It’s 6pm in Brussels, there is light rain over the city. The lights are going off in the giant buildings of the European institutions: another busy working day has ended in the heart of Europe. Now it’s time for us to meet some of the people working behind these doors, to talk about their work and life in Brussels, their motivation, and their background. They all work in different departments (‘DGs’ – Directorate-Generals) of the Commission, and they all have very different professional backgrounds and current roles. But there is one thing they all have in common: they are all former AEGEE members, now part of Les Anciens, the alumni association of AEGEE.
Our first question, “what does your job involve?”
“The unit I work for deals with the strategic planning, coordination and implementation of external communication activities, contributing to the Commission’s corporate communication, including events, fairs, website, social media, audio-visual activities and publications” says Dietrich.
“I manage the DG’s external website, from the publication of news and content updates, to the editorial and structural development of the website, quality control, working with internal and external networks, analysing website traffic, and improving user experience” answers Reka.
“I work on the development of training modules, materials and procedures, and organise learning opportunities for the Legal Service. I also coordinate traineeship applications, welcome new colleagues, and arrange job-shadowing for Erasmus officials” replies Mariana.
Finally Rainer “coordinates work between the Commission services and the Turkish authorities, which includes drafting briefings, some conceptual work and occasional travel.”
When we ask about the best bits of the job Mariana says: “The best is, of course, actively promoting the idea of Europe. Working in Human Resources fascinates me particularly, as you are in permanent contact with colleagues not only from the department, but also from the Commission and the other institutions. Being able to help everyone in a rapid and efficient way is a source of never-ending motivation. It’s the human aspect and the communication that I like most.”
Reka also likes “that it’s a very multi-faceted job which involves a lot of human contact with various people both within and outside the organisation. The web-writing/editing part of the job connects very well to my linguistic and communication studies, allowing me to use the languages I speak. I also like the autonomy and space for creativity in this job.”
For Dietrich it’s about “working on communication projects which reach out to people and have a concrete impact on the ground. Combining face-to-face actions with new technologies and innovative ways of communicating with people is something which makes my job very interesting.”
The most important question is, of course, how AEGEE prepared them for a career in Europe and what advice they would give to the next generation of members:
“It may sound clichéd, but flexibility, openness and a pro-active attitude help a great deal in finding and building your path within the EU institutions. Apart from the obvious advantages of learning about the EU and practicing foreign languages, you are also exposed to different ways of communicating, working and solving problems, all of which comes in very handy when working in Brussels” assures Reka.
Rainer was “both a student of economics – and of life – in AEGEE! The social experiences of AEGEE are a long-term asset that will help you in many working situations. Meeting old AEGEE friends wherever you end up working really helps you to settle in, especially in Brussels.”
“My advice would be to do what you’re best at, enjoy your work, and do things that make a positive impact. The AEGEE experience is very valuable and prepares you very well to work in the multicultural and multilingual environment in Brussels and many other places in Europe. Be curious!” adds Dietrich.
So, if like these former AEGEE members, you are interested in a challenging career in a multicultural environment with the chance to make a real and lasting difference, discover more at www.eu-careers.eu.
Rita Hinek – EPSO
rita.hinek@ec.europa.eu