Date: September 13, 2025 Author: EUJobs Team
Competency-based applications are now standard across many EU jobs, including roles in Brussels, EU institutions, public affairs, NGOs, and trade associations. Instead of listing duties, you prove capabilities with concrete results. This guide shows how to craft a competency-based CV and cover letter that align with the job, pass screening, and win interviews.
Competency-based hiring evaluates the skills and behaviors that predict success: problem-solving, communication, stakeholder management, analysis, adaptability, leadership, and delivery. In EU contexts, you’ll often see frameworks aligned with policy/legal analysis, stakeholder engagement, project delivery, and language skills.
Your job: extract the target competencies from the vacancy, then provide short, outcome-focused evidence for each.
One page or two?
One page for early careers; two pages fine if every line earns its place.
Do I include metrics if I can’t share numbers?
Use directional impact: “reduced prep time,” “improved response rate,” “supported adoption,” plus ranges (e.g., 20–30%) where allowed.
How do I adapt for legal roles?
Lean on treaty/case-law analysis, drafting precision, and risk/compliance outcomes. Add one concrete example per legal competency.
Which languages matter in Brussels?
English baseline; French is the most helpful add-on. Dutch/German/Italian/Spanish widen sector options.
Salary context for Belgium?
See: What is a good salary in Belgium
and Minimum salary in Belgium
.
Mine the vacancy for verbs and nouns: “analyze,” “coordinate,” “draft,” “advise,” “stakeholders,” “trilogues,” “impact assessment,” “CSRD,” “competition,” “state aid,” “legislation.”
Group them into 5–7 headings (e.g., Analysis, Writing, Stakeholder Engagement, Project Delivery, Languages, Tools).
Prioritize evidence that mirrors the role’s scope and sector.
Looking for live roles to target now? Start with All Jobs and filter for policy, public affairs, legal, sustainability, or competition.
2–3 lines that match the job’s language and scope.
Policy officer with 3+ years synthesizing EU proposals and drafting positions across digital and competition files. Proven stakeholder coordination with EP offices and trade associations; fluent EN/FR.
Use STAR-lite bullets: S/Tituation + Action + Result, in one line.
Under each role, keep 3–5 bullets tied to outcomes.
Keep it lean; highlight skills gained.
Policy / Public Affairs professional focused on [file/sector]. Track proposals, draft positions, and manage stakeholders across EP/Council. Deliver concise analysis and on-time outputs; EN C2, FR C1.
[Competency]: [Situation/Task + Action] → [Result with metric or outcome]
e.g., Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinated 5 trade associations on RED III article X → joint ask adopted and shared with 7 MEP offices.
Aim for one page. Choose 2–3 core competencies and provide crisp evidence for each.
Policy Analysis: For a coalition on AFIR, I synthesized 120 pages of amendments into a 3-page brief used in meetings with two shadows. The brief informed a compromise suggestion and reduced prep time for our client team by 35%.
I’d welcome the chance to discuss how this approach can support your [team] as you navigate [specific file]. I am available from next week.
Define the competencies the role actually tests, prove each with one-line outcomes on your CV, and expand two or three of them in a focused cover letter. Keep it concrete, readable, and aligned to the vacancy. Then apply with intent via All Jobs and follow up with a short brief that shows you can do the work, not just talk about it.
