – Hungarian (HU); EPSO/AD/388/21 – Polish (PL)

Status: The brave candidates of this competition faced the CBT last summer and then were called to to the Translation Test in December. After that test, those candidates with the highest marks (up to 4 times the number of spots) have been invited to the Assessment Centre, starting with the Summary test the 12th May. About the assessment: After a long wait, the Assessment Centre is here, as we foresaw . Remember it has a new configuration and the  Situational competency-based interview is gone  but the classics remain: General competency-based interview and the Oral presentation, where the minimum mark per competence disappears, you only need to obtain 40 points or more in total. As for the the Field-related tests, there will be another Oral presentation and a summary in language 1 from the Language 3 without dictionary (that will be tough). Glad to help you to prepare all these test. Check our next training sessions if you are interested.

7.-Administrators in the field of external relations EPSO/AD/382/20 (AD5 and AD7 )

Status: After a very long wait, candidates received their results of the elegibility checks in April. But no further information was provided. EPSO is currently running the Talent Screener checks and we expect to know who will pass to the Assessment Center soon. Considering this, we don’t expect the Assessment Centre will take place before September 2022 (we indicate the year as the competition started in September 2020). Please, consider the evaluation of the Talent Screeners will take a couple of months (at least), so we bet its results will be published right before or right after the summer break (yes, not very concrete but this is EPSO, we mean c’est la vie!) .

About the assessment: After all the struggle, could it be EPSO accelerates and releases the results of the talent so the approximately 258 candidates (AD5+AD7) invited to the assessment can receive their invitations before Easter? Fingers crossed. Meanwhile,  Situational competency-based interview and the minimum mark per competence are gone , instead the Case study and the General competency-based interview remain and you will need to obtain 40 points or more in total in the competence part; For the Field related tests (Interview and written test) all remains the same, up to 50 points each.

Some of you having asking when to prepare the Assessmen t, our best advice, if you are not in any other competition that allows you to create synergies, wait until summer . Of course, stay tuned for our  next training sessions  if you think we can help you with them. Another way of staying tuned is to  join our telegram channel  where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

Almost finalised

1.-administrators in the field of sustainable agriculture and rural development epso/ad/389/21 – ad6.

Status: So the Assessment Centre started in February 2022 then, during the Spring time, the candidates have been working hard to get it done despite the changes in the assessment distribution. The written test part was tough and long with two tests (and the agriculture part not exempt of controversy).

What is left: As we speak, a bunch of the very last few candidates are taking their Assessment interviews. So now it’s a matter of patience (guess people in the area of agriculture cultivate plenty of it… sorry) and expect the results germinate but as late fruit, don’t wait for them until the summer break is over.

2.-Administrators in the field of European Law EPSO/AD/381/20

Status: It looks like yesterday when we shared our analysis and the sources to study EU law . Then, we spent the summer of 2021 struggling with the intermediate EU Law test (big applause for the 70 candidates who spent this summer with us and suffered our hard tests to prepare for this phase), and then came the long wait to get the results. Finally, as a snow storm in the middle of the hard winter, candidates got their invitation to the Assessment Centre and have spent the last 3 months working hard to prepare them.

What is left: After the modifications to the test in February, we missed the opportunity to see the role play in action but still the General competency-based interview and a very interesting Oral Presentation were left. And last but not least, well it’s even more important, the Field Written test with its dose of controversy. We did our best to help more than 60 candidates (1 out of 5) in this final phase. And now we’ll be expecting the results as they do but better not to expect them before September. They take their time.

3.-Administrators in international cooperation and managing aid to non-EU countries EPSO/AD/380/19 – AD7 and AD7

Status: Your are right, this competition opened in December 2019 and we have been reporting about it since then . However, as international cooperation projects experts know, nobody said it would be easy or short. The COVID crisis made things quite difficult and this competition got stuck for many months. Then the Assessment Centre was organised on a test by test basis, instead of taking all the Assessment Centre tests in the same day, which took a big part of 2021. But the «best» came at the end: the Case study and the Field written test, put the candidates in a very difficult situation as the interface/platform of the exam didn’t work as expected (or at all) and many candidates have to repeat the exam that finally took place by November 2021. What is left: Patience and resignation. Counting the days to see if EPSO releases the results by April (8 days left as we write this post) or a new date will be set on the web, after all, the dates on the web are indicative, only those received through official EPSO communication in your profile are valid and «cast on stone?»… better say «official».

Revolution in the Assessment – EPSO cuts them in half in several competitions

Last Tuesday (1st February), the afternoon coffee ended on our trousers rather in our stomach, as EPSO announced changes . Which ones? Easy, as they acknowledge the long long backlog of some competitions (see the list below) they have decided to cut a big chunk of the Assessment test to make the process faster without harming your chances or passing it. Is that true? Will my chances remain the same? In principle yes, as the core of the evaluations (competences) remains, this time assessed through one single test rather than two tests, your chances should remain intact. Then what’s different? The margin of error. Now, you need to perform well or excellent in each one of the tests, no margin to make mistakes or obtain a low mark in one competence. Also bear in mind a reference for the uploading of the scanned documents (instead of bringing them in a USB) has been added.

Warning! as EPSO indicates, the information shared is intended for publication in the Official Journal (OJ) of the EU. It is made available in advance to information the candidates, but please make sure you check the text published in the DOUE to verify there are no differences (i.e we’ll check the final publication and update this post accordingly)

Can you be more specific about the changes? Sure! In this post, you will find the information for all the competitions affected by the change (by reference number order, just scroll down until you find the ones that interest you) and what is the new and how to tackle it. Also we have made an extra effort to make all this a bit more palatable and funny. You can pass the competitions with a smile!

• Proofreaders/language editors – Greek, Spanish, Estonian, Gaelic, Italian, Portuguese – EPSO/AST/148/21
• Secretaries SC 1 and SC2 EPSO/AST-SC/10/20

1.-Administrators in policymaking and law-making in the field of health EPSO/AD/392/21 – 1 food safety EPSO/AD/392/21 – 2 auditing inspection and evaluation in the field of health and food safety EPSO/AD/392/21 – 3

• Situation : Remember our analysis of this competition ( profile 1 , profile 2 and profile 3 )? Well, not much has changed. In total, there has been 1454 applications (split in 710, 465 and 289 respectively on each profile), after the initial eligibility check, the numbers of those who passed to the Talent were 240, 245 and 190 respectively for 47, 30 and 30 spots (then up to 141,90 and 90 can be invited to the Assessment). At this moment the Talent Screener evaluation is ongoing.
• What to expect: This was one of the competitions less impacted by the changes. When the Assessment Centre comes, probably March or April, you will have to prepare the following: Case Study (of competences) and the Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and Field test interview. The Written test in the field is gone and its points transferred to the Field test interview (now it counts 100 points). If you think we can help you with our trainings, you can check our next sessions or register for the next ones.

2.-Experts in technical support to Member States’ Structural Reforms EPSO/AD/391/21 – 1 Experts in the Schengen acquis EPSO/AD/391/21 – 2

• Situation: As you remember, the candidates applying for the Structural Reforms competition were far more than expected and the CBT was called upfront. Results were out at end of October and (again) candidates must be patient and wait for the results of the Talent Screener. After that, for those of you with the highest marks, around 135 for structural reforms and 75 for Schengen acquis will be invited to the Assessment Centre (Spring of 2022 most likely).
• What to expect: When the Assessment Centre comes, y ou can forget about the Case Study . The General competency-based interview and Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) both remain and split the competences to evaluate them in one single round and the minimum mark per competence disappears, you only need to obtain 40 points or more in total. What remains the same is the Field test (interview and written test). If you think we can help you with our training, remember to check our next sessions or join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

3.-Administrators in the field of Chemicals Policy EPSO/AD/390/21

• Situation: It has been a long time since we did our analysis of this competition but it’s still valid. The eligibility checks were done and the Talent Screener evaluation results for 518 lucky candidates are …….expected in any of 2022. EPSO announced the delay of the Talent screener results without a clear hint of when the publication of the results, so the 135 candidates to be invited to the Assessment Centre will have to wait
• What to expect : When the Assessment Centre comes, y ou can forget about the Case Study . The General competency-based interview and Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) both remain and split the competences to evaluate them in one single round. The minimum mark per competence disappears, you only need to obtain 40 points or more in total. What remains the same is the Field test (interview and written test). If you think we can help you with our training, remember to check our next sessions or join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

4.-Administrators in the field of sustainable agriculture and rural development EPSO/AD/389/21 – AD6

• Situation : So the CBT was done in summer but results took time to settle on the earth and germinate (bad joke). Then, the new year brought the results of the Talent Screener and 175 brave candidates were invited to the Assessment…and its first test will take place 8 of March
• What to expect : The Assessment Centre is coming in Spring just as we predicted and the winter is there to prepare ourselves. In this competition, Situational competency-based interview is gone with the wind , but Case study and General competency-based interviews remain, which are the two big classic test are ready to evaluate our competences. Besides, to assess your knowledge in the Field, you will face the interview and the written test in the filed. For all this test, we’ll offer further trainings , stay tuned on our next sessions .

