The Ultimate Eu Test Book Pdf Free Download

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3 Purpose of the Book INTRODUCTION The purpose of The Ultimate EU Test Book is to help candidates prepare and practise for the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) 1 recruitment competitions, often called by their French name, the concours. The editions of this book comprised extensive tests of EU knowledge, with some verbal and numerical reasoning questions, reflecting the character of the (first-phase) pre-selection tests of the time. The 2010 edition was the first to cover the radically new EPSO system introduced that year and this was followed by the creation of specialised editions for Assistant and Administrator exams for This 2012 Administrator edition has been based on the foundations of the 2011 edition, updated and revised to reflect the experience gained from the first full cycle of new style EPSO exams in It therefore covers not only the full range of tests of reasoning ability used at pre-selection (including methodologies and a total of 400 verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning questions with detailed answers) but also the suite of tests employed in the second, assessment phase. All the questions are intended to apply to AD competition levels. The aim is to give you, the candidate, a thorough understanding of what the tests involve and how to tackle them. While the main purpose is to help you pass the tests, without doubt an understanding of the qualities and behaviours the examiners are seeking to identify in candidates will also stand you in good stead to be operational from Day One when starting to work in an EU institution or body. The Three Parts The Ultimate EU Test Book Administrator Edition is divided into three parts. Part I starts with a short overview of the EU affairs jobs arena, including the various types of permanent and temporary contracts available when working for the EU institutions and other bodies. It then moves on to a detailed step-by-step guide with timeline describing each stage of the new EU recruitment process. Including dozens of useful tips and hints, it signposts you to all the areas covered in greater detail later in the book. Part II deals with the pre-selection phase of the testing system, which is the stage where the majority of candidates face the biggest challenge. Pre-selection involves computer-based testing of verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning skills and non-eliminatory situational judgement tests. Many candidates find verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning tests difficult and intimidating and the aim is to help you gain the technical skills and confidence to achieve the best you are capable of. With this in mind, individual chapters are devoted to detailed methodologies for succeeding in each of these test types, followed by comprehensive test question exercises and a detailed key. Candidates who do not reach the required level in these three tests will not be offered the chance to proceed further in the competition. It is therefore vital to study carefully the methodology to learn the principles and shortcuts involved and then make sure to practise to increase your speed, accuracy and ratio of correct answers. Part II also covers situational judgement tests. These are included in the pre-selection as a compulsory element with a significant weight in most general Administrator competitions; it is therefore vital to understand the logic and methodology behind these tests. Part III deals with the second stage of the testing system, called the Assessment Centre (AC). Until 2010, EPSO used ACs only for head of unit and more senior posts, but since then, ACs have been used for all levels, including entry-levels of Administrator, Linguist and Specialist profiles

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4 who have passed the pre-selection phase (or in the case of most Specialist profiles, the preselection phase is usually integrated into the AC itself). Consequently, based on a detailed competency framework that has been established for each profile, you will find a full set of sample questions to help you prepare for the probing questions that the assessors will most likely challenge you with. In this part you can find an in-depth description of each exercise that you can expect to encounter, including the case study, group exercise and oral presentation, with numerous useful tips and with sample exercises to test yourself against. In addition there is a comprehensive chapter on the structured interview, with tips and samples. Finally, Part III includes sample Assessment Centre reports, based on current best practice, which will help you get an idea of how assessors will approach their task and what they will be looking for. Important Notice Despite my and the contributing authors best efforts to be thorough and up-to-date to the fullest possible extent, some information may become outdated over the course of The book describes a major reform launched in 2010 that is still being fine-tuned therefore adjustments may occur after going to press. Make sure therefore that you keep up-to-date with the EPSO website and other EU news sources, including and The Ultimate EU Test Book Facebook page. This book being a preparation and testing tool, it is also highly recommended to read widely on EU affairs as part of your study process as well as taking every opportunity to practise and rehearse. The task that lies ahead of anyone seeking to pass an EPSO recruitment competition is undoubtedly very challenging. Each competition brings many good candidates contesting for a finite number of places. I hope that The Ultimate EU Test Book will be an ever-useful guide to help you on the road ahead. András Baneth Brussels, September 2011

