The results of the concours for administrators are now out, and – surprise, surprise – I did not manage to pass. Here’s the extract of the letter:
The selection board for the above competition has now finished marking the pre-selection tests in which you participated. I regret to inform you that although the marks you obtained in these tests were above or equal to the pass mark, you were not amongst the top 630 candidates.
Point B.1 of the competition notice stipulates that only those candidates with the 630 highest marks in the pre-selection tests would be asked to submit a full application with a view to their possible admission to the competition.
Your marks are as follows (1):
Test a): 38.333 /60 (pass mark 30)
Test b): 15.263 /20 (pass mark 10)
Test c): 30.769 /40 (pass mark 20)Total: 84.365/ 120
For your information, the candidates who obtained the 630 highest combined scores had at least 92.611 points.
I would add that the Selection Board’s decision does not preclude you from taking part in any future competitions organised by the European Personnel Selection Office.
It’s beyond me how one can get 15.263 / 20 when there were 40 questions, but anyway, c’est la vie. All the best to all the geeks who know who won the Sakharov prize in the year X or other equally useful everyday facts.
FILE DOWNLOADS
Blog commenter ‘viking’ has made some new test files available for download, and he had also supplied the manual for electronic Reserve Lists. Some additional test files have been provided by Sorina (see comment #1003) – download 342kb, ZIPped. Enjoy!
SOCIAL NETWORKS
If anyone is a member of Facebook there’s the ‘So I won’t be a Commission official’ Facebook Group, and the EU Integration Traveler IQ challenge (you need to add the Traveler IQ Facebook application) – a more fun way to revise for the concours…
NOTE
Due to such an enormous number of comments here I have had to divide the comments function. The latest few hundred comments are below, and all the older comments are archived here. All should work technically now.
@Dilyana Drumeva
Maybe I could help you.
Can you please address your questions to personal email labenon@abv.bg. Thanks.
is anyone going to an interview for bg translators at the Committee of the Regions on Monday? or can anyone with such experience shed some light on what to expect? thanks….Eva
Hi guys,
has anyone been to an interview at EASA in Cologne?
Would you please share your experience
Many thanks
@ Misericordia
It’s not strange, it’s the way things are with the European Institutions. You must understand that there is really NO central authority. Each branch work nearly as a standalone company. They have guidance, rules and management but each branch have a a very large autonomy. They can choose to stay close to regulation or do whatever they want to the condition that they can “justify it” but this kind of justification is very simple to do.
From some months now, the management try to be more centralized but I don”t they will succeed.
To give you an exemple, some agencies required to hire you that you be a cast laureate, some no and there is no centralized job agency.
Epso try but it can only do that to the extent that the others branch let it do it. That’s why they always say “see the website of the delegation/agency”.
Good luck
@ Someone
Thanks for that. I can understand why the post reports are for internal use only. It’s just a bit strange therefore that they assumed I had read it prior to the interview. Anyway, this isn’t a major issue. Good luck with your continued efforts.
@ Misericordia
No, they will not publish any post report. They are for officials use only.
These reports are written by officials who actually work in the Delegations and can be very rough for the country.
Sometimes they use sentences like “do not ever try to use any medical services here”. They cannot put them in public domain.
By the way I have succeeded in ICT too and have had some interviews with some delegations but without success. The needs from every delegation are very distincts so you can be rejected by one delegation and welcomed by another.
Kind regards
FG III Project/contract management
@ Olive70 22.07.2009 at 13:17
Hi again Olive!
Which field are you in? also ICT FGIV? or another?
If only!
Hi Guys,
Just a quick show of hands… whose country’s perm reps are sending ’round the vacancies to their laureates?
@Misericordia,
Thanks for sharing your interview experience. Do you already know if you will get the job? I wish you good luck!
A
@A
I’m happy to share general information about the interview – although I won’t mention the Delegation because it is quite small and they could be bombarded with requests. It’s a developing country that I had placed on my preferred list of countries more or less randomly. The apparent randomness of the preferred countries (and spurious logic of being able to change them periodically) has been discussed before on this blog. I think I was just lucky this time. It’s not a place where many CAST candidates (myself included) would have an inherent advantage (e.g. not Russian, Spanish or Chinese-speaking). The position available is to do with environment, which is closely related to my expertise, so I presumably received the call due to my own profile and/or choice of countries.