5.- LAWYER-LINGUISTS (AD 7) EPSO/AD/383/21 – Bulgarian (BG); EPSO/AD/384/21 – Czech (CS); EPSO/AD/385/21 – French (FR); EPSO/AD/386/21 – Irish (GA); EPSO/AD/387/21 – Hungarian (HU); EPSO/AD/388/21 – Polish (PL)

• Situation : The brave candidates of this competition faced the CBT in summer, then in Autumn, almost winter, were called to to the Translation Test (up to 8 times the number of available spots). After its evaluation, those with the highest marks (4 times the number of spots) will be invited to the Assessment Centre.
• What to expect : The correction of this kind of test takes time, we don’t expect further news until end February or later , and the Assessment Centre for Spring. For that, the Situational competency-based interview is gone and the classics remain: General competency-based interview and the Oral presentation, where the minimum mark per competence disappears, you only need to obtain 40 points or more in total. As for the the Field related tests, there will be another Oral presentation and a summary in language 1 from the Language 3 without dictionary (that will be tough). Don’t forget to stay tuned for what will come next by joining our telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

6.-Administrators in the field of external relations EPSO/AD/382/20 (AD5 and AD7 )

• Situation: After a very long wait, candidates received their results by the end of September. But no further information was provided. EPSO is currently running the eligibility checks (yes, since September) and we expect to know who has passed to the Talent Screener evaluation phase one day.
• What to expect : After all the struggle, could it be EPSO accelerates and releases the results of the talent so the approximately 258 candidates ( AD5+AD7) invited to the assessment can receive their invitations before Easter? Fingers crossed. Meanwhile, Situational competency-based interview and the minimum mark per competence are gone , instead the Case study and the General competency-based interview remain and you will need to obtain 40 points or more in total in the competence part; For the Field related tests (Interview and written test) all remains the same, up to 50 points each. Don’t miss the opportunity! Of course, stay tuned for our next training sessions if you think we can help you with them. Another way of staying tuned is to join our telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

7.-Administrators in the field of European Law EPSO/AD/381/20

• Situation: It looks like yesterday when we shared our analysis and the sources to study EU law . Then, we spent summer struggling with the intermediate EU Law test (big applause for the 70 candidates who spent this summer with us and suffered our hard tests to prepare for this phase), and then came the long wait to get the results. Good news!!! The results were published mid November and candidates got their invitation to the Assessment Centre at the begining of this year, but only two test were set, the role play remained uncertain.
• What to expect : Now, forget about the role plays, they are gone, the Oral presentation and General competency-based interview remain at the same time that the minimum mark per competence disappears, you only need to obtain 40 points or more. What is even more important, the Field Written test is still marked up to 100 points and set for the 11 of February. Get ready!! In case you have skipped the previous clarifications, let us say that If you think we can help you with our training, you can check or register for the next ones or join our Telegram channel where we’ll alert you when more are available.

1.-Proofreaders/language editors – EPSO/AST/148/21 – Greek, Spanish, Estonian, Gaelic, Italian, Portuguese

• Situation: It has been a while since candidates were informed that this competition was moving towards the Talent Screener evaluation. Results should be soon published.
• What to expect : Sooner than later the results of the Talent Screener should be published and the invitation to the Assessment Centre should arrive for 135 candidates. Stay alert and ready! Regarding the test, Case study is gone for good and you will face the General competency-based interview and the Situational competency-based interview where the minimum mark per competence disappears, you only need to obtain 35 (over 70) points to pass but better if you get more. Above them, the Field related tests (Proofreading and correcting a text) will set the real threshold. Check our next training sessions if you think we can help you (we think we can).

3.-Secretaries EPSO/AST-SC/10/20 – SC 1 and SC2

• Situation: After a long summer struggling with the Word test, (Word-MS Office skills to be EPSO-precise) and a long waiting until some candidates left behind could take their exam (their Prometric centre was not available), the results were published , without further notice until the eligibility checks were performed
• What to expect : end of winter should be the right time to get the invitation for the Assessment Centre, remember that if you pass the Word test and have a CV that matches the profile of this competition, your chances of being invited to the Assessment Centre are quite high (the number of candidates who took the Word test was relatively low, nearly 2 times those who will be invited to the Assessment Centre). Then, when the Assessment Centre comes, you will face only ONE role play test (yes, a new type of test but not such a big deal ;-)) and the Field-related interview, which, in addition to your knowledge of the field, this time will also assess some other competences (Resilience, Communication, Analysis and Problem Solving) at the same time. The positive thing about this Assessment Centre is still that you can focus all your strengths on the preparation on only two types of tests. Of course, if you think we can help you with our training, you can check our next sessions or register for the next ones or join our Telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

When should I start to prepare the Assessment Centre?

This a recurring question and very relevant to prepare successfully for the Assessment Centre. Our answer is based on our experience and the experience of our successful candidates. We would advise you to begin the preparation for the Assessment Centre the moment you get an invitation for it. Assessment Centres (or at least the EPSO ones) are based on (or aim to measure your) competences and your expertise on a certain domain, they don’t require you to show knowledge, you will rather have to present to the board all that you can offer to the European institutions. To do so, you need practice above all.

What if I start to prepare as soon as I get a message saying that my competition is in the Talent Screener phase? Well, of course you can do it. However, you need to consider several elements :

• It can take months until the Talent Screener evaluations are over . EPSO doesn’t have a standard duration so you study without a clear horizon and you may run of stamina before the process really begins.
• There are more candidates than spots in the Assessment Centre. Depending on the competition, the proportion of candidates who make it to the Talent Screener evaluation phase varies from 8 up to 12 times the number of openings. So it’s not easy. You can end up studying without being selected afterward. Is this a waste of time? NO! It can be reused in other EPSO competitions and other selection processes but it could also trigger some lose of hope in our chances to work in the EU. Lack of motivation is probably your worse enemy in this process.
• Waiting time can be used to set up an action plan when you get the invitation for Assessment Centre . Because the moment you get the invitation, you have to run! Time and energy must be devoted to this goal. And don’t mind if EPSO is ruining your holidays because you have to prepare for the Assessment Centre. It is for your own good! (it happened to us too!)

If you missed them- all of our 2021 posts in one list (from older to more recent)

• The CBT tests are back : EU law, Secretaries, External relations and more!
• Analizamos la convocatoria de Administradores AD6 en el ámbito de la agricultura- EPSO/AD/389/21
• Analizamos la convocatoria de Correctores de pruebas / verificadores lingüísticos EPSO/AST/148/21
• Analysis of the Administrators in the field of Chemicals Policy- EPSO/AD/390/21
• La Agencia Europea de Investiación (REA) saca ¡¡¡65 plazas!!!
• Análisis de la oposición de Administradores AD6 en el área de la política de sustancias y preparados químicos- EPSO/AD/390/21
• Análisis de la oposición para Inspectores Nucleares AST – EPSO/AST/149/21
• Análisis de la oposición de Administradores AD7 – Expertos/as en apoyo técnico a las reformas estructurales de los Estados miembros y expertos/as en el acervo de Schengen- EPSO/AD/391/21
• Análisis al anuncio de EPSO para AD5 generalistas
• Administrators (AD 7) in the Field of HEALTH & FOOD SAFETY – Profile policymaking and law-making in the field of food safety- EPSO/AD/392/21 – 2
• Administrators (AD 7) in the Field of HEALTH and FOOD SAFETY – Profile policymaking and law-making in the field of health- EPSO/AD/392/21 – 1
• Administrators AD7 in the Field of HEALTH & FOOD SAFETY – Profile in auditing, inspection and evaluation in the field of health and food safety- EPSO/AD/392/21 – 3
• The competitions are moving!! EU law, Secretaries, External relations and more!
• Analysis of the Administrators (AD 6) in the field of DATA PROTECTION -EPSO/AD/393/21
• Analizamos la convocatoria de Técnicos y asistentes EPSO/AST/150/21-ámbito 1-Técnicos audiovisuales y 2- Técnicos de construcción.
• Analizamos la convocatoria de Técnicos y asistentes EPSO/AST/150/21-ámbito 3 Técnicos de laboratorio y EPSO/AST-SC/11/21 asistentes de laboratorio
• A nalysis of ANTI-FRAUD INVESTIGATORS (AD 7) AND ANTI-FRAUD EXPERTS (AD 9) competition-EPSO/AD/394/21
• Analysis of Administrators in digital forensics and in operational and strategic analysis competition-EPSO/AD/395/21
• Winter is coming!!! Well… Assessment Centres are coming (major update of all competitions)
• Guide to practice(for free) the translation test of the European Parliament Language Professional competitions
• Analysis of the Administrators in the field of maritime affairs and fisheries competition- EPSO/AD/397/21

Winter is coming!!! Well… Assessment Centres are coming (major update of all competitions)

The cold is coming but EPSO is warming up and speeding up all the competitions. As many of you are asking about what will happen in your competitions, particularly : what are the next steps? When will I be invited to the assessment? When should I start to prepare the assessment ? How should I prepare? Then let’s try to answer to all of you with the latest information available and our prediction for the calendars of each competition. In this post, you will find the information for the following competitions (by reference number order, just scroll down until you find the ones that interest you):

• Technicians and support workers- Technicians( AST3) EPSO/AST/150/21 In 3 fields and Laboratory support workers (AST-SC EPSO/AST-SC/11/21)
• Nuclear inspectors EPSO/AST/149/21

What if I start to prepare as soon as I get a message saying that my competition is in the Talent Screener phase? Well, of course you can do it. However, you need to take several elements into consideration :

1.- Administrator in the field of Data protection EPSO /AD/393/21

• Status: At the moment we are writing this, no news from this competition, but the Computer-based field-related Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) test is expected before the year ends announced for the beginning of 2022, good! few more weeks to study with the risk of Christmas time in the middle (mind that!). Also, don’t forget to check your EPSO profile twice per week!. We did our full analysis of this competition here that we suggest to read, specially because the marking system is a bit different from what we are used to.
• Next steps: Computer-based field-related Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) test from EPSO’s accredited centres or remotely.
• What to prepare: obviously the field test. As regards the material you should study, we suggest to have a look at all the regulations and procedures on data protection quoted in the point «WHAT TASKS CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?» from the notice of competition and the Annex- I.

