Linguist careers in the EU

John EvansLanguage OfficerEuropean Commission Representation in the UK

Overview

• My background• Language careers• The DGT• English Department• Career prospects• Recruitment procedure• Traineeships• Other EU careers

My background

Aberaeron

Disneyland Paris

Switzerland

London

Luxembourg

Barcelona

Valencia

Who employs linguists in the EU?

Commission

Council

Parliament

Court of Justice

Court of Auditors

Economic &Social Committee

Committee of the Regions

Translators: ± 4440 staff

Interpreters: ± 1000 staff

European Central Bank

Working as a linguist in the EU

• Translator

• Conference interpreter

• Lawyer-linguist

Translators in the EU institutions

Council of the EU

European Commission

Court of Justice

Court of Auditors

Economic & SocialCommittee

European Parliament

DG Translation – who are we?• The largest public translation service in the world• 1 800 translators – 2 111 934 pages translated in

2011

• 50% in Luxembourg

• 50% in Brussels

The legal basis

• Council Regulation No 1/58

• Documents which a Member State or a person subject to the jurisdiction of a Member State sends to institutions of the Community may be drafted in any one of the official languages selected by the sender.

• Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

• Citizens of the Union … shall have the right to address the institutions and advisory bodies of the Union in any of the Treaty languages and to obtain a reply in the same language.

Language of original documents (%)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

English

French

GermanOthers

•

Number of translated pages 2011by target language (%)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

EN FR DE IT ES NL PT EL PL SK BG DA CS RO SV LT HU FI SL LV ET MT GAoth

ers

The English Department – May 2011

We translate from all official languages *

SK SL

ET

DE

HU

PL

NL

* except Irish

… and on all subject areas

What kind of documents?

EN LD translation production 2011 (pages)

0

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000

DE FR IT ES EL PL HU RO BG NL LV SV PT DA LT CS SK SL FI ET MT NEU

The opportunity to learn more languages

• Weekly language classes

• In-country language courses

• Visiting Translator Scheme

Career prospects

Other roles in the DGT

• Terminology (IATE)• Editing• Outreach (Field Offices)• Secondments (Council

Presidencies)• Web unit

Jobs outside the DGT

• Speech writer• Assistant to the Deputy-Director of

DG Employment• Security analyst• Work in the Commission’s offices

abroad

The EU needs you!

• Shortage of English translators and interpreters

• 30% of DGT English translators to retire by 2017

• 50% of EN interpreters to retire in the next 10 years

• Extensive outsourcing

Recruitment procedure -requirements• You must be an EU citizen

• You must have a university degree – in any field

• No professional experience is required

• No age limit

Linguistic knowledgeEnglish translators must meet the following three requirements:

• Perfect command of English (target language)

• Very sound knowledge of either French or German as first source language

• Thorough knowledge of a second EU official source language

Any knowledge of an additional EU language will be an asset

The competition process

• Apply online (July for translators)

• Pre-selection test (numerical, verbal & abstract reasoning

and foreign-language reading comprehensions)

• Translation tests, group exercise, oral presentation

• Interview

Verbal Reasoning (sample question)

Abstract reasoning (sample question)

Assessment Centre

• Translation tests

• Oral presentation

• Group exercise

• Structured interview

Assessment Centre - competencies

• Analysis and problem-solving• Communicating• Delivering quality and results• Learning and development• Prioritising and organising• Resilience• Working with others• Leadership (potential to lead)

Reserve list and recruitment

• List of successful candidates is basis for recruitment by institutions

• Valid for at least one year – may be extended• Institutions check profiles of successful

candidates• Candidates invited to job interview• Job offer• Candidate accepts job offer or remains on reserve

list

www.eu-careers.eu

What can DGT offer you?

• €48 000 starting salary• Generous leave entitlements• Varied, challenging work• Excellent language learning opportunities• Job security• Multicultural environment

DGT Traineeships Duration: 5 months

Two rounds per year (starting in March and October)

For university graduates only

Trainees must be able to translate from two EU languages into their mother tongue

Monthly grant

Any nationality

What else can I do

for the EU?

Political AdvisorAid Work ...And many, many more….

Policy development Audit and

Inspection

04/24/23

Traineeships (stages)

General traineeshipswriting reports, summaries, minutes, press reviews….doing research & analysestaking part in infringement and legislative proceduresparticipating in high-level meetings

Useful links

• Translating for Europe• Interpreting for Europe• EU Careers

• Translating for Europe• Interpreting for Europe…

into English

Any questions?