The interview itself was by telephone with the head and deputy head of the delegation. They had contacted me by email earlier in the week and sent a 3-page job description that had been prepared by current occupant of the post. So I had a fairly good idea of what the position entails. The questions were fairly straightforward. Questions about me, questions about the job, questions about why I was interested and how I might go about doing the job. There were also a few specific questions: one about the Millenium Development Goals – which in hindsight would have been an obvious topic to have revised. But on the whole it was much more friendly and less ‘robotic’ than the usual EPSO procedure. This could easily vary between delegations I expect.
@Misericordia,
Hi Misericordia, I don’t know about these reports, but actually thanks for sharing it. As a cast relex 2008 laureate, I should also be aware of it in case someone would call me too. So far I have received no single phone call (but I have not done any lobbying whatsoever).
Would you be so kind to say in which category you took the cast tests (FGII or FGIV)? What delegation has contacted you? If you don’t want to say the precise country, please tell me at least the continent or something like this.
Could you please say briefly what they asked you about, who conducted the interview (was it head of delegation, head of unit or someone else) and how long it was?
Many thanks!!!
A
Dear Experts,
Like many of you I am on the list for CAST RELEX 2008. Last week I was contacted (with no lobbying on my part) by a Delegation and underwent a telephone interview.
During the interview they asked me if I had read the ‘post report’. This is the report that every delegation fills in concerning the living & working conditions in the country in question. Among other things, it’s used to determine the level of ‘hardship’ payments that Commission staff should receive.
Apparently these reports are available on the RELEX website – but I haven’t been able to find them. Does anyone know anything more about these reports and where to find them?
@Ero
Of course, we cannot pretend to live in a perfect world. I am leaving the site and I wish you all good luck in every endeavor.
@Ero
Of course, we cannot pretend to live in a perfect world. I am living the site and I wish you all goodluck in every endeavour.
Hi Doc,
No, I didn’t have to provide anything on the day of the interview, just once I had received the offer. But I think it may be different in the Parliament to the other institutions…
Kiwi
@Erò
II was invited for an interview for a postdoc and it went absolutely fine. However, I was interviewed by 2 juniors while usually I understand it should be also at least one senior. I didn’t have some particular experience on Africa’s issues but I was assured they will make it without that.
I wrote an e-mail to find out the outcome after 4 months and I haven’t got any reply. Then I was extremely surprised to find on their website a new girl postdoc, who you won’t believe, she was exactly the same nationality as me but studied in an university from the country where the JRC is located and studied exactly African topics. The nationality was carefully choused because recently have been some waves of xenophobia against my co-nationals in the country in cause.
Needles to say, I have studied in an university much better ranked worldwide even if for short time but it paid off and I became pretty good in my field which is probably something they didn’t expected since I was coming from East.
I have also thought to complain to Ombudsman but searching previous similar cases I couldn’t believe. Someone complained of not being replied to e-mails and Ombudsman concluded that they couldn’t solve the case in a friendly manner so that they closed the case and informed the parties.
I don’t see the point of complaining just to be told that they cannot make me a friend to some European Institution.
In short, one can get a postdoc in a JRC if it has studied in one of the universities having ties with them because the program of study and all the work is done to provide researchers to JRC no matter the quality. Still, the JRC could do better in advertising jobs with requirements they know would fit to people with better qualities.
Finally, I’ve got all my money back because I have taken extra care about this but usually they expect you to get the cheapest flight and the cheapest accommodation and the cheapest everything while taking care not to reimburse some taxes for airplane ticket printing meaning some 5 to 10 eur.
The money you will get it back but in terms of professionalism you should not hope for much. The best people are not working for politics.
@Erò
I was invited for an interview for a postdoc and it went absolutely fine. However, I was interviewed by 2 juniors while usually I understand it should be also at least one senior. I didn’t have some particular experience on Africa’s issues but I was assured they will make it without that.
I wrote an e-mail to find out the outcome after 4 months and I haven’t got any reply. Then I was extremely surprised to find on their website a new girl postdoc, who you won’t believe, she was exactly the same nationality as me but studied in an university from the country where the JRC is located and studied exactly African topics. The nationality was carefully choused because recently have been some waves of xenophobia against my co-nationals in the country in cause.
Needles to say, I have studied in an university much better ranked worldwide even if for short time but it paid off and I became pretty good in my field which is probably something they didn’t expected since I was coming from East.