2.-Administrators in policymaking and law-making in the field of health EPSO/AD/392/21 – 1 food safety EPSO/AD/392/21 – 2 auditing inspection and evaluation in the field of health and food safety EPSO/AD/392/21 – 3

• Status: Remember our analysis of this competition ( profile 1 , profile 2 and profile 3 )? Well, not much has changed. In total, there has been 1454 applications (split in 710, 465 and 289 respectively on each profile). As for the spots available, there are 47, 30 and 30 respectively. So the wise EPSO decided to do the eligibility check first (CV screening) and then continue to the Talent Screener evaluation.
• Next steps: CV screening and Talent Screener evaluations will take a while so we expect the Assessment Centre not sooner than the beginning of 2022 , even later in Spring, considering there are other competitions a bit ahead of this one and will overlap in time.
• What to prepare: When the Assessment Centre comes, you will have to prepare the following: Case Study , Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and Field test (interview and written test). If you think we can help you with our trainings, you can check our next sessions or register for the next ones.

3.-Experts in technical support to Member States’ Structural Reforms EPSO/AD/391/21 – 1 Experts in the Schengen acquis EPSO/AD/391/21 – 2

• Status: As you remember, the candidates applying for the Structural Reforms competition were far more than expected and the CBT was called upfront. Results were out at end of October and (again) candidates must be patient and wait for the results of the Talent Screener. After that, for those of you with the highest marks, around 135 for structural reforms and 75 for Schengen acquis will be invited to the Assessment Centre (end 2021 or most likely beginning of 2022).
• Next Steps: drink some hot mild tea to relax, this will take a while. We don’t expect the results of the Talent Screener evaluations and the invitations to the Assessment Centre until Spring 2022 (if lucky by the end of winter 2022)
• What to prepare: When the Assessment Centre comes, you will have to prepare the following: Case Study, General competency-based interview, Situational Competency base interview (SCBI) and then the Field test (interview and written test). If you think we can help you with our training, remember to check our next sessions or join our Telegram information channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

4.-Administrators in the field of Chemicals Policy EPSO/AD/390/21

• Status: It has been a long time since we did our analysis of this competition but it’s still valid. The eligibility checks were done and the Talent Screener evaluation results for 518 lucky candidates are expected in any moment of the coming days (early November).
• Next Steps : EPSO usually prefers to execute the Assessment Centre in single blocks, without any holidays in the middle. Considering there are 135 candidates to be invited to the Assessment Centre, it will be difficult to get them through the oral test before Christmas. However, the written part could come before or right after Christmas time . Stay alert and ready!
• What to prepare: Candidates will face the following tests: Case study; General competency-based interview; Situational competency-based interview and the Field-related ones (Interview and written test). Check our next training sessions if you think we can help you (we think we can).

5.-Administrators in the field of sustainable agriculture and rural development EPSO/AD/389/21 – AD6

• Status: So the CBT was done in summer but results took time to settle on the earth and germinate (bad joke). So first, candidates got the CBT results and then the eligibility checks were performed (w hole analysis here ). The last week of October candidates got their results for that and were informed about who made it to the Talent Screener evaluation phase.
• Next Steps: Now EPSO has to evaluate more than 500 Talent Screeners, so this will take a while. We don’t count to see any results until February next year (at least), so your Assessment Centre invitations will blossom with the Spring lights.
• What to do: Wait for the formal invitation to the Assessment Centre, then the hard work begins! Make some slots in your agenda for the time the Assessment Centre comes. You will have to prepare tests such as: Case study ; General competency-based interview; Situational competency-based interview and the Field related ones (the interview and the written test). And stay tuned to any news by joining our Telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

• Status: The brave candidates of this competition faced the CBT in summer and now have been called to to the Translation Test (up to 8 times the number of available spots). It will take place in December and after its evaluation, those with the highest marks (4 times the number of spots) will be invited to the Assessment Centre.
• Next Steps: The correction of this kind of test takes time, we don’t expect further news until end February or later , and the Assessment Centre for Spring.
• What to do: Once the Assessment Centre becomes a reality, candidates will face: General competency-based interview; Situational competency-based interview and the not so common Oral presentation. As for the the Field related tests, there will be another Oral presentation and a summary in language 1 from the Language 3 without dictionary (that will be tough). Don’t forget to stay tuned for what will come next by joining our telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

• Status: After a very long wait, candidates received their results by the end of September. But no further information was provided. EPSO is currently running the eligibility checks and we expect to know who has passed to the Talent Screener evaluation phase in the second half of November .
• Next Steps: Still in the preliminary phases, the evaluation of the Talent Screeners will take a couple of months (at least), so we bet its results will be published at end of winter (end-feb/begining march) and the Assessment Centre will come in Spring.
• What to do: Once the Assessment Centre becomes a reality, Candidates will face: Case study ; General competency-based interview; Situational competency-based interview and the Field related tests (Interview and written test). Stay tuned for our next training sessions if you think we can help you with our training. Another way of staying tuned is to join our telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

8.-Administrators in the field of European Law EPSO/AD/381/20

• Status: It looks like yesterday when we shared our analysis and the sources to study EU law. Then, we spent summer struggling with the intermediate EU Law test (big applause for the 70 candidates who spent this summer with us and suffered our hard tests to prepare for this phase), and then came the long wait to get the results. Good news!!! The results were published mid November and now candidates are waiting to know the passing mark and with it, the invitation to the Assessment Centre.
• Next Steps: We can expect this Assessment Centre to be the first of the year and begin in January (there is no time to do it before Christmas). So make sure you devote some time during the Christmas season to prepare all the tests. After that, there won’t be any time.
• What to do: Right, after cheering for the new year, we can expect to face the following tests in the Assessment Centre: General competency-based interview; Role Play (yes, the new test); Oral Presentation and last but not least, well it’s even more important, the Field Written test. If you think we can help you with our training, you can check our next sessions or register for the next ones or join our Telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

1.-Technicians and support workers- Technicians( AST3) EPSO/AST/150/21 In 3 fields : Field 1: Audiovisual and conference technicians; Field 2: Building technicians; Field 3: Laboratory technicians and Laboratory support workers (AST-SC 1) EPSO/AST-SC/11/21

• Status (updated after EPSO info release): At the moment we are writing this, the application period has just closed and no disclosure of the number of applications has just been released (389 candidates for 92 spots in Audiovisual, 663 for 114 spots in building, 378 for 20 in Laboratory spots and 176 for 15 spots on laboratory support ) , and we know that EPSO will start with the Talent Screener evaluations, the computer-based MCQ tests (also known CBT for friends) will take place during the assessment. Full analysis here: 1st part , 2nd part.
• Next steps: check your EPSO profile regularly. In the unlikely scenario of the CBT coming first, it could be done by December. The most likely scenario is that the first thing to come will be the CV/eligibility check and then the Talent Screener evaluation. If so, don’t expect your Assessment Centre until end of Spring 2022.
• What to prepare: Good moment to briefly review your CBT notes and warm up a little, just in case, but don’t exhaust yourself practicing. Remember that the formula for success in the CBT is 3/4 of calm and 1/4 of practice.

2.-Proofreaders/language editors – EPSO/AST/148/21 – Greek, Spanish, Estonian, Gaelic, Italian, Portuguese

• Status: It has been a while since candidates were informed that this competition was moving towards the Talent Screener evaluation. Results should be soon published.
• Next Step : EPSO usually prefers to execute the Assessment Centre in single blocks, without any holidays in the middle. Considering there will be135 candidates invited to the Assessment Centre, we see difficult to get them through the oral test before Christmas but the written part could come before or right after Christmas time . Stay alert and ready!
• What to prepare: Candidates will face: Case study ; General competency-based interview; Situational competency-based interview and the Field related tests (Proofreading and correcting a text). Check our next training sessions if you think we can help you (we think we can).

• Status: After a long summer struggling with the Word test, (Word-MS Office skills to be EPSO-precise) and a long waiting until some candidates left behind could take their exam (their Prometric centre was not available), the results are expected in the second half of November, in December (following EPSO information) fingers crossed for all of you.
• Next step: If not done when they publish the results, they have to perform the eligibility check afterwards so the process will put us in the beginning of 2022 to get the invitations for the Assessment Centre.
• What to prepare: If you pass the Word test and have a CV that matches the profile of this competition, your chances of being invited to the Assessment Centre are quite high (remember that the number of candidates who took the Word test was relatively low, nearly 2 times those who will be invited to the Assessment Centre). Then, when the Assessment Centre comes, you will have to prepare 2 role play tests (yes, a new type of test but not such a big deal ;-)) and the Field-related interview. The positive thing about this Assessment Centre is that you can focus all your strength in the preparation on only two types of tests. Of course, if you think we can help you with our training, you can check our next sessions or register for the next ones or join our Telegram channel where we’ll alert you when the moment comes.

