Practical test secretaries

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Practical test - secretaries
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1. Introduction

• EPSO competitions are general competitions they
  check general abilities

• significant differences between one job and
  another

• execution, for example application of
  competition rules to specific cases

• legislation, for example drafting and
  preparation of draft directives

• secretaries organising meetings, keeping
  appointment diaries, filing documents and
  correspondence, word processing, administrative
  tasks

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2. Aim of the practical test (1)

• part a) checking word processing skills in MS
  Word

• not specific to any professional domain

• topic can be legal, political, economic,
  technical

• task is usually correcting type-written texts
  (of 1 or 2 pages) based on hand written
  correction notes, inserting or editing tables,
  changing page layout, etc.

• part b) checking writing skills

• emphasis on clear and precise drafting,
  spelling, syntax and grammar

• task is usually to write an essay based on some
  information provided

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2. Aim of the practical test (2)

• for both parts a) and b), a PC with MS Word will
  be provided with standard keyboards - in some
  cases, only multiple choice questions relating to
  practical skills

• part a) is usually worth 40 points, and you must
  reach 20 to pass

• part b) is usually worth 20 points, and you must
  reach 15 to pass

• not allowed signature or any distinctive marks

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3. Practical test, part a) Examples of tasks for
processing a Word document

• insert, modify or remove header

• insert, modify or remove footnote

• insert table with pre-defined number of columns
  and rows

• centre text in table cells, move cells around in
  table

• change font type and/or size for part of text,
  justify text

• change line spacing, number the pages

• insert table of contents

• switch or move around parts of text

• insert date

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3. Practical test, part b) Examples of essay
writing example 1

• A delegation of 15 senior executives from a
  Brazilian company will arrive for 3 days to hold
  talks with several Directors and Heads of Unit in
  DG Trade of the European Commission. You are
  asked by your superior to make all practical
  arrangements for the visit.
• Draw up a checklist to help organise the visit
• Draft a letter of invitation to participants
• Draft a detailed programme

• details (app. in 1 page) are usually given on
  visit

• refer to reservation of rooms, arranging for
  water and coffee, timing issues, accommodation,
  etc.

• precise and clear drafting, logical structure is
  important

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3. Practical test, part b) Examples of essay
writing example 2

• You are asked by your Director to put in place
  a new filing system suitable for four Units of
  your Directorate. This system should facilitate
  searching for documents relating to all
  activities of the Directorate. You should prepare
  a filing plan in schematic form with files and
  sub-files which are clearly identifiable (using
  numbers and/or letters). The filing plan should
  cover mission orders, holiday requests, mail
  entering and leaving the departments, notes,
  minutes of meeting, activity reports, annual
  reports, etc.

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3. Practical test, part b) Examples of essay
writing example 3

• You are part of a team organising a conference.
  Please prepare
• A letter from the President of the Council to
  the Minister of Agriculture of Country X,
  explaining the reason for the conference and
  inviting him/her to take part and also in the
  dinner afterwards.
• A letter from the Commissioner for Consumer
  Protection to the Embassy of Country X explaining
  the permitted size of their delegation and the
  possibilities of reimbursement of travel and
  accommodation expenses.
• Background info there will be around 80 guests
  for the dinner, and you are responsible for the
  ministers tables. For diplomatic reasons, the
  Ministers of country A and B may not be seated
  next to each other. The ministers will be joined
  at the table by the Commission President and the
  President of the European Parliament.
• Draft another letter on behalf of the
  Commissions Protocol Service asking if country
  Xs minister has any special dietary
  requirements, mobility needs or other special
  requirements.

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4. Potential topics to be expected for part b)
of practical test

• Organise programmes for delegation visiting your
  Head of Unit

• Draft correspondence for your manager on a
  specific topic (i.e. requesting more human
  resources, thanking another colleague for his or
  her help, inviting someone for a meeting, etc)

• Write a note on how documents could be better
  managed

• Organise a mission for your manager

• Write an essay on how the work of secretaries
  could be made richer

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5. How to prepare for the practical test (parts
a) and b))?

• practice all functionalities of MS Word

• learn several short-codes for MS Word to gain
  time

• learn all relevant (hand-written) correction
  signs

• ask friend to make hand-written correction of a
  short MS Word document and then perform
  corrections in MS Word

• learn closing phrases for letters (i.e. Yours
  sincerely)

• practice explaining simple tasks in writing

• write documents in MS Word without automatic
  spell-check and then check spelling