EPSO - becoming an EU civil servant

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is in charge for selecting permanent staff for EU institutions. There are two stages in the selection procedure - computer-based pre-selection testing in individual EU countries and an assessment stage in Brussels. In this system the selection process features competency-based testing (rather than knowledge-based testing).

Successful candidates get a place on the so-called reserve list. The EU instituions may only recruit their permanent staff from this list. EPSO uses several selection instruments and differently organises the selection processes with view to the required jobprofiles: Administrators (applicants must hold an university degree), assistants, linguists/translators and experts.The whole selection procedure shall be completed within 9 months - from the publication of the open tender to the set up of the reserve list.

months Administrators
for example Law, Finance
0 Publication of Notice of Competition and self-assessment
1 Online registration
2 Pre-selection:
Verbal + numerical + abstract reasoning + situational judgement test
3
4
5 Admission + Assessment centre:
• E-tray (computer based)
• Case study (computer based)
• Group exercise
• Oral presentation
• Structured interview
6
7
8
9 reserve list / recruitment
months Assistants
i.e. finances, secretariat
0 Publication of Notice of Competition and self-assessment
1 Online registration
2 Pre-selection:
Verbal + numerical + abstract reasoning + situational judgement test + professional skills test
3
4
5 Admission + Assessment centre:
• Professional skills test (practical test)
• Structured interview
6
7
8
9 Reserve list / recruitment
months Linguists
Translators
0 Publication of Notice of Competition and self-assessment
1 Online registration
2 Pre-selection:
Mix of cognitive reasoning and professional skills test
3
4
5 Admission + Assessment centre:
• Practical linguistic test
• Structured interview
6
7
8
9 Reserve list / recruitment
months Special profiles
i.e nurses, inspectors
0 Publication of Notice of Competition and self-assessment
1 Online registration
2 CV screening
3
4
5 Admission +
• Detailed case study
• Group exercise
• Verbal + numerical + abstract reasoning tests
• Structured interview
6
7
8
9 Reserve list / recruitment