1.-Administrators in international cooperation and managing aid to non-EU countries EPSO/AD/380/19 – AD7 and AD7

• Status: Your are right, this competition opened in December 2019. However, as international cooperation projects experts know, nobody said it would be easy or short. The COVID crisis made things quite difficult and this competition got stuck for many months. Then the Assessment Centre was organised on a test by test basis, instead of taking all the Assessment Centre tests in the same day, which took a big part of 2021. But the «best» came at the end: the Case study and the Field written test, put the candidates in a very difficult situation as the interface/platform of the exam didn’t work as expected (or at all) and many candidates have to repeat the exam now.
• Next Steps : Only the case study is left for those candidates taking it again. We really hope this N-time will be the good one. Perhaps you will be lucky and get the results of this competition before the Christmas break (crossing our fingers for you!).
• What to prepare: to wish all the best of luck (with the IT platform) to the candidates for their exam and for those who trusted us to help them with preparation of the test: Do it as you know! You have prepared hard for it and you are more than ready.

2.-Nuclear inspectors   EPSO/AST/149/21

• Status: After a long struggle , this competition is about to end. Also, it is a good example of the evaluation procedure. Applications closed in April, and 440 brave candidates presented theirs. Around 80 didn’t fulfill the eligibility criteria, so 359 went to the Talent Screener phase, of which 118 were invited now to the Assessment Centre that took place this Autumn. As a souvenir, here some images of the process.
• Next Steps: Wait, then stock some hot drinks, amusements and think of any other activity. If lucky, results will come by the end of this year, otherwise by the beginning of 2022.
• What to prepare : Get ready for the Christmas holiday and get yourself a bottle of champagne. If you pass, open it to celebrate, if not, open it to close the long wait and boost your morale for next time. Your experience will be very valuable.

Life after the competition… Let’s end with a sweet story

There is light at the end of the tunnel!! In the last months we got the results of three competitions, namely Specialists in legal research-Lawyers-EPSO/AD/365/19, to EPSO/AD/370/19 , Administrators in the field of Audit EPSO/AD/372/19 – AD 5 and AD 7, and graduate Administrators (AD5 Generalist) EPSO/AD/373/19 AD5 . Two dozens of former-candidates, now laurates, to join the reserve lists and become officers in the European Institutions. Despite the challenges, the long waiting periods, the uncertainty and the new SCBI, 24 people (our «croqUEtillas» as we fondly nicknamed them) are now in the reserve list and most of them are already or right in the process of becoming Officers of the European Institutions. They did their best and we helped them to perform at their maximum level, now this effort has its reward. In YaSemosEuropeos (YSE) we’ll remain at your service to help you with the EPSO challenge and sooner or later, to celebrate your success.

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Methodology Webinars

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EU Training Webinars

EU Training’s library of webinars covers EU institution selection exams methodology, EU careers recruitment, as well as any live events when relevant. These webinars offer a great way to learn all about the different tests required for EPSO and non-EPSO competitions. The information presented by experts will help enhance your preparation, improve your time management and increase your overall chances of success. So what’s the difference between a ‘Live Webinar’ and a ‘Webinar Recording’? Scroll down to find out more.

EPSO Written Test Methodology

Trainer: András Baneth

Description

IMPORTANT NOTE : This webinar is not tailored to a specific EPSO competition. Its focus is to provide you with practical methodology to prepare for and succeed in the EPSO Written Test.

Prepare yourself for the EPSO Written Test with our methodology webinar, designed to give you the tools to draft a high-quality written test essay and succeed. We will provide you with an overview of the new EPSO Written Test formats and offer practical insights on how to improve your written communication skills. You’ll learn techniques for analysing documents, crafting a solid ‘narrative' for your written submission and making the best use of your time for the exam.

What's included?

• The full recording
• The presentation slides
• Additional resources and links mentioned in the webinar
• Sample mind map for the current EPSO written test documents

Topics Covered

• The new types of written tests as announced by EPSO
• How to process the background documents provided by EPSO
• Structuring and formatting your response
• Content & style rules, what to write and what to avoid
• Terminology, layout, structure, flow
• Time management and preparation tips

Technical Information

• Recorded on 10 September 2024
• Length: 90 minutes

How do I access this recording?

• Please purchase the recording, by selecting the “Add to Cart” option on the right.
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear in your “Dashboard” in the "My Webinars" section.

Who should purchase this recording?

• Relevant for any candidate preparing for the Written Test component of their EU exams

Who is the presenter?

Andras Baneth

• EU Training co-founder
• Europe's #1 expert on EU careers
• Author of The Ultimate EU Test Book
• Former EU Official

Ask Me Anything | EU Exams 2024

Trainer: Luc Gillis

Feeling unsure about the EPSO application process? Curious about the tests included in your competition? Need clarity on the required supporting documents? Looking for an overview of the EPSO selection process? We're here to address your questions and ease your worries. Join András Baneth and Luc Gillis for the third installment of this popular webcast series, where you can engage directly with Europe's top EU Careers experts.

Please note: this will be a live event only. There will be no recording.

• EPSO selection process overview
• EPSO competitions - upcoming and planned for release
• How to start preparing for the various EPSO tests
•  …and any other question related to EU careers!
• Date: 16 October 2024
• Start time: 12:30 PM (Brussels time)
• Length: 60 minutes

How to access?

• Log into your EU Training account (or create an account if you don’t have one).
• Click on the 'Get' button to the right
• The webcast will then appear on your Dashboard, under the "MY WEBINARS" section
• Additional instructions will be emailed one day before

Who should join?

• Anyone preparing to participate in an EPSO competition or an internal competition
• Anyone who is currently preparing for an open or internal EU competition

Who are the experts? Andras Baneth

• Former EU official in various capacities:
• Over 20 years of experience with EPSO selection procedures
• Consultant in EPSO's legal sector with focus on 'request for review' process 
• Advisor to EPSO’s Selection Boards
• Chair of Contract Staff selections

How to Best Prepare for the EU Knowledge Test

The EU Knowledge Test is a key component in the EU careers selection processes, most notably for the European Commission’s internal AST/AD competitions and the EPSO AD5 Generalist competition. 

EU Knowledge covers such a vast area that studying for it can be understandably overwhelming. Where to start? What to focus on? How to navigate all that information? 

EU Training is here to help: in this webinar you will receive structured methods, resources and AI-tools to approach your prep work to help you save time, reduce stress and increase chances of success.

EU Knowledge Test

• How to structure your preparation
• What to study (building blocks)
• What to focus on (prioritisation)
• Best resources and summaries
• Questions to expect

How to use ChatGPT and AI tools for your EU Knowledge preparation 

• Tools, resources, and prompting techniques
• Finding, summarising, and retaining information using AI
• Purchase the recording by selecting the “Add to Cart” option on the right.
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear on your “Dashboard” under the "My Webinars" section
• Relevant for any candidate preparing for the EU Knowledge Test

Who are the presenters?

Sonia Florian

• Seasoned EU public affairs professional
• Advocacy consultant and researcher
• Entrepreneur
• Recorded on 8 May 2024
• Recording length: approximately 2 hours

How to Succeed in the Commission Oral Test | Internal Competitions

Are you preparing for the European Commission’s Internal Competitions? 

Join EU Training’s experts as they take a deep dive into the most important components of the testing phase: the Oral Presentation and the Interview. How do you prepare for a presentation with such limited time? How do you present your ideas effectively? How do you stand out from the rest? Find out the answers to these and many more questions during this comprehensive and insightful webinar.

• Overview of the European Commission’s Internal Competitions
• Brief overview of the Talent Screener, the EU Knowledge Test, and the Written Test and how to prepare for them
• Oral Presentation: what to expect, how to present, criteria for success
• Interview: what to expect, different types of interviews (motivational, competency-based), advice for success
• Preparation and time management tips
• Q&A with EU Training experts
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear in your “Dashboard” under "My Webinars".
• Relevant for any candidate preparing for the European Commission Internal Exams

"I’d recommend this webinar because It is very helpful to prepare for the EU oral test." - Pilar from Spain

"I would recommend the webinar. The English language used by the teachers was excellent, the webinar covered skills for assistants and administrators as well as the importance of body language especially in front of a camera." - anonymous participant from the live webinar

Susanne Lindahl

• Over ten years of experience working in the European Commission
• Solid insight into what the EC is looking for in new staff
• In-depth knowledge of what an EU job entails
• Developed EPSO training materials used by the Swedish Council for Higher Education
• EU Training's in-house EPSO Case Study expert

Technical info

• Recorded on 31 January 2024
• Recording length: 120 minutes

EPSO Case Study Exam Insights | 2023 (Written Test)

This webinar will take a deep dive into how to approach the EPSO Case Study Exam, which is now known as the EPSO Written Test. The information provided is relevant for any Written Test exam, providing useful advice to improve your skills, from preparation techniques to crafting your response.  The presenters will give practical tips and a clear idea of what to expect while providing you with methodology and strategy that you can then apply when preparing for your competition's specific test.

"I found this training extremely useful! It was very well structured in terms of content, speakers, etc. Thank you!" Barbara, from Brussels, September 2023

IMPORTANT: This is not specific to any one EPSO competition, however, it provides the tools necessary to tackle and prepare for the current EPSO Written Test.

• The new EPSO format: changes from the old system
• What competencies are being assessed directly and indirectly?
• How to process the documents provided by EPSO
• Structure and formatting of your response
• Content rules, what to write and what to avoid
• Time management and preparation tips EPSO experts
• Relevant for any candidate preparing for the Written Test component of their EU exams
• Recorded on 10 October 2023

EPSO AD5 Generalist 2023 Exam | How to Succeed

As the biggest EPSO competition of the past 4 years is about to be launched on 9 November 2023 for AD5 Generalists, we'd like to give you a headstart by sharing tips and strategies for preparation. Prepare, improve, succeed!

