Prepare for the EPSