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The Different Types of EU Job Vacancies

2024-10-26

There are so many different types of EU institutions and EU careers, but often people who arrive in Brussels just think about the sacred trio: The European Commission, The European Parliament, and sometimes, The European Council.

The thing is, if you don't know what specific job you want and why, it really doesn't matter—they are all EU careers. And since you're not sure what your goal is, I think it's a good idea to get an idea of which job is easier to get and what the insider perception is (that is, how we rank job opportunities).

The EU Career Hierarchy

Just like in every sector, even in the European Union, there are some jobs that are more prestigious than others. Here is a small list:

  1. Management: This would be an executive director or any title with "director" in it.
  2. Permanent Representatives (Perm Rep): People who work on important files and in-house lobbyists.
  3. Permanent Staff in EU Institutions: Lobbyists that work for an association or in a European agency.
  4. Everyone Else: Lobbyists who work for a consultancy but aren't in a managing role, or contract agents.

Though it may feel reductive and vain to rank positions in the European Union, if you don't know what impact you'd like to make, this list should help give you a general sense of what you are doing. It will help you in your EU career and (hopefully) help you navigate current vacancies.

In short, the general criteria for ranking these EU job vacancies were "how fulfilling is my job" and "how much do I have to kowtow to someone in my job." The management roles are rather self-explanatory: you are the head honcho or the project manager, moving things along.

The Appeal of Perm Reps and In-House Lobbyists

For the second group, if you're a perm rep, you are both a diplomat—very prestigious—and you get to work closely with colleagues, creating camaraderie that most other European Union jobs lack.
Also, if you are working on an important file (let's say the "law that made all phones use USB-C"), you know that however small your role, you are doing something that will make many lives better. This somewhat applies to in-house lobbyists too, as you see how your work impacts your company, giving you a sense of ownership (and, often, vested options—ownership of a fraction of the company you work for).

The third and fourth categories are less desirable because you are often passive. Especially as a lobbyist consultant, you are always slightly worried that the client isn't happy with your work.

##3 What Is My Advice?

Well, since you're reading this, you are likely new to the European Union joint undertaking. I'd probably tell you to start your own company so you're working for yourself and in a way you can test your own value. But you're here because you want to know about European Union jobs, so here are my 2 cents.

If you're looking for an internship, read my internship article—it's good.

If you're looking for open European Union positions, think about why you want it. Ask ChatGPT to explain what a mission statement is, write where you see yourself in the best scenario in 10 years, and how to get there. If it entails jobs at the EU, then first try in the following order:

  1. Try Getting into Your Regional Representation or Some European Union Agency: These jobs let you see what the EU bubble is like and also give you flexibility to move to different job opportunities.
  2. Try Finding an EU Career as a Lobbyist: Lobbyists are some of the happiest professionals you will find; you can do a bit of project management and you'll always get to meet people.
  3. Try Getting a Job in Parliament as an APA (Accredited Parliamentary Assistant) or at some European Institute (a think tank).
  4. The Last Thing I'd Do is Try the EPSO: Or try to get through the "European Personnel Selection Office." Do you really want to take a gamble and maybe become a paper pusher that can't leave their job because the pay is too good and it was too hard to get to that position?

I've Been a Bit Hard on European Union Jobs

The truth is many people don't know what they want in life. They think they will find happiness in this joint undertaking—and many people are very happy. But I think you should think about your goal and then try to give your life meaning. Either way, good luck with your EU career.