UPDATE: EPSO announced a halt to testing and postponed the AD5 generalist competition

• The new 2023 EPSO selection system
• The AD5 Generalist competition:
• Application criteria
• Expected timeline
• Exam components
• How to prepare for the CBT (A/V/N reasoning) tests
• How to prepare for the EU knowledge test
• How to prepare for the case study exam
• Plan ahead: from September 2023 until January 2024
• Sources and resources to use

This is a recording of the live webinar held at the beginning of October.

Date recorded:  3 October, 2023 Recording Length:   90 minutes

• EU Training co-founder Europe's #1 expert on EU careers

Andras Korizs

• EU Training EPSO computer-based tests trainer.
• Has undertaken and successfully passed the EPSO selection exams on a number of occasions
• Experienced teacher and coach, specialising in reasoning skills tests

Pro Tips For The EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test

Trainer: Ben Williams

Before you start preparing for the Verbal Reasoning Test of your EPSO competition utilise this opportunity to work through sample questions with our trainer. Apply the practical lessons you’ll learn via this session to improve on your test score.

This webinar recording offers the opportunity to work through questions of increasing difficulty together with the trainer and learn from the strategic tips acquired along the way from an expert in the field.

Before you undertake the Pro Tips For The EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test webinar it is recommended however, that you first view our FREE Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test webinar. It offers a detailed summary of the Verbal Reasoning Test and highlights all the crucial test methodology and theory you need to know.

• Verbal Reasoning Overview
• Participants are given two minutes to solve a question and vote for the correct solution
• Correct answer revealed followed by presenter’s question debrief
• Q&A opportunities throughout
• 8 sample Verbal Reasoning questions in total, covering a range of relevant question types
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear in your “Practice Centre”, on the right-hand side, in the "My Webinars" section.

Who should purchase this webinar?

• Anyone who is undertaking an EPSO Competitions
• Relevant for all profiles

How long is this webinar? 60 minutes

About Ben Williams:

• Senior Occupational Psychologist, specialising in selection testing.
• Over 20 years' experience in the field of designing psychometric tools
• Senior EU Training partner

Pro Tips For The EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test

Before you start preparing for the Numerical Reasoning Test of your EPSO competition utilise this opportunity to work through sample questions with our trainer. Apply the practical lessons you’ll learn via this session to improve on your test score.

Before you undertake the Pro Tips For The EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test webinar it is recommended however, that you first view our FREE Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test webinar. It offers a detailed summary of the Numerical Reasoning Test and highlights all the crucial test methodology and theory you need to know.

• Numerical Reasoning Overview
• 8 sample Numerical Reasoning questions in total, covering a range of relevant question types

How do I access this recording? Please purchase the recording, by selecting the “Add to Cart” option on the right. Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear in your “Practice Centre”.

• Senior Occupational Psychologist, specialising in selection testing.

Pro Tips For The EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test

Before you start preparing for the Abstract Reasoning Test of your EPSO competition utilise this opportunity to work through sample questions with our trainer. Apply the practical lessons you’ll learn via this session to improve on your test score.

Before you undertake the Pro Tips For The EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test webinar it is recommended however, that you first view our FREE Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test webinar. It offers a detailed summary of the Abstract Reasoning Test and highlights all the crucial test methodology and theory you need to know.

• Abstract Reasoning Overview
• Participants are given one minute to solve a question and vote for the correct solution
• 15 sample Abstract Reasoning questions in total, covering a range of relevant question types
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear in your “Practice Centre” on the right-hand side in the "My Webinars" section.

How long is this recording? 60 minutes

Maths Refresher For Numerical Reasoning

Trainer: Chris Suddick

Give yourself the best chance to reach a high score in the Numerical Reasoning component of your competition’s Pre-Selection exam. This mathematics refresher is the perfect tool to help you brush up on those rusty math rules and shortcuts. The webinar will explore calculations without a calculator, proportions and shortcuts, basic mathematical operations, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fraction and percentages. 

• Basic mathematical operations
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Fractions and percentages
• Practice-focused training, lots of exercises, simulation
• Several question and answer blocks
• Candidates for any EPSO competition.
• This webinar is valuable for everyone who would like to improve on their Numerical Reasoning test score.

About Chris Suddick:

• Graduate of Computer Science from York University
• 25 years in the computer industry as a technical specialist and trainer
• Developed and taught many training courses and study guides

How longs is this recording? 90 minutes

“Three cheers for the webinar team, excellent online training!“  (Alex, Germany)  

Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test

Trainer: Megan Byrt

Before you start preparing for the Verbal Reasoning Test of your EPSO competition, take the time to understand the specifics of this test so you can apply these valuable insights and improve your test score.

This FREE webinar offers a detailed overview of the Verbal Reasoning Test. It is theory focused, outlines basic and advanced test methodologies, highlights strategies on how to tackle such questions and offers useful tips to enhance time efficiency.

Following on from this theory based webinar is our Pro Tips For The EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test  live webinar, which is practical focused, fully interactive and applies the knowledge acquired from the Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test webinar.

If a live session of the Pro Tips For The EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test webinar is currently not being advertised, it can be accessed as a recording as well.

• EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test Specifics
• Solving Verbal Reasoning Questions Overview
• Guidelines from a Designer’s Perspective
• Vital Tips and Tricks
• Please select the “Add to Cart” option on the right.
• As this is a free recording you do not have to pay for it and an “Owned” message will appear once it has been successfully added to your account.
• To view the webinar recording, visit your Practice Centre’s “My Webinars” section.

Who should view this recording?

How long is this recording? 30 minutes

About Megan Byrt:

• Business Psychologist who specialises in training and psychometric assessment.
• Wide range of experience in designing and delivering assessments, especially for graduates.
• Runs training sessions on psychometric test methodologies and how to excel in them.

Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test

Trainer: Robin Bott

Before you start preparing for the Numerical Reasoning Test of your EPSO competition, take the time to understand the specifics of this test so you can apply these valuable insights and improve your test score.

This FREE webinar offers a detailed overview of the Numerical Reasoning Test. It is theory focused, outlines basic and advanced test methodologies, highlights strategies on how to tackle such questions and offers useful tips to enhance time efficiency.

Following on from this theory based webinar is our Pro Tips For The EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test  live webinar, which is practical focused, fully interactive and applies the knowledge acquired from the Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test webinar.

If a live session of the Pro Tips For The EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test  webinar is currently not being advertised, it can be accessed as a recording as well.

• EPSO Numerical Reasoning Test Specifics
• Solving Numerical Reasoning Questions Overview
• Interpretation of Information
• Calculation Overview
• Estimation Overview
• Estimating or Calculating: Which To Use When?
• To view the webinar recording, visit your Practice Centre’s “My Webinars” page on the right-hand side.

About Robin Bott:

• Chartered Occupational Psychologist, specialising in selection testing.
• Designed hundreds of psychometric test questions.

Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test

Before you start preparing for the Abstract Reasoning Test of your EPSO competition, take the time to understand the specifics of this test so you can apply these valuable insights and improve your test score.

This FREE webinar offers a detailed overview of the Abstract Reasoning Test. It is theory focused, outlines basic and advanced test methodologies, highlights strategies on how to tackle such questions and offers useful tips to enhance time efficiency.

Following on from this theory based webinar is our Pro Tips For The EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test  live webinar, which is practical focused, fully interactive and applies the knowledge acquired from the Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test webinar.

If a live session of the Pro Tips For The EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test webinar is currently not being advertised, it can be accessed as a recording as well.

• EPSO Abstract Reasoning Test Specifics
• Solving Abstract Reasoning Questions Overview
• Distractions
• To view the webinar recording, visit your Practice Centre’s “My Webinars” section on the right-hand side.

About Robin Bott:

EPSO Case Study Exam Insights | 2019

PLEASE NOTE : This is a recording of the 2019 EPSO Case Study Exam Insights Webinar and covers the Case Study Exam from the EPSO Assessment Centers for competitions released prior to the selection process updated in 2023.

Before you start preparing for the Assessment Centre stage of your EPSO competitions take the time to understand the specifics of each test that you will encounter during this exam phase.

This webinar offers a detailed overview of the Case Study component of the EPSO Assessment Centre and explores the methodologies to get the highest scores, offers practical advice on how to structure your time and manage difficulties. In addition is offers useful references to additional preparation resources, useful websites and background reading information.

• Why case studies are used by EPSO
• The reason why the case study is special in the assessment system
• The scoring approach applied by EPSO and why it is important to know
• Structure of the exercise and how to make the most of it
• Time management tips, maximising your scores
• Terminology, layout and other crucial tips
• Preparation resources, useful websites, books
• Questions and answers with the expert
• Case Study Sample and Solution Included
• Candidates admitted to the Assessment Centre

Webinar length: 90 minutes

• Co-author of The Ultimate EU Test Book Assessment Centre edition
• Former EU Official and expert on EU careers

Anna Schmidt

• Extensive HR experience within the EU Institutions
• Participated in a large number of selection procedures and has interviewed thousands of candidates

"It was well organised, specific and provided lots of useful information. I was very satisfied." (Katerina, Greece)

Everything You Need To Know About EPSO's Talent Screener

Is a Talent Evaluator or Talent Screener a part of the selection process in an EU internal or open competition you have applied for?

Although this webinar was originally intended for the EPSO Talent Screener, which is no longer a part of the selection process, the information covered here can still be helpful for filling out talent screeners for different types of competitions.

