Dear all,
Summer is almost over and the competitions are coming back to life, The right chemicals have been combined! Administrators in the field of Data Protection AD6 has been released. 76 places for the zelous guardians of our personal data. This is competition is the first among a new wave of specialist competitions like : Audiovisual and conference technicians; Laboratory support workers ; Administrators in digital forensics and more.
How many spots? When does it begin?
A good number of spots are available in total 76 spots, There is for all!!! be careful, the process has begin the 9th September and it will be open for joining until 12 October NOON (let’s say 11.59 AM CET). Until then, you can fulfill and validate your application. Approximately you have been given one month +2 days , that’s more than enough but don’t fell sleep. All competition details by EPSO, here
What are criteria to be a candidate?
The classic(or general): Enjoy full rights as a citizen of a Member State of the EU (UK is not longer an option), meet any obligations under national laws on military service , Meet the character requirements for the duties concerned
Specific criteria – languages
LANGUAGE 1: You can choose among the 24 official languages of the EU and you should have, minimum, C1. If you are a native speaker, you should qualify yourself as C2 and CAREFUL! do not put any item of the level of language under C1 (otherwise you will be disqualified automatically). The CBT (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning) test will be taken in this language 1 and also we can fill in our application (except the talent) in this language.
LANGUAGE 2: ENGLISH or FRENCH (sorry, you can only choose between these 2, duty calls for it and EPSO explain it long and clear why) Here we need a C1 level minimum (no need of having a degree to justify it, the assessment will be in this language and if you can work through it, then you have the level required). Remember not to put any item (written, oral level, or any other) below C1 level in your application.
REMINDER – language 1 and language 2 can not be the same. Even if you try, the application form will alert you. On the bright side, communication with EPSO can take place in one of the languages you have declared in your application form at B2 level or higher.
Specific conditions – Work experience and studies
- ACADEMIC BACKGROUND+PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE – you’ll need a university degree (of minimum 3 years (EPSO doesn’t specified which) followed by followed by at least 3 years’ appropriate graduate-level professional experience related to the field of the competition, i.e. the development of data protection policies and/or the application of data protection legal framework.
REMEMBER! «professional experience in the field of data protection» means that when describing your professional experience in the application (CV- work experience), you must clearly identify the experiences and activities equal or similar to those you are expected to do in the European Institutions and describe in the notice. This webinar can help . Bear in mind EPSO is looking for people with real experience on the subject.
What are test I have to pass? and the competition phases?
Based on the notice + our experience we split the process in 5 phases : 1) fill in the application, 2) The Fiel Related MCQ, 3) the Assessment, 4) The CBT and 5) Final screening.
- Phase 1 Fill in the Application – You got until 12 October (noon) to send your application and before that, fulfill it with love and care. This is the first step of a competition and the way to differentiate you from many other, perhaps hundreds, of candidates and also give you the green light into the reserve list. Remember to explain all your relevant working experience in relation with the competition areas.
- PHase 2 Field Related test – The first test will be a field related test (contrary to other competitions)
- This includes 40 questions related (most likely) to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) and of the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2), of the Police Data Protection Directive (EU) 2016/680 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) and of other relevant Union legislation, as well as monitoring policy and legislative developments relating to the protection of personal data.
- This test is eliminatory, which means that in order to proceed to the next phase of the competition, you must obtain at least the pass mark indicated in the table above. ALSO!! The mark obtained will be added to the other marks obtained at the assessment centre in the calculation of your total score (in total, in this competition you can get 300 points – spoiler alert!)
- Phase 3 Assessment. Up to 3 times 76 , ie 228 candidates with the highest marks in the previous test, will be invited to the assessment. We have reached the final round, in addition to having to present all our papers in digital format (the famous USB memory stick,, now in the online assessment, turned into upload the pertinent papers before the assessment, so prepare them in advance but no need to do it during the CBT). Here things get peculiar, since last year, the competition tests replaced the group exercise by a Situational Competence interview. The rest, business as usual, SCBI is combined with the case study (for general competences) in total 80 points, and for this no knowledge is required, only your competences. BUT (yes, big but) the key part is the field-related test where you will have to demonstrate your knowledge, and above all, your relevant experience for this position. To do so, you will have the Interview in the Field (also structured but with clear focus on your work experience) up to 140 points in that test.
- Phase 4 –CBT – Despite the usual procedure in other competitions, this time the CBT comes at then and it has NO minimum threshold to pass it, great!!!!! (yes, you can breath now).About verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, we won’t give too many details here (you can visit our blog and also here links to our resources and trainings. BUT where is the trap? yes, there is one. The 40 points at the stake in this test, are added to the total score to select the candidates so that´s why we got in this competition 300 points : 40 Field MCQ + 80 Asssessment + 140 Field interview + 40 CBT = 300 points
- Phase 5 CV screeneing Check of the documents and fulfillment of the experience by order given in your marks,
What can I expect of this job? Is my degree valid?
Both are typical questions of all the candidates, therefore we invite you to check Annex I and Annex II from the notice of competition. As you can see from the image, it sends you to Annex I to find all the details of your expected tasks to be performed once you are an administrator in the area of data protection (you won’t be caught by surprise). Also we remind you an AD6 will join the institutions with a net salary above 5.000 € and this can be higher depending if you have family dependent on you and other conditions.
Can you help me?
The fact all other competitions at the CBT stage and with remaining candidates to take the CBT have adopted the same dates gives us some solid hope this time it will be the right one (in case you still need some help with the CBT check this (in English) and this for CBT trainings in Spanish .
Ya semos europeos 
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