Name: Interim Staff in EU Institutions: A 'What', 'Why' & 'How' Guide
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Interim Staff in EU Institutions: A 'What', 'Why' & 'How' Guide

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Share to:There are two ways how to look at being an interim at the European Commission and other EU institutions.1) The first is just to perceive it as just a temporary source of income between more stable jobs. People need to have their basic needs met, and an interim’s job is definitively no worse than any other job in the private or public sector. In fact, the level of dignity given to an interim in EU institutions could be higher than in quite a few private sector positions.2) The second is to consciously view it as an opportunity to get closer to getting EU job with all of the benefits that come with it. An interim job will provide you with a stable salary no matter which option you choose, but I strongly advise to look at working as an ‘intérimaire’ as a short-term investment into a better future.Working as interim staff at the European Commission and other EU institutions offers a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience and gain a competitive edge over other persons applying for longer-term and even permanent jobs.By working as interim staff, you can familiarize yourself with the operations and inner workings of some of the most important governing bodies of the European Union, and then “shine” in selection tests and interviews.Interim staff are non-permanent employees hired by the European Commission and other EU institutions for a limited duration to fulfil specific roles and tasks.The initial contract is usually for 6 months, and it in most cases can be extended for up to 18 months.Nominally, interims are supposed to provide strictly administrative and support tasks, but many interims find themselves doing work very similar to that of their colleagues in Contract Agent, Assistants, and sometimes even Administrator positions.The DG Meme website has this tongue-in-cheek interimaire defition which is not that far away from truth. Hence, again, try to use your interim position as a springboard to a more permanent form of contract with EU institutions.As an interim staff member, your pay rate will be around the average salary in your country.It is something to get by, but definitively will not make you well off.The most often-heard complaint from interims is not about their salary in absolute numbers, but the fact that they often do work that is similar or even the same as their Assistant and Contract Agent pairs, but they get paid 3-5 times less, and pretty much none of the other advantages like JSIS health insurance and the many additional allowances.Some people find it demotivating, but for some people this leads to the realization that their skill set is actually quite valuable, and they end up applying for regular EU institutions staff positions.As an interim you will definitively do the work of persons in Contract Agent positions FG I, FG II and sometimes even FG III. There is no reason to delay applying for these positions as soon as possible double or triple your salary.While as an interim you are not entitled to the benefits of regular EU institutions’ staff, there are still a number of non-monetary advantages:To become an interim staff member in EU institutions such as the&nbsp;European Commission, you should first register with one of the recruitment agencies, like Randstad or Start People in Brussels.If you want to apply as an interim in another location where EU institutions, EU Delegations or EU agencies are located, you will find information on the institution’s website about which company is servicing that institution. If you are unable to find this information, give the institution a call.Interims are generally better paid compared to trainees, but work of interims is more demanding. While trainees have a set fee in all EU institutions that is adjusted by the correction coefficient, an interim’s pay depends on the position the person is hired for and the interim’s expertise.While trainees are perceived as very junior colleagues and not much is expected of them (hence, the surprise when a rare trainee really delivers), interims are expected to ‘pull their weight’ and perform in the role they are hired in.That being said, both being an interim and a trainee gives you roughly similar advantages when trying to secure a permanent position through a selection procedure run by EPSO or the respective EU institution.Interims are whether by the “temping” agencies, that then in turn “offer” a shortlist of interims to the EU institution that is the temping agency’s client.For this reason a prospective interim must think about presenting him or herself well in the eyes of the agency first.To increase your chances of success, consider the following tips:Rue des Princes 8-10, 1000 BruxellesTel: +32 2 643 4790, Email:&nbsp;inhouse_1230@randstad.be, Website:&nbsp;www.randstad.beRue Royal, 153, 1210 BrusselsTel: +32 2 212 1920, Email: eu@startpeople.beWebsite: www.startpeople.beGalerie de la porte Louise 203/5, 1050 BruxellesTel: +32 2 513 14 14, Email:&nbsp;publicsector@daoust.be,Website:&nbsp;www.daoust.be5, Rue des primeurs, L-2361 Strassen, LuxembourgWebsite: www.randstad.lu/en/jobs/5, Rue des Mérovingiens, L-8070 Bertrange, LuxembourgWebsite: www.adecco.lu/fr-lu/emploisIf you are an interim at the European Commission or another of the “seven main EU institutions” like the European Parliament, Court of Justice, Court of Auditors etc., to get a Contract Agent, Assistant, or Administrator position, you will have to pass EPSO selection procedures, which are very competitive.As an interim is it much easier to be hired by the 40+ EU agencies located in various EU cities (some of them are also in Brussels). The EU agencies can use EPSO selection process, but most often run their own staff selections.If as an interim you have performed well and networked successfully, it might greatly improve the chances of you being offered a contract among all other people being on the reserve list.What is the difference between ‘interim staff’ and ‘contract agents’?Interim staff are temporary employees in the true sense of the work and work for EU institutions for a limited time and much more precarious employment conditions.Contract Agents are one of the main regular staff categories at EU institutions, and they usually perform higher level tasks, particularly, in grades FG III and FG IV.There is a substantial difference in pay between interims and Contract Agents, and interims receive almost none of the other benefits like allowances that CAs are entitled to.How are interim staff salaries determined?Interim staff salaries are determined by various factors such as their qualifications, experience, and the position they are hired for. However, the interim staff salaries are not comparable and are much lower than the full remuneration packages of “regular staff” of EU institutions.What is the length of interim staff contracts?The length of interim staff contracts at the European Commission and EU institutions can vary.While some contracts may only last a few weeks or months if they are tied to a particular project, others may last a up to 1.5-2 years.How do staffing agencies collaborate with the European Commission?Staffing agencies collaborate with the European Commission by providing candidates for interim staff positions. They screen and interview potential candidates, then send their profiles to the European Commission for consideration. Once a candidate is selected, the person will work for the European Commission but all administrative details will be handled by the staffing agency and the interim remains an employee of the staffing agency.The process is similar at the EU agencies.Which staffing agencies provide interim staff to the European Commission?Several staffing agencies work with the European Commission to provide interim staff. Some of the well-known agencies include Randstad, Adecco, and Start People. However, this list is not exhaustive, and there may be other agencies that collaborate with the European Commission for specific positions or locations.Share to:This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share to:There are two ways how to look at being an interim at the European Commission and other EU institutions.1) The first is just to perceive it as just a temporary source of income between more stable jobs. People need to have their basic needs met, and an interim’s job is definitively no worse than any other job in the private or public sector. In fact, the level of dignity given to an interim in EU institutions could be higher than in quite a few private sector positions.2) The second is to consciously view it as an opportunity to get closer to getting EU job with all of the benefits...

Interim Staff in EU Institutions: A 'What', 'Why' & 'How' Guide

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