At first glance, the Talent Screener may seem like just another section of the application form, but in fact, it plays a crucial role in the selection process. Getting this part wrong can easily jeopardise your chances of moving through to the next stage of the selection process - which you don't want to risk. 

During this webinar our experts will delve deep into all aspects of the Talent Screener - how it is scored, common mistakes candidates make, and offer tips on how to prepare a stellar Talent Screener. 

• Specialist Competitions
• What is a Talent Screener
• Example questions
• How is the Talent Screener scored?
• The golden rules for preparing a stellar Talent Screener
• The usual mistakes
• Tips & Tricks
• Preparation resources
• Q&A session with EU exams experts

How can I access this webinar?

• Please purchase the recording by selecting the “Add to Cart” option on the right.
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear in your on your Dashboard in the MY WEBINARS section.

Who should watch this webinar?

• Anyone who is undertaking a competition, where a Talent Screener (or evaluator) is required to be completed as part of the application process. 
• Relevant for all profiles.

When was this webinar recorded? This is a recording of the 9 March 2022 LIVE webinar

How long is this recording? Approximately 90 minutes

What will I receive?

• Full recording 
• Presentation Slides
• Q&A Document

Jan De Sutter

• EU Training Assessment Centre Coach
• Former President - EPSO Selection Board
• Co-author of The Ultimate EU Test Book – The Assessment Centre Edition
• Author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book
• Co-author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book - Assessment Centre edition

E-Tray Exam Insights

This webinar gives you everything you need to know about the E-tray Exercise. Incorporating practical examples and exercises, this webinar exposes you to the detailed methodology of the E-tray Exercise. Learn the best strategies for maximising efficiency, understand how the E-tray is scored, recognise how competencies are measured (positive and negative indicators) and gain valuable tips so you can work fast and get the best results. 

• How the E-tray exercise is built
• Competencies measured
• Positive and negative indicators for each competency
• How the ‘correct’ answers are chosen by the designers

How do I access the recording?

• You can purchase the recording by clicking on the “Add to Cart” button on the right.
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear in your Dashboard in the MY WEBINARS section.

Who should purchase this recording? Candidates preparing for an E-tray exam

When was this webinar recorded? This is a recording of the 13 November 2019 LIVE webinar

How long is this recording? Approximately 75 minutes

Lecturer: Ben Williams

• Senior Occupational Psychologist
• Over 20 years' of experience in the field of designing psychometric tools

“Thank you very much and congratulations! The webinar was very useful and Ben really knows what he is talking about! He answered all our questions in detail. It was very helpful.” (Lana, Croatia)

Group Exercise Insights

This webinar offers a detailed overview of the Group Exercise, a role-play exercise often used in EU exams for selection or recruitment purposes. The presentation explores the methodologies to get the highest scores, gives practical advice on how to prepare for this exercise and how to navigate the complexities of this test. In addition, it offers useful references to valuable preparation resources, websites and background reading materials.

Originally created for the EPSO Assessment Centre (which is no longer a part of the selection process), this webinar may be useful for any candidates preparing for non-EPSO competitions.

• What is a Group Exercise?
• Competencies being measured
• What assessors look for
• Group Exercise structure
• Group Exercise best practices
• Dealing with a dominant team member
• Body language
• How to do the Group Exercise well
• Q&A session with EPSO experts
• You can purchase the recording by selecting the “Add to Cart” option on the right.
• Once you have successfully purchased the recording it will appear on your Dashboard in the MY WEBINARS section.

Who should attend? Anyone preparing for a Group Exercise exam

When was this webinar recorded? This is a recording of the 12 February 2019 LIVE webinar

How long is this recording? Approximately 60 minutes

Presenters:

How To Get An EU Job From The Reserve List

You’ve excelled in the EPSO selection process and made it onto the Reserve List, but have you ever wondered what you’ll need to do once you get there? 

Held by Mr. András Baneth (author of The Ultimate EU Test Book ), this webinar takes you through the process step by step, so you can successfully navigate this exciting recruitment stage and get to your final goal of landing an EU job.

• How to make yourself visible and eligible
• What to do with your time when on the Reserve List
• Where and how to lobby
• What to expect from the interviews
• Answers to real participants’ questions
• Rationale behind the Reserve List
• Who to approach
• When to start lobbying
• Lobbying do's and dont's
• What to expect from the interview
• Interview tips and best approaches
• Please purchase the recording, by clicking the “Add to Cart” button on the right.

Who should purchase this recording? Everyone on the Reserve List

How long is this recording?  90 minutes

About András Baneth:

• Senior partner at EU Training
• Held dozens of EPSO webinars
• Expert on EU careers
• Former EU official

CV Boosting Workshop - Getting A Job In European Affairs

Looking for a job in European affairs? Applying to EU agencies, consultancies, NGOs but not getting many call-backs?

Don’t get frustrated. You’ve already come a long way! All you may need now is a little help tweaking your CV and cover letter to land that dream EU job.

This 90 minute online workshop has been designed to help you identify areas of improvement in your CV and cover letter, as well as offer valuable advice and insights from someone that has been through the process and knows what EU institutions seek in these applications. Our aim is to offer you implementable strategies to enhance your application.

" It was a most valuable webinar. Congratulations for the initiative. In my professional life, I had long waited for such a set of helpful information regarding CV and cover letter format. " - Giovava, Italy.

• Common mistakes made on CVs and cover letters
• How to position yourself better for a European affairs job
• 5 selected CVs and cover letters will be deconstructed and analysed, offering actionable insights.

How can I access this webcast?

Who should purchase this webcast?

Anyone looking for a job in in European affairs that would like to enhance the effectiveness of their CV or cover letter.

• Held over a hundred EPSO webinars 
• Expert on EU careers and former EU official

CV & Cover Letter Clinic With Q&A

This will be a very practical and hands-on session where we will review a selection of real CVs and cover letters from our customers.

András Baneth - our resident EU careers expert - will analyse these submissions and offer advice on what the strong and weak points are in each document.

He will also highlight what recruiters and HR officers look for when recruiting within the EU institutional context, and suggest best practices to employ to perfect your application.

• Anyone who is considering an EU career as a public servant at an EU institution. 
• Anyone who would like to improve on their CV and cover letter writing skills. 
• Access to the event's recording
• Any additional supplementary materials

Presenter: Andras Baneth

• Author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book  and co-author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book - Assessment Centre edition
• Former EU Official and expert on EU career

How To Write A CV or Cover Letter That Gets You An Interview - Presentation with Q&A

This online workshop has been designed to help you identify areas of improvement in your CV and cover letter, as well as offer valuable advice and insights from someone that has been through the process and knows what EU institutions seek in these applications.

Our aim is to offer you implementable strategies to enhance your application and will take a look at common mistakes made on CVs / cover letters and how to position yourself better for a European affairs job.

• Presentation slides and any additional supplementary materials

Overview Of EU Career Opportunities In Brussels and Beyond - Presentation with Q&A

Interested in international and European affairs but don't know where to start looking for jobs?

During this workshop session, we will discuss the way towards an EU career, whether you work "for" or "with" the EU Institutions, as an official, diplomat, consultant or lobbyist. 

As a former EU Official and best-selling author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book , András Baneth will pass on valuable insights into this stimulating career choice and answer questions such as:

• What types of positions are available in Brussels?
• Where and when can you apply for these?
• How does the recruitment process work?
• How can you optimise your chances of getting selected?
• What opportunities are there to work with the EU?
• What strategies can you employ so you stand out from the crowd?

After watching this online workshop we hope it will help you to better understand what EU career opportunities are out there and start you on your path towards an outstanding EU job.

• Anyone interested in finding out what types of career opportunities are available to work for or with the EU institutions. 
• Author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book and co-author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book - Assessment Centre edition

The EU Recruitment System From A-Z - Presentation with Q&A

It can take a bit of time to get your head around the complexities of the EPSO selection process, so we've gone and done the hard work for you... 

During this live session, we'll walk you through the different stages of an EPSO competition, so you can be fully prepared for what awaits you during this highly competitive process.

Making it onto a Reserve List is your primary goal, but to get there preparation is key for success, as well as, understanding what assessors will be looking for in the ideal candidate at every stage of the selection process.

As a former EU Official and best-selling author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book , András Baneth will provide you with essential tips on how to navigate this recruitment system and answer questions such as:

• When can I participate in an EPSO competition?
• Am I eligible to apply?
• What is a Talent Screener?
• How do the computer-based tests work?
• What types of intermediate tests can I expect?
• What happens at an Assessment Centre?
• Am I guaranteed a job once I make it onto a Reserve List?

After watching this online workshop, we hope that it will give you a clear picture of how EPSO selects candidates to be placed on a Reserve List, and how you can prepare effectively for each stage of a competition so you stand out from the crowd.

• Anyone who would like to understand how the EPSO selection process works and how EU institutions recruit staff.

EPSO Competitions - A Look At EU Selection Processes - Presentation with Q&A

There's a lot of confusion out there about the different types of EPSO competitions.

We often get asked the question - "what is the difference between this and that competition...and which one am I eligible to apply for?"

So let's take a look at the different types of competitions that regularly come up and explore what differentiates each one.

As a former EU Official and best-selling author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book , András Baneth will debunk the mystery of each competition type by delving into the following questions:

• What is a 'CAST' competition?
• What is a 'Generalist' competition?
• What is a 'Specialist' competition?
• What is an 'Internal' competition?
• What makes each of these competitions unique?

After watching this online workshop, we hope it will help you to discover which type(s) of competition is right for you, so you can fully take advantage of new EU career opportunities as they come up.

