Skip to main content
European Commission logo

How to be recruited

handshake

Candidates who are successful in a selection procedure are placed on a ‘reserve list’ from which all EU institutions can recruit directly, but they can also apply for a vacancy related to the competition(s) in which they have been successful until this reserve list expires.

Recruitment by the institutions

The institutions check the profiles of the successful candidates in the reserve list to identify those who best match their needs, then they invite those selected for an interview.

Candidates may be invited by several institutions or services for reserve lists open to multiple institutions.

Please read also : How do the institutions recruit from EPSO lists?

Apply for a vacancy

Institutions can publish their vacancies in the successful candidate’s EPSO accounts. You can find them on the Applications’ overview page under the relevant competition in your EPSO account. 

Check your EPSO account regularly, as institutions can upload vacancies at any time and there may only be a limited application period. You will not be notified automatically when new vacancies have been published. 

Your CV, competency passport (as applicable), and information about your availability are visible to the institutions through the database of successful candidates. There is no need to send your CV directly to the institutions.

Please :

  •  ensure that you are eligible according to the specific vacancy notice,
  •  upload and regularly update your CV, preferably in the Europass format (via the 'upload CV' tab),
  •  mention the relevant competition in your cover letter.

The publication of vacancies in your EPSO account is the responsibility of the EU institutions.

Please read also: How to apply for a job once I am on the reserve list?

Useful links

  • You can find an overview of all the EU institutions, organisations and agencies on the Europa website.
  • You can check the list of the EU institutions for which EPSO selects staff and links to their recruitment pages for more information.
  • Should you have any questions about a specific vacancy, please contact the recruiting service using the contact details mentioned in the vacancy notice.
  • You can also contact us if you have further questions about what to expect next or your availability for recruitment.

Please note that the Notice of Competition and Rules Governing Open Competitions set down the legal framework for each selection procedure. This page is only designed to provide additional guidance.