I have also thought to complain to Ombundsman but searching previous similar cases I couldn’t believe. Someone complained of not being replied to e-mails and Ombundsman concluded that they couldn’t solve the case in a friendly manner so that they closed the case and informed the parties.
I don’t see the point of complaining just to be told that they cannot make me a friend to some European Institution.
In short, one can get a postdoc in a JRC if it has studied in one of the universities having ties with them because the program of study and all the work is done to provide researchers to JRC no matter the quality. Still, the JRC could do better in advertising jobs with requirements they know would fit to people with better qualities.
Finally, I’ve got all my money back because I have taken extra care about this but usually they expect you to get the cheapest flight and the cheapest accommodation and the cheapest everything while taking care not to reimburse some taxes for airplane ticket printing meaning some 5 to 10 eur.
The money you will get it back but in terms of professionalism you should not hope for much. The best people are not working for politics.
Hi Kiwi, I had to provide those already on the day of the interview. Didn’t you? Surely they don’t need to see them again?
This was for the Parliament – after receiving the offer I had to provide documents at least 3-4 weeks before starting work: police record, passport, certificate of residence, birth certificate, marriage certificate, birth certificates for children, attestation from child”s school, attestation for family benefit, husband’s pay slip and an attestation from every employer I’d had (or at least those relevant to job) showing start and end dates, nature of duties and whether part time or full time. I was self-employed so had to send a whole load of other documents (bank statements and invoices) to prove what I had done.
Some of you said that before or after receiving the official job offer you are requested to send additional documents. Can you tell me what they are?
I am waiting for a post in an executive agency.
@Olive70
Ok, thanks for the info. Which kind post are you in/waiting for?
Regards
if this is for an agency, indeed it takes time and often HR does not know, it depends on the needs of the unit. So I would say, you’ve done anything you can do, just hold on. We are many folks in your position…
@Olive70
Yes, indeed, even several emails, but no positive nor negative reply, only “it is taking more than expected, even for us… we can’t say more” was received.
I recently read in some other forum, about “the protocol”, they said BXL recomends about 10 to the offices, and they give back 3 cv’s after the interviews, after this, BXL chooses from these 3, is this true?
Thanks.
Did you give them a call to get an update?
ICT FGIV Adviser…
for what job was it?
Hi mates,
I had a CA interview in June, the results were supposed to be out in a few days, but after 6 weeks, there is no piece of news, nor positive or negative. Do any of you know about the CAST25/27 selection protocol, and if it usually takes so long?
Thanks in advance.
Hi guys!
Are you on other forums? Because it looks a bit empty here…
A
@Svetla
Epso announced that they would change the way they organize competitions already last year. If I understand correctly, it will be briefly less EU-knowledge-of-institutions testing (there will be no EU test during the admission tests any more) and more practical thinking testing (verbal, numerical and others). If you want to know more, look for a press release beginning with “good news for future job seekers…” on the website. You should find it easily. I don’t know more than that. I am also curious to know what this change will mean in practice, but one has to wait until epso will say more in autumn…
Let us know once you will know about the outcome of your complain. epso is quite fast with this. Once I got my response quickly. It was negative though…
A
@A,
Thanks! I don’t have my hopes high on the outcome, but at least I have the peace of mind that whatever was up to me in this situation, I’ve done it.
What is this “new concours that they want to introduce at the end of this year”? Is it for admins? Seems like it’s a while from now but I’m just curious, since I haven’t heard/read anything about it.
Best,
Svetla
@Svetla,
Good job! Very good that you have formally raised your objection to the epso’s decision.
I keep my fingers crossed. I wish you a positive outcome.
However, do not expect too much because epso confirms their first decision in most cases. So, it was very important to complain because it might produce good results for you. Now just relax and let yourself be surprised if epso agrees with your arguments.
If not, think of other options. Maybe the new concours that they want to introduce at the end of this year will bring you more luck…
Good luck
A
Thank you, all, for the responses and advice!
I’ve gathered all supporting documents (detailed academic records, etc.), and they are en route to Brussels. I think I documented everything as meticulously as possible, so now I’ll just wait and keep my fingers crossed.
Dear Miriana
Very soon I will have my oral test for AST3 and I am postponing holiday with my children to study for that . Can you tell me more about your experienced?