• Anyone who would like to better understand the specifics of the different EPSO selection processes / competition types and the various ways to get a job at an EU institution. 

Understanding EPSO Competencies and Values - Presentation with Q&A

Specific competencies and EU values play an extremely important role in each and every EPSO competition's selection process.

The tests/exercises that you will need to complete will be built around measuring these key competencies - especially once you get to the Assessment Centre.

Possessing a clear understanding of what assessors will be looking for when evaluating your strengths in each competency area, will greatly help you to excel and attain high scores. While EU values form the foundation of how situations and outcomes are judged within this context.

As a former EU Official and best-selling author of  The Ultimate EU Test Book , András Baneth will share with you his first-hand experiences while exploring the following questions:

• What are the 8 key ESPO competencies?
• What does each competency mean within this context?
• How is your strength per competency measured?
• What are the key EU values?
• How can I improve in each competency area?

The aim of this online workshop is to build a deeper understanding of each EPSO competency that assessors will be judging you on and to highlight the key EU values, so you can better prepare and excel in the exercises you will be asked to complete as part of your competition. 

• Anyone currently participating or planning to participate in an EPSO competition. 

How To Write Better Emails And Be More Productive At Work - Presentation with Q&A

Emails are such an essential component of our everyday personal and work life, but you probably don't give much thought to perfecting your email writing skills. It's time to change that!

Email writing skills can reveal so much about you, plus it can significantly influence your productivity.

During this insightful session, András Baneth tackles the following areas of interest:

• When you should not write an email (but use a different channel or tool)
• Formatting and layout best practices to get a quick response
• The subject line: what to do and what to avoid
• Case Study #1: The guest speaker invitation email
• Case Study #2: When you messed up and need to fix a problem
• 7-step methodology to craft difficult emails
• Anyone who would like to improve on their email writing skills and work productivity. 

EPSO Competency Based Interview Insights (inc. Field-Related Interview)

This webinar offers a detailed overview of the General Competency-Based Interview and the Field-Related Interview (also known as the Specific Competency Based Interview) components of the EPSO Assessment Centre. It explores the methodologies to get the highest scores, gives practical advice on how to prepare for these types of interviews and how to present the information assessors are looking for. In addition, it offers useful references to valuable preparation resources, websites and background reading materials.

• Competency VS Knowledge
• Difference between the General Competency-Based Interview & Field-Related Interview
• How to structure your answers
• Typical questions
• 7 Deadly Sins
• Live Q&A session with EPSO experts
• To purchase click on 'Add to Cart' then proceed with payment from your shopping cart
• After purchase the recording will appear in the MY WEBINARS section of your Dashboard.

Who should attend? Anyone who is preparing for a Competency-Based Interview exam.

When was this webinar recorded? This is a recording of the 14 February 2019 LIVE webinar

EPSO Motivational Interview Insights

There is a lot of speculation about the new Motivational Interview test added by EPSO to the Assessment Centre of the Administrator Generalists (AD5) competition. If you have been invited to the Assessment Centre stage of this competition, you're probably wondering...What's the best way to prepare for this type of test? What is EPSO aiming to measure through this test? How will the results of this test affect my overall Assessment Centre score? This session has been designed to answer your queries and offers a strategic approach to tackle this test.

(Important disclaimer: this is the first time that EPSO requires this test in a competition. The advice given during this session cannot be guaranteed with absolute certainty but is based on many years of experience observing EPSO's testing practices.)

• What is "Motivation" and how is it measured?
• Motivational factors to work in an EU institution
• The importance of this test at the Assessment Centre
• The structure of the Motivational Interview
• What is EPSO looking for?
• Analysis of Motivational Interview anchors
• Preparing for the Motivational Interview

Anyone who has been invited to the Assessment Centre of the EPSO Administrators Generalist (AD5) competition

Mastering EPSO's Oral Presentation

Get a detailed overview of the Oral Presentation component of the EPSO Assessment Centre from EU Training's experts. This webinar explores the methodologies to help you maximise your score, gives practical advice on how to structure your time and tips on how to present well. In addition, it offers useful references to valuable preparation resources, websites and background reading materials.

• The EPSO Oral Presentations structure
• How to present the right way
• Common presentation mistakes
• How to answer follow-up questions
• How to present the right way (including online)
• Body language & virtual body language

How do I access this recording?​

Who should purchase this webinar? Anyone who is undertaking an Oral Presentation exam as part of their EPSO Assessment Centre.

When was this webinar recorded? This is a recording of the 7 June 2022 LIVE webinar

• EU Training Co-founder  

Ticiana Tucci

• Certified career and executive coach
• Has led numerous Assessment Centres

Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Organising & Prioritising Test

Before you start preparing for the Organising & Prioritising Test of your EPSO competition, take the time to understand the specifics of this test so you can apply these valuable insights and improve your test score.  

This FREE webinar offers a detailed overview of the Organising & Prioritising Test. It is theory focused, outlines basic and advanced test methodologies, highlights strategies on how to tackle such questions and offers useful tips to enhance time efficiency.

Following on from this theory based webinar is our Pro Tips For The EPSO Organising & Prioritising Test webinar, which is practical focused, fully interactive and applies the knowledge acquired from the Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Organising & Prioritising Test webinar.

• EPSO Organising & Prioritising Test Specifics
• Solving Organising & Prioritising Test Questions Overview
• Organising & Prioritising Test Challenges
• Question Type: Timetables
• Question Type: Comparisons
• Question Type: Stock Levels
• Question Type: Scheduling
• Question Type: Project Resourcing
• Click on 'Get' to add this free webinar to your account.
• Once you own the webinar, it will appera on your Dashboard in the MY WEBINARS section.
• Anyone interested in what an Organising & Prioritising Test looks like and how to prepare for it
• Predominantly relevant for Assistant and Secretary profiles.

About Robin Bott

• Runs training sessions on psychometric test methodologies and how to excel in them. 

Beginner’s Guide to the Language Comprehension Test

Before you start preparing for the Language Comprehension Test, take the time to understand the specifics of this test so you can apply these valuable insights and improve your test score.  

This FREE webinar offers a detailed overview of the Language Comprehension Test. Originally geared towards EPSO candidates pre-2023, this webinar can be useful for other, current competitions. Focusing on theory, the presentation outlines basic and advanced test methodologies, highlights strategies on how to tackle language comprehension texts and offers useful tips to enhance time management.

• Language Comprehension Test Overview
• Design of Language Comprehension Test Items
• Verbal Reasoning
• Verbal Comprehension
• Verbal Fluency
• Language Comprehension Test Concepts
• Click on the "Get” option on the right.
• An “Owned” message will appear once it has been successfully added to your account.
• Head to your Dashboard where you will find the recording in the MY WEBINARS section.

Who should view this webinar?

• Anyone preparing to sit a Language Comprehension Test as part of their EU exams

About Megan Byrt

• Business Psychologist specialised in training and psychometric assessment.
• Expert coach and trainer for psychometric test methodologies and how to excel in them.

Pro Tips For the EPSO Organising & Prioritising Test

Before you start preparing for the Organising & Prioritising Test of your EPSO competition utilise this opportunity to work through sample questions with our trainer. Apply the practical lessons you’ll learn via this session to improve on your test score.

Before you undertake the Pro Tips For The EPSO Organising & Prioritising Test webinar it is recommended however, that you first view our FREE Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Organising & Prioritising Test webinar. It offers a detailed summary of the Organising & Prioritising Test and highlights all the crucial test methodology and theory you need to know. 

• Participants are given 2 minutes to solve a question and vote for the correct solution.
• Correct answer revealed followed by presenter’s question debrief.
• Q&A opportunities throughout.
• 10 sample Organising & Prioritising questions in total, covering a range of relevant question types.
• You can purchase this webinar by clicking “Add to Cart”.
• Anyone interested in preparing for an Organising & Prioritising Test 

Pro Tips for the Situational Judgement Test

Before you start preparing for the Situational Judgement Test of your EPSO competition utilise this opportunity to work through sample questions with our trainer. Apply the practical lessons you’ll learn via this session to improve on your test score.

Before you undertake the Pro Tips For The EPSO Situational Judgement Test webinar we recommend that you first view our FREE Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Situational Judgement Test webinar. It offers a detailed summary of the Situational Judgement Test and highlights all the crucial test methodology and theory you need to know.

• SJT Overview
• Participants are given 1.5 minutes to solve a question and vote for the correct solution
• 10 sample Situational Judgement questions in total, covering a range of relevant question types
• You can purchase this recording by clicking on Add to Cart, then heading to your shopping cart to proceed with payment.
• After purchase it will appear on your Dashboard in the MY WEBINARS section.
• Anyone preparing for a Situational Judgement test

Beginner’s Guide to the Situational Judgement Test

Before you start preparing for the Situational Judgement Test, take the time to understand the specifics of this test so you can apply these valuable insights and improve your test score.

This FREE webinar offers a detailed overview of the Situational Judgement Test: it is theory-focused, outlines basic and advanced test methodologies, highlights strategies on how to tackle situational judgement test questions and offers useful time management tips.

Following on from this theory based webinar is our Pro Tips For The EPSO Situational Judgement Test  live webinar, which is practical focused, fully interactive and applies the knowledge acquired from the Beginner’s Guide To The EPSO Situational Judgement Test webinar.

If a live session of the Pro Tips For The EPSO Situational Judgement Test webinar is currently not being advertised, it can be accessed as a recording as well.

