Most common qUEstions – CAST editiong and other contracts

The following webinar is based in real experience

And the ppt can be downloaded from our YouTubechannel

1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Candidacy
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

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1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Candidacy
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

​

We have gone on a bumpy road

The scenario that leaves us

• Reopening of competitions for economists, crisis and migration
• Generalists at the end of the year
• CAST as of 14 June
• Multiple selection processes (non-competition, no cast) to fill the lack of staff

Information shared by EPSO in April 2024

1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Candidacy
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

​

Where should I start?

Ask yourself:

• Do I want to work in international institutions?
• Do you identify with the European project?
• Do I want to work away from home, most likely in Brussels or Luxembourg?
• Do I want to work with other cultures?
• working on broad topics and learning new things continuously?
• Are you willing to work hard?

YES

continue with us

Not

until then, it has been a pleasure

Am I willing to work in Brussels ?

Commission European

EEAS

• 51884 workers
• 46 % in Brussels
• 54 % in Exteriors Embassies and Delegations

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European Parliament

• 8132 workers
• 65 % in Brussels
• 28 % in Luxembourg
• 3.6 % (300) in Strasbourg

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JRC (is Commission but distributed)

• 6 seats
• 2 000 in Ispra (3th Commission Headquarters by size)
• Scientific profiles

Where will I work? Can I (tele) work from my home country working for the EU?

Agencies

• Widely distributed
• Highly specialised
• Location effect makes it difficult to recruit

To work a European agency? Same processes

1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Candidacy
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

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1

4

2

3

Type of contract

We are not talking about this today

5

SNE 1.6 %

Approximately 35 % of people employed (and increasing) are not an official

You will have to go through the selection process as anyone else

Your CV is great but nobody has

time to appreciate it

Before we can continue, please read this

The main sources of information

• By reading the secret document (notice of competition or notice of vacancy):
• The tests
• The requirements
• Languages
• Tasks
• And more details
• Be patient, don’t wait to know it and understand it in 1h

1. Limited to 6 years (Commission)
2. 19 profiles
3. 4 levels – according to studies

FG I, II, III and IV

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1

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6

Features

Access – CAST

Name

Contractual Agent – CAST

1. CBT Examination (since 2023 no knowledge exam is included)
2. Interview

Good to know

1. Register in the EPSO database/website
2. Move
3. Higher exam convalised lower

1. Limited to 6 years (Commission)
2. Equal contract as an official for all the rest

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2

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6

Features

Access

Name

Agent Temporaire/Temporary Agent

1. As indicated on the vacancy notice
2. Interview or selection process

Good to know

1. Lists of Agents temporaires (for future contracts)
2. EU agencies have equivalent contracts that do not expire
3. Gives access to internal competitions

Contract Staff – CAST – Salaries

Temporary – Salaries

1. Short contract
2. Can be extended according to circumstances
3. Various profiles (usually Assistant profiles)

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3

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6

Features

Access

Name

Interimaire (Interim)

1. Via Temporary Employment Agencies

Good to know

1. You have to stop every 6 months
2. Entry gate for other contracts
3. A small test may be required by the TEA
4. Fast recruitment processes (day to day)

Temporary employment agencies

1. Temporary agent contract for 2 years
2. Extended according to circumstances
3. Various profiles

5/6/2024

4

Features

Access

Name

JPP – Junior Professional programme

1. Working as a Contractual or Trainee at the Commission and with less than 2 years of professional experience
2. Internal competition in the Commission: interviews and CBT

Good to know

1. Few vacancies, very selective process.
2. Complementary path to work in institutions
3. Gives access to internal competitions
4. Parliament has its own programme *: schuman-recruitment-and-development-programme (with CAST contracts)

1. Need to be an official
2. 1 year renewable until 6
3. Duration depends on national authorities

5

Features

Access

Name

SNE – Seconded National Expert

1. Interview

Good to know

1. Managed by national authorities
2. National Experts in Professional Training (4/5 months in the Commission or other institutions)
3. Not valid for internal competitions

1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Candidacy
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

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CAST 2023 process

The dates are marked by EPSO

All information on the EPSO website

Temporary Agent

2 semanas/1 month

Weeks or months (if corrections are to be expected)

Weeks or months (if corrections are to be expected)

Weeks

1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Application
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

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Tips for candidacy

Simple? But not always easy

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key

• Exercise related to the tasks of the post
• It is a competency test
• Understanding instructions is key
• Know how to handle a lot of information
• Being able to work counter-clock

Structure

1. Several documents (no fixed number 1 to N)
2. It can be in an interface or Word (better accustomed to not having a self-corrector)
3. Variable time: 30 min at 2 hours
4. No possibility to consult external sources

When

It is not mandatory, at the discretion of the entity recruiting and usual in temporary agency proceedings

Advice for CBT

Simple? But not always easy

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key

• Practical – they want to know how you do things
• Compared to several persons (at least 3)
• Answer the questions
• Be consistent with the application submited

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Structure

1. Variable time: 20 min at 50 min
2. You will probably need to apply
3. You cannot take notes

When

Online or face-to-face – the organiser decides

Interview tips

We have tested it and works

1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Application
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

​

Visit this page more than your Tinder profile

Yes, EPSO’s web is the main sources but not the only one, you have to take into consideration that information is scattered all across the institutional webs so :

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1. Make your own list of target entities
2. Check if they have their own job-sites and newsletters
3. Do regular visits
4. Always to the EN version of the web
5. Each entity can offer different profiles

Don’t work harder but smarter

And remember to read carefully

The notice or vacancy is that document where:

• the secret document (notice of competition or notice of vacancy) will tell you:
• The tests
• The requirements
• Languages
• Tasks
• And more details
• Patient, don’t hesitate to know and understand everything in 1h

1. What’s happening?
2. Where should I start?
3. First thing you should know: The types of contract
4. How is the CAST process? what about Temporary?
5. What tests will I face? How do I pass them?
1. Application
2. CBT
3. (potential) Written test
4. Interview
6. Where do I look for opportunities?
7. How can Ya Semos Europeos (YSE) help me ?
8. What else do you want to ask?

​

• Free webinars and materials
• EPSO competitions trainings
• CBT training
• Internal competitions of the institutions
• Application review
• Job interviews

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• To find out more: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en
• Job vacancies: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/open-vacancies/ec_vacancies
• Traineeships: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/job-opportunities/traineeships

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• On EPSO and competitions: www.yasemoseuropeos.com/epso
• To raise questions yasemoseuropeos@gmail.com and to learn more about the following at: Twitter, Instagram Youtube; LinkedIn and Telegram channel

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What else do you want to know?