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'Don't be fixated on the Commission': Politico fair offers tips on finding your first EU job
With more than 120,000 people working for the European institutions and intergovernmental organisations, Brussels is a city full of career opportunities - but competition is fierce. Representatives from universities around the world will converge on the city this weekend for a free event organised by Politico that aims to help students prepare themselves for that first step on the EU careers ladder.
"The job market is so competitive these days," says Simon Taylor, editorial events manager at Politico and organiser of the 17th EU Studies Fair. "You have something like 200 applicants for every post in the institutions."
This year's fair, on Saturday 6 February, will have a stronger focus on how to get from education to a first paid job, with a careers seminar in which people already working in EU affairs will talk about how they got where they are today.
"We're having a much stronger emphasis on the practical process of finding a job," Taylor says. "We know that a lot of people who come are interested in working directly for the EU institutions. We have a session which is about applying to work in the institutions through EPSO (the European Personnel Selection Office), but the speaker always makes the point that there is very fierce competition.
"One of the messages we try to put across is if you do EU studies, it helps you to not only work in the European institutions but also to be a consultant, to work in an NGO, to work in a regional affairs office. There are so many areas of policy these days where knowledge of the EU is a huge advantage.
"We say to students: don't only be fixated on working for the Commission or the Parliament. There are tens of thousands of people working in Brussels in the EU affairs field but only a small number are working directly for institutions."
The fair brings together students looking at doing EU-related courses, mostly at postgraduate level, and about 50 universities ranging from University College London to Sciences Po in Paris, KU Leuven to Georgetown University in Washington DC. The full list of exhibitors can be found here.
"It's a unique forum," says Taylor. "There are careers fairs, there are postgraduate fairs, but this is the only one that concentrates on EU studies. Most of the students who come have either completed their undergraduate degree or are in the process of completing their degree - they are looking at masters. But we do have a lot of people who are younger and are really thinking two or three years ahead to what they will do when they finish their first degree."
The Politico EU Studies Fair, Saturday 6 February 10.00-16.00, Crowne Plaza, Place Rogier, Brussels. Register for free at www.eustudiesfair.com
Comments
200 applicants per job. Funny, that.
I agree. The gravy train is very attractive. Cut back on EU benefits and see how many applicants there are.
Now retired, after 30 years and more in the Commission, I can assure you that it is not an easy number - pulling your weight is a given, and while the conditions seem good, you earn your salary and you do your own photocopying. It is an attractive place to work - you are at the centre of the EU, and can be working with Member State staff on policy, in a multicultural and multilingual environment. The selective process is indeed tough. In 1979, when I applied, in 'my' Competition I applied with 8000 others, and only the top 45 were sure of a job! Not much different from now. Yes, the competition is tough, the rewards are good (but not as generous as many private sector people with similar responsibilities), and it is indeed an interesting environment. Apply I you like that idea, but don't use the old stock phrases such as 'gravy train' if you can't manage to arrive. That just indicates jealousy.
Same crap as always. The gravy train defended on the basis that there is a competition to get on it, so that's ok then. Yea right, you earn less than many in the private sector. You have completely lost touch with what the private sector is!
I really liked the little press release the commission once did to show us all how badly off you guys are. It compared salaries, holidays and various other factors with the officials of several EU countries, but talk about selective criteria!
It failed to mention that on a like for like basis in Belgium your salary is huge, your "tax" is laughable and then there was the complete omission of other benefits such as extra money for those having to live in Belgium, having kids in school etc etc.
Oh, and I loved the mention of how your pension was smaller than that of a UK diplomat as a percentage of salary, while failing to mention the salary! Look, most people join the commission for a over paid job for life with taxes that are laughable.
Yea, you can tell us otherwise but there lays the problem. The EU treats the people like fools.