• EPSO Situational Judgement Test Specifics
• Solving Situational Judgement Test Questions Overview
• How Situational Judgement Tests Are Scored
• The Competencies And Values That Underlie The Questions
• How To Approach The Test
• Just click on 'Get' and it will automatically be added to your account.
• You can view the webinar through the MY WEBINARS section of your Dahsboard.
• Anyone preparing to take a Situational Judgement Test

What Is The Difference Between A Live Webinar And A Webinar Recording?

Live webinars are an interactive live sessions with lots of examples, practical tips to help enhance your EPSO exam performance and Q&A blocks to ask all your pressing questions. Simply signing up for a live event, log on to take part and get access to the presentation’s recording afterwards so you can consult it at any point during your preparation. Don’t see an upcoming live event? Easy! Just purchase a webinar recording of an earlier event to gain immediate access to all the vital information presented during a previous live session. Naturally, the only difference being, you won’t be able to vote during exercise slots or ask your own questions.

Live Info Webcasts are always held shortly after a new EPSO competition is released and are always free, just click on 'Get' next to the listing. These webcasts help guide you through the Notice of Competition and help you understand the EPSO selection process, the various tests and how to best prepare for your EPSO exams. Recordings of the live webcasts will be made available directly through your EU Training account, but are also available here in the EU Training Webcast Library , free for anyone to view.

Our Webinars Cover

• 60-120 minutes of detailed methodology with lot of practice exercises
• Must know facts about the various EPSO tests
• Typical traps
• Test-taking strategies
• Terminology, layout and other crucial points to note
• Time management and tips to maximising your scores

Technical Details

• Available on any internet-connected device in the world
• Accessible directly through the MY WEBINARS section of your EU Training dashboard
• Make sure the browser you use is updated to the latest version
• Voice via computer speakers or headset
• Preferably cable or fast internet connection
• Unlimited Revision
• Practice / Exam mode
• Realistic Simulations
• 24 Hour Support

Malene was friendly, spoke clearly and slowly to make sure we all understood, and replied to all our questions Yes,I would recommend the SCBI Workshop becasue I believe it was very helpful especially if one does not have any previous experience. SCBI Workshop with Malene Bresson | 23 February 2024 Antonio from Belgium

"Precise organised structured, very good examples of how to proceed, what to exclude and how to deal with time restrictions. I would recommend this session because of the very good material, it was easy to handle, good live session and many examples given." Pre-Selection Personal Coaching with Thomas Williams   | 7 September 2022 Sofia from Greece

The coach is very nice and explains everything well. It was an excellent and accurate preparation for the EPSO field-related interview. FRI Simulation with Malene Bresson | 1 February 2024 Alexandre from France

Frequently asked questions

I need some general information on the epso (eu career) competitions..

Not sure how EPSO competitions work? Or what the difference is between and EPSO competition and CAST?

Check out the New To EU Exams section to get clarification on the EPSO selection procedures.

If you have specific questions or need free advice, please contact us directly any time!

What services do you offer on this website?

Eu training offers a huge variety of products and services to assist with your epso preparation..

Online EPSO exam practice

• practice questions available for all types of EPSO competitions and CAST
• simulates the real EPSO test-taking conditions

EPSO Case Study Simulations

• simulates this EPSO test, including the strict time limits
• Evaluation available (in English and French ONLY) - get direct feedback from an expert
• 19 Case studies available in English
• 5 case studies available in French
• 1 case study each available in German, Spanish and Italian (no evaluation available for these).

EPSO Classroom Training Sessions

Our classes are held by professional trainers who are EPSO experts. Focused heavily on the practical side of the EPSO exams, these training sessions are designed to enhance a candidate’s confidence by simulating EPSO test conditions before the real thing. EU Training not only offers classes tailored to the various EPSO competitions but also provides EPSO Computer-Based Test training for CAST and all EPSO competitions.

Personal coaching sessions

We help EPSO candidates improve their performance on their exams through one-on-one personal coaching services. Reasoning Skills, EU Career Interviews (was EPSO Assessment Centre) and Middle Management coaching sessions are available via Skype or in-person in Brussels (face-to-face). Candidates will receive focused attention and tailored guidance from expert instructors to prepare for any stage of the EPSO selection process, and boost their EPSO exam performance. Application Assistance services are also offered when applying for a new EPSO competition.

EU Training holds many LIVE methodology webinar sessions hosted by EPSO experts and offers a vast library of webinar recordings to help you through every stage of the EPSO selection process, including:

• the EPSO Computer-Based Tests
• the EPSO Case Study
• EPSO interviews
• ... and even how to get an EU job once you're on the Reserve List.

Free EPSO Info Webcasts

When EPSO releases a new Notice of Competition we help break it down by highlighting the most important details:

• the application process
• eligibility requirements
• best preparation methods for EPSO competitions.

This is a great way to get access to vital information to help you excel in your upcoming EPSO competition and achieve your EU career dreams. EU Training webcasts are always free and the recordings are available to view with or without an EU Training account.

We are constantly expanding our eBook collection to offer valuable reading materials that delve deep into key EPSO exams topics. Download all our eBooks for free.

E-learning materials

We keep you posted about the latest EPSO news and developments, and offer valuable advice with our Tips & Tricks articles to tackle tricky EPSO topics, so you can use these insights to your advantage the next time you take an EPSO exam.

Looking for an EU Job? Scan through our comprehensive list of currently available EU agencies jobs. Also, have all the latest EU employment opportunities sent straight to your inbox by subscribing to our EU JOBS newsletter to get updates every two weeks on upcoming EPSO competitions and job vacancies at EU Institutions.

EU Training Customer Support Team

Last, but definitely not least, our Customer Support is here to help with any website or EPSO related queries - and beyond! Never hesitate to contact us!

We hope you will utilise our ever expanding services and find them usefel, even vital, in your EPSO exam preparation.

How can I register on the EU Training website? Where is the registration form?

You can register on our website for free via the following link .

Once you register you will have access to a vast library of FREE content, such as many of our Webinars and e-books , and you will also be able to make purchases.

What forms of payment are accepted? Is payment safe?

Regarding payment, the system will offer you online credit card payment (immediate access), payment via PayPal (immediate access) or Virtual Euro Account (immediate access).

Online credit card payment: (immediate access)

Accepted cards:  Mastercard, Visa (please note that Visa Electron card is not always supported).

Credit card payment is real-time, the transaction is secured by a 128-bit SSL coded system, verified by the most trusted seal, Verisign and provided by the two leading payment providers, PayPal and Realex Payments .

Virtual Euro Account: (immediate access)

Sometimes we offer customers virtual euros as a form of compensation, reward or as a special deal. If you have been allocated virtual euros by us you can use that amount to pay for your next purchase, or pay for a part of it (if you don't have enough virtual euros on your account) and pay for the rest via the other methods.

For further information, please check our Terms of Use , Privacy Policy or feel free to contact us anytime.

If I'm unable to join the live webinar or webcast on time, can I still join later?

Absolutely.

With regard to our free EPSO info webcasts , or any live webinar products for purchase, you can join in or leave at any time. And if you can't attend the live event on the day, it's worth registering anyways because you will get access to the recording and all additional documents.

If you are having issues connecting to the live event, contact us immediately.

How many times can I use a question? And how many times can I revise a test?

Our questions have no expiration date , your question balance has no expiration date. You can compose new tests as long as you have new questions on your account, and you can revise previous tests without any time limitation.

We created a system that helps your EU exam preparation in the best possible way:

• After you buy an exam preparation package, you can use these questions to create new tests in any composition and language you wish.
• Once you launch a new test, the number of questions that you put in there will be deducted from your account and you can use each question once, similarly to a test book where you mark your answer options.
• However, as a special gift to our customers, we created a system where you can re-take any of your previously composed tests as many times as you like (you can do this by finding the test you wish to re-take via the Practice Activity block of your Dashboard ).
• You can monitor your progress via the Statistics block as well.
• After submitting or re-taking a test, you can revise all your previous tests in Review mode which includes an option to turn off the 'Explanation' feature to further improve the revision experience.
• Moreover, revision is not limited in any way. You may revise previous tests and questions for an unlimited period and for an unlimited number of times.

How do I buy test questions in the language I want to practice in?

When buying question packages, you are buying a quota of questions from our database and not specific questions . This means that in the Start New Test block you can choose which language(s) you want to do your practice tests in. You do not pick this up at the time of purchase.

TIP: make sure you click on the little (i) in the table on the Products tab to see how many questions we have in a particular language per test so you don’t over-purchase.

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Case study 1: Localization of inclusive humanitarian action through capacity development of national humanitarian actor

The practice was collected as part of the ‘From Guidelines to Action (FG2A)’ project “supporting the operationalization and localization of IASC Guidelines on inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action” funded by ECHO and CDP. This practice was collected from TAAKULO.1 This organization attended the review, adapt, action and learning (RAAL Lab) session on disability inclusive humanitarian action in May 2023 with six staff. Their staff were from the programme development, management, and MEAL departments. The RAAL Lab is a capacity strengthening initiative and was used in combination with the adapted version of the DRG Learning modules , which were designed to operationalize the IASC guidelines on disability inclusion . During the RAAL Lab workshop the participant applied IASC guidelines to their project cycle management. As part of the technical follow up process Humanity & Inclusion (HI) team collected best practices to understand better how the organization was taking forward the learning from the RAAL Lab.

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Syria humanitarian response (january - june 2024), somalia humanitarian bulletin, august 2024, northwest syria - factsheet (as of 28 august 2024), somalia: cccm cluster monthly update - reporting period: july 2024.