I have also to spend some money to go to Brussels….
Thank you.
Erò
Finally I got enlighted about what this lack of contact after interview is…there are job advertisement drafted especially for particular persons (and is not internal mobility) and some of us are considered stupid enough or wise enough to help them simulate fair competition.
@svetla
Dear Svetla,
I don’t want to desappoint you, but be prepared that EPSO is tough about changing mind as far as documents are concerned. Although my master’s diploma is in “International economic relations”, I decided not to apply for EPSO/AD/149/09-BG, just because I know from proper experience how difficult they can be in paper matters.
It doesn’t mean you must give up, on the contrary, you must fight, but don’t rely too much on positive answer. AS EPSO is receiving many complaints at this stage of the competition, it’s like a matter of honour for them to stick to their guns.
@Svetla
if you are so sure you have the required qualifications, then send asap an appeal to the selection board, but be aware of the following
– epso are very strict with the qualifications indeed. Many bachelor and master degrees include courses on economics, but their content is very different from what you’d study if you were enrolled in an economics degree! So if your degree is in int’l affairs and not in economics, the possibility that epso will change their decision is quite small
-for the economics written exam u do really need to have economics degree because of teh subject matter covered
-professional experience for this concour is not required and doesn;t count unless stated in the notice (as it’s the case for lawyers and auditors)
@ Svetla
I’m on the same competition but RO , and I was interested to register for Business Administration , so I have looked carefully to the notice of the competition , where the diplomas requiered are listed …At the end I registered for the audit field , to evoid my application been rejected because of diplomas (I have a 5 years diploma in engineering and 3 years bachelor degree= graduate in accounting, more then 12 years experience in finance at different levels, and I’m already on 2 AST reserves lists, financial management and antifraud, from the first being already recruited).
What I can say from my experience that Epso are not joking ore discussing with you if you don’t have what they requested., diplomas or expererence when its requested .The only fileds were it’s “open” for diplomas its’ the EPA and Audit , for the others its very strict. If your estimate that your diploma is on the required field – doesn’t matter the professional experience, you can write and explain to them , and attach the list of the studied materias . I can happens errors, ythey are human too. I read on a romanian forum that a lot of people being rejected because the files didn’t arrived, so they will send it again.
Personnaly I attached this “feuille matricule” and the description of all the studied materias + translations each time when I sent a complete application, and I think its written somewhere to do it, at least for the Audit field… but I’m not sure to pass, even if for AD126 they had accepted the application, they said its’ not a guarantee that another jury will do the same …so what to say more ? just hope till the end of september…
Good luck
Further to my previous reply to Svetla…
Epso seems to be more than strict on checking the eligibility criteria for the competitions. Has this always been like this? Or maybe they have become so obsessed and have kicked out so many people out of the game only recently?
What do you all think?
Svetla,
try to go through the past comments on this forum. There were people saying that they had not been admitted to the competition due to lack of education or experience. Then they asked for review of decision (I think you have now 10 days to do it) and they were admitted. I am talking about one person who shared his/her story here. I think it was in audit concour. He/she said something about preparing a well argumented request for review. That should be the right possibility for you!
Good luck!
A
Sorry for the spelling errors, I am in a hurry…
@Svetla
In your EPSO-Account you will find an email address, whereto you can send your query that will ne then forwarded to the Selection Board. The candidates are not allowed to directly contact the Selection Board.
I would advise you to write a email in which you explian why in your opinion you should be admitted to the next stage and attached all documents that supports your argumentation.
I had a slightly similar experience, although in an EPSO competition for HoU. They reconsidered my application and I was admitted to the next stage.
Good luck!
Dear All,
In the off chance that someone may have been in my situation, please advise…
I applied for the EPSO/AD/149/09-BG – Administrators-Economics competition. I passed the MCQ test and was asked to send in my “full application.” I just received notice that I have not been admitted to the written test because according to my documents I do not satisfy the criteria to:
– have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma in economics or
– have a level of education which corresponds to university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma, and a postgraduate qualification in economics.
In my opinion I satisfy at least one of the above criteria. I finished college in the US (Bachelor’s degree) with 2 focuses — one in European studies and one in economics. The school’s practice, however, is to display only the first specialization on the diploma. In my case, European studies. I can prove from my academic transcript I have satisfied all requirements for economics as well (10+ courses).
