Linguist careers in the EU
John Evans
Language Officer
European Commission Representation in the UK
Overview
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My background
Language careers
The DGT
English Department
Career prospects
Recruitment procedure
Traineeships
Other EU careers
My background
Luxembourg
Valencia
Aberaeron
Barcelona
Switzerland
Disneyland Paris
London
Who employs linguists in the EU?
Commission
Economic &
Social Committee
Council
Committee of the Regions
Parliament
Court of Justice
European Central Bank
Court of Auditors
Translators: ± 4440
staff
Interpreters: ± 1000
staff
Working as a linguist in the EU
• Translator
• Conference interpreter
• Lawyer-linguist
Translators in the EU institutions
European Parliament
Council of the EU
European Commission
Court of Justice
Court of Auditors
Economic & Social
Committee
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
• Treaty on the Functioning
1/58
of the European Union
• Documents which a
• Citizens of the Union … shall
Member State or a person
have the right to address the
subject to the jurisdiction
institutions and advisory
of a Member State sends
bodies of the Union in any of
to institutions of the
the Treaty languages and to
Community may be
obtain a reply in the same
drafted in any one of the
language.
official languages selected
by the sender.
Language of original documents (%)
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90
80
70
60
English
50
40
French
30
20
Others
10
German
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Number of translated pages 2011
by target language (%)
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
G
A
ot
he
rs
T
M
ET
LV
L
S
FI
U
H
LT
V
S
O
R
S
C
A
D
G
B
K
S
PL
EL
PT
L
N
ES
IT
E
D
FR
EN
0
The English Department – May
2011
We translate from all official languages *
DE
SL
SK HU
PL
ET
* except Irish
NL
… and on all subject areas
What kind of
documents?
EN LD translation production 2011 (pages)
25.000
20.000
15.000
10.000
5.000
0
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
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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 knowledge
English 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
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Apply online (July for translators)
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Pre-selection test
(numerical, verbal & abstract reasoning
and foreign-language reading comprehensions)
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Translation tests, group exercise,
oral presentation
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Interview
Verbal Reasoning (sample question)
Abstract reasoning (sample question)
Assessment Centre
• Translation tests
• Oral presentation
• Group exercise
• Structured interview
Assessment Centre - competencies
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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?
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€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
Policy
development
Aid Work
What else
can
I do
for the
EU?
...And many, many more….
Audit and
Inspection
Political Advisor
Traineeships (stages)
General traineeships
writing reports, summaries,
minutes, press reviews….
doing research & analyses
taking part in infringement
and legislative procedures
participating in high-level
meetings
4/7/2015
Useful links
• Translating for Europe
• Interpreting for Europe
• EU Careers
• Translating for Europe
• Interpreting for Europe…
into English
Any questions?