8 20 THE EU PERSONNEL SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS also referred to the possibility of introducing supervised one-on-one tests or other measures to encourage such candidates to apply. Chances of Succeeding The total number of applications per year is very high it reached 40,000 for the 2011 Administrator exams. This should, however, not discourage anyone from applying as this figure is far better once put into perspective. Consider that about 10% of these applicants never actually show up at the test centre (they change their minds, were not really serious about sitting the exam, could not make it due to personal reasons etc.) and thus your chances are already higher. Further, the pre-selection phase is very challenging for those who see verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning questions for the first time at the exam centre. Those having done their homework to prepare well are therefore immediately at an advantage. This is the stage at which most will drop out. EPSO estimates 3 that for the Assessment Centre stage of the exams 1200 Admini - strators, 600 Linguists and 300 Specialists are to be tested in a year; in addition 900 Assistant candidates are assessed. This means that there is intense competition at the pre-selection phase (varying considerably among the profiles, which is discussed further below). It also means that it is not enough to just pass you should aim for the highest possible score to do better than others who also reach the pass mark. This is primarily true for the pre-selection phase as those candidates who win through to the Assessment Centre are measured more against the pre-established competencies and less against each other. Competition and Sifting-in In the EPSO system, the concept of sifting-in is used: this means that after looking at the overall results and the number of candidates, the Selection Board determines the threshold score above which all candidates are considered for the next phase. This does not mean that all those having scored above this limit will be admitted to the Assessment Centre; however the Selection Board will examine their formal qualifications, eligibility and CVs, and only invite a certain pre-determined number of them for the upcoming stage of recruitment. This also means that you must consider carefully which exam profile to apply for. For example, if you have a diploma in sociology, you can certainly sit a Public Administration AD5 exam and a Specialist exam if that fits your profile. Similarly, if you are an economist who considers that, based on the earmarked figures disclosed in the Notice of Competition (published on EPSO s website and in the Official Journal), you have more chances in the Economist profile than in the Public Administration segment, you are free to choose either one as long as your diploma and other formal criteria make you eligible for both. Let s consider an imaginary but practical example. Depending on your profile, you may look at the Notice of Competition and discover that EPSO plans to create a reserve list of 500 Public Administration profiles and 280 lawyer profiles in the framework of an Administrator (AD5) competition. If you have a legal background, you are thus eligible to compete in either of the two categories. While at first glance it might seem logical to apply for the one where more people are taken and thus your chances seem higher, practice shows that far more candidates apply in the generalist Public Administration profile which changes the equation. If we assume that 9,000 people apply in the Public Administration profile and 3000 people apply for the lawyer one, your chances are 500:9000 compared to 280:3000 for the lawyers, therefore the latter is the smarter choice. The only problem in this logic is the

11 THE EU PERSONNEL SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS 23 Member States citizens are eligible (e.g. in the case of an EU-10 or EU-27 competition), the capital city of the affected Member States or to-be Member State all host an exam centre. As almost all exams under the EPSO system are administered on computers, exams are generally held over a certain period of time at the designated centres. Candidates are required to pick and book a date and venue online that suits them most within this period, though you must be very careful in your first choice as revisions or changes are almost never allowed after the booking period is over (the very few exceptions may include issues such as childbirth or medical events). After you validate your application (i.e. submit it formally), booking will be made available shortly thereafter. The minute the booking is opened, be sure to sign up as soon as possible given that places tend to fill up fast and to avoid any last minute internet blackout or server crash that may prevent you from securing your place in time. On the other hand, be aware that the sooner you validate (submit) your exam application, the sooner your available exam date range will be. If you feel you need more time to prepare, validate your application towards the end of the application period (but certainly not on the last day) so that your exam dates can be towards the end of the exam period. Month(s) Administrators Assistants Linguists Specialists 0 Notice of competition + self-assessment Notice of competition + selfassessment Notice of competition + self-assessment Notice of competition + self-assessment 1 Online registration Online registration Online registration Online registration 2-4 Pre-selection: verbal/numerical/abst ract reasoning tests + situational judgement tests Pre-selection: verbal + numerical + abstract reasoning tests + situational judgement tests (for AST3) + accuracy tests + prioritising and organising tests + computer literacy tests Pre-selection: verbal (in 2 or 3 languages) + numerical + abstract reasoning tests CV sift and Talent Screener (if the No. of candidates exceeds a specified threshold, abstract + verbal + numerical reasoning tests are also used in this phase) 5-7 Admission + Assessment Centre: case study + group exercise + oral presentation + structured interview Admission + professional skills test + structured interview Admission + Assessment Centre: practical linguistic tests (translation from the source language/s) + structured interview + oral presentation + group exercise Admission + detailed case study and/or domain specific interview +structured interview + group exercise (+verbal + numerical + abstract reasoning tests, if not yet used in the preselection tests) 8-9 Reserve lists/ recruitment Reserve lists/recruitment Reserve lists/ recruitment Reserve lists/recruitment The risk in this approach is that many other candidates think the same way and places may be limited on the date of your preference. For the assessment phase, you will be given a specific date some time in advance with limited or no option to amend it unless compelling events prevent you from attending and you can duly justify the reason. As a rule, no contribution is made towards any travelling or subsistence expenses associated with the pre-selection phase of the exam. As these exams take place in the exam centres located in the capital of each Member State and in case of larger countries, also in other large cities, travelling from your home to these centres is always on your own budget. Assessment Centres are located centrally in Brussels. Candidates who need to travel there are reimbursed for their travel costs and also given some daily subsistence allowance for hotel and food. The specific rules are always communicated in advance


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