The application I sent to EPSO never asked for a transcript and I didn’t think to send one because I believed I was applying based on the second criteria listed — I have a diploma and I have 3 full years of work experience as an analyst at an economic consulting firm, which I thought would suffice as “postgraduate qualification in economics” (the definition of which was btw never provided by EPSO). Moreover, I have a Master’s degree whose focus was heavily in economics, but the degree itself is in “International Affairs”. In my application I included a letter from the employer as proof of work experience and the fact that it was in the field of economics, as well as a copy of my Master’s diploma and a description of my Master’s coursework.
Long story short, I do have the qualifications but the semantics are against me, and it appears EPSO cares about semantics more than anything else. Do you think there’s any point to try to get the selection board to reconsider my case? And who do I contact? Contact information for the HoU is naturally nowhere to be found.
I wouldn’t have been as frustrated if I was disqualified because I don’t know economics or because I scored low on the pre-selection MCQ test (had 26/30), this just isn’t fair. Enough ranting. I’d appreciate any thoughts!
Best,
Svetla
Hi Salex,
Thank you!
Apparently the talks and preparations of the diplomatic service have been frozen because of the unsuccessful referenda on the Lisbon Treaty. The uncertainty surrounding the ratification (or at least the fact that the process slowed down) postponed the organization process of the future external service. That’s what I heard. Do you (or someone else on the forum) know that indeed – despite of the fact that the EU is waiting for the completion of ratification process – there is already progress in setting up the new EU diplomacy?
Regards,
A
@ Luis
I can only speak of my experience last year. For AD 9 the admission test was without EU MCQ-s – only verbal & numerical. There was no written test as second stage, but the procedure went straight to assessment center & oral test instead. I cannot tell about the age of the candidates (the youngest could be theoretically about 35) because i was not admitted for the final test due to lack of experience. I had in fact far more than asked (even had at times a manager who did a similar job for me) , but it was in an own business and not in a government administration.
I believe generally that age is not a big problem, but for the higher AD grades the favorites are known in advance, because after the initial IQ test the final decision is mainly subjective.
Hi A,
http://www.aueb.gr/deos/MASTER-GR/Lisbon%20Treaty%20Summary%20Dec07.pdf
Sheet 10/Page23
http://www.euromove.org.uk/index.php?id=6686 – Point 5
‘converting the Commission’s existing nearly 130 overseas delegations, as well as staff working on foreign policy in Brussels, into one External Action Service, supporting the new EUHR and cooperating with national diplomatic services, will give the EU a more effective means to formulate and implement agreed common policies.’
R,
Salex
Hi Salex,
I refer to your comment on “the likelihood of the new External Agency being created from 1st Jan”.
Could you please tell me what you mean by this new External Agency? Are you talking about the new kind of diplomatic (external) service of the EU? I came across it, but I know almost nothing about it. it sounds interesting and useful. Please say a few more words about what it is going to be. Thank you.
A
Hi All,
It’s a long time since posting anything here but feel after reading some of the comments above here comes my 10 euro cents worth.
The CA 3b contract is worthless unless you need to get some experience for some other institution or Government position. I cannot think of how many CA’s will be leaving this year as a result of these rediculous contracts dished out in Brussels. Unless you don’t want a future with the Commission don’t choose a 3b contract.
3a CA’s are safer somewhat but with the likelihood of the new External Agency being created from 1st Jan next year all CA’s in Delegations are worried again, including some Officials. DG Relex is apparently already geared to move in this direction and not even the Officials know what’s going to happen.
And yes it is also true about ‘customised’ job profiles and recruiting, I have seen it many times in the past. However, this should all be out the window now as I understand that people can now be ‘hand selected’ from the EPSO database for a position, which goes back to the days of ALAT’s which the CA idea was supposed to abolish. So anyone wishing to work for a Delegation should apply directly to the Delegations. One note to mention, you will have more chance in an African delegation than any other.
On age discrimination, I have had colleagues approaching their 60’s or in their 60 be renewed as CA’s. We have just recruited a person in their mid fifties. This is one of the few companies/instituitions that I have not seen age discrimination at play.
On pregnancy, it is better to be honest than not. In most cases it will be respected and will not prevent an offer of a job or a renewal of contract. We often employ local staff with this knowledge and even some CA’s.
R,
Salex