Following our EPSO 2012 statistics, we are happy to provide you fresh information concerning EU Competitions held in 2011. As you’ll see from the graphs, 2011 was a good year. There were plenty of EU competitions and numerous available positions for the reserve lists, complete Administrator, Assistants and Linguists cycle together with Specialists competitions. All in all, 2011 covered almost all fields EPSO normally recruits.
Let’s see the full statistics.
There were 1285 EPSO advertised jobs in total in 2011 distributed as follows in the EU Competitions:
Administrators (AD)- 864
Assistants (AST)– 421
While there were 3 AD grades (AD5, AD6, AD7) Posts, for AST there were only 2 grades (AST1 and AST3). Their distribution by grade is shown below
The number of AD Posts Distribution per Profile in all EU Competitions is shown as it was advertised on the Official Journal of each competition. There were cases where the number of candidates on a reserve list was different than the number of posts EPSO initially sought to fill.
The total number of AD and AST applications per profile is below:
The average applications for an EPSO AD competition fluctuated between highest applicants for European Public Administration (EPA) and lowest applications for Interpreters
The highest ratio of EPSO AST candidates / available position was registered for Project/Programme/Contract Management competition while mean AST1 Secretaries competition had the lowest number of participants per available position.
Below is the minimum CBT Preselection pass marks needed in the AD/AST Cycle competitions. We recommend that you compare your EPSO exam preparation results with the values below when taking part in AD/AST Cycle competitions as pass marks normally gravitate around these values.
AD5 Administrators Cycle – lowest CBT Pass mark – 79,37/100
AD7 Administrators Cycle – lowest CBT Pass mark – 81,87/100
AST1 Secretaries – lowest CBT pass mark – 58,91/100
AST3 Cycle – lowest CBT pass mark – 83,14/100
The toughest/Easiest EU Competitions in terms of no of applications / advertised positions were as follows:
– There were 1231 applicants for Italian Language editors for only 3 available positions.
– There were 9 applicants for Maltese AD7 Interpreters for 10 available places.
There were 4 competitions (3 for Maltese citizens and one for Swedish) with only 1 candidate on the reserve list.
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Since you are here, then you are most probably invited to take EPSO’s MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) tests! One important part of it that you must ace is the Numerical Reasoning. If you are feeling a little insecure about how you will do in this particular test, don’t be. Because here at EPSO Training, we aim to guide you in your journey towards your dream EPSO career.
In this article, we have you covered with all the important things you need to know about Numerical Reasoning CBT (Computer-based Test). What is more, right at the end, we offer you ten crucial tips that will help you pass the test in flying colors!
First on the agenda, what is EPSO’s Numerical Reasoning Test? According to EPSO’s website, it is a test that assesses your ability to think logically and understand numerical information. To put it simply, like all the other reasoning skills tests under the MCQ, the numerical reasoning test uses data that, instead of letters or words, is expressed with the use of digits, ratios, percentages, tables, and the likes.
This test is used in the assessment of candidates who are applying to all EPSO positions. There are usually ten numerical reasoning questions for which they have to answer in 20 minutes. The focus is on candidates ability to find the specific information asked from the numerical data provided. They must draw conclusions and calculate changes within the data sets. Usually, these tables center on different European economic subjects.
To pass the Numerical Reasoning test, the candidate must get 50%. However, with the number of competitions, candidates must strive to get a higher score of around 80% to ensure that they will get an invitation to the next phases of the EPSO competitions.
In essence, the use of numerical reasoning tests and other psychometric tests helps employers assess whether a candidate is fit for the job. These tests are great at predicting future job performance, identifying in a quick, accurate, fair, and low-cost manner.
What is more, most workplace roles involve dealing with numerical data. Those with higher levels of numerical reasoning ability are more likely to quickly grasp numerical concepts, effectively solve problems, and make logical decisions, most especially involving numbers.
Now to the juicy part. How can you best prepare for the numerical reasoning test? To best illustrate, let us look at some sample questions.
Option A: 35.08
Option B: 14,729
Option C: 151,764
Option D: 231,973
Option E: None of the above
Solution:
The three most populous EU capitals in 2017 were London, Paris, and Berlin.
# of live birth in London = 8,790 * 8.6 = 75,594
# of live birth in Berlin = 3,711 * 11.58 = 42,973
# of live birth in Paris = 2,228 * 14.9 = 33,197
Total number of live birth = 75,594 + 42,973 + 33,197 = 151,764
Option A: 6:5
Option B: 8:9
Option C: 11:13
Option D: 137:100
Option E: None of the above
Solution:
Number of deaths in Brussels in 2017 = 1,175 * 11.1 = 13,043
Number of deaths in Amsterdam in 2017 = 856 * 12.5 = 10,700
The ratio is [Number of deaths in Brussels] : [Number of deaths in Amsterdam] = 13,043 : 10,700 = 6 : 5
Option A: 2.7
Option B: 988,200
Option C: 996,516
Option D: 1,040,394
Option E: None of the above
Solution:
the population under 15 in Berlin in 2017 = 3,711,000 * 0.16 = 594,000
the population under 15 in Berlin in 2018 = 594,000 * (1 – 0.014) = 585,684
the population under 15 in London in 2018 = 8,790,000 * 0.18 = 1,582,200
Difference the population under 15 in London – the population under 15 in Berlin = 1,582,200 – 585,684 = 996,516
As you can see from above, each question refers to the statistical table before it which covers a particular subject. In this case, the table centers on the City Population Composition in the year 2017.
Now let us look at question number one as an example, which asks “What was the number of live births in total in the three most populous EU capitals in 2017?” The answer is Option C. Looking at it, the question asks you to add the number of live births in the three most populous EU capitals. These are: London, Berlin, and Paris.
As such, the rests of the questions asks you to deal with the numerical data on the table and conduct the appropriate calculations in order to solve it. That is why it is very important that you must get yourself familiar with mathematical equations together with how you translate the data well according to what is asked of it. It is also very handy to use a calculator in some hard cases, which tend to require more than one calculation.
Finally, we are down to the namesake of this article. Before diving deep into taking the test, it is very crucial that you equip yourself with some tips and tricks that can help separate yourself form the competition. Thorough familiarization with formulas paired with some strategies is undeniably the perfect combination to not only pass but ace this test. Below are the ten tips you need to keep in mind:
1. Know the test format – The first thing you need to search for is how the Epso Numerical Reasoning exam is structured. You can go on and search this on Epso’s website and through official journals of the competition or you can read on. Regardless of the EU competition – be it Administrator or Assistant, the numerical reasoning exam is made of 10 questions for which you will have 20 minutes to solve. The questions will present a table or a chart with a brief explanation of the context, a question on the table/chart and then 5 possible answers from which only one is right. This CBT (computer based testing) epso numerical reasoning test follows right after the epso verbal reasoning exam and is followed by the abstract reasoning one.
2. Budget your time – Two minutes / question some would say that it’s more than enough, others that it’s clearly not sufficient. It all depends on your previous numerical skills and exercise. Someone with technical background might find the Epso Numerical Reasoning exercises a piece of cake while people with other skills might find the questions a bit tricky. In both cases, you should always keep an eye on the clock and try to fit in the two minutes time frame for each question. In exam conditions, it’s easy to get stuck with a particular question and waste more time on it. The best option would be just to mark the question and if time allows it come back to it in the end. If there’s no time, don’t leave the question unanswered and make an educated or a lucky guess.
3. Read the statements carefully – It is essential for the epso numerical reasoning test to make sure you have clearly understood what is wanted from the statement. Double check the tables with the data from which you deduct the answer.
4. Make use of given items – In the CBT exam room you will receive rough paper, marker and a calculator. Mark down complex calculations on the rough paper so that when you would need to go back to that value it stays written. Also, if you would want to revise a particular question, you would have the data already calculated on the rough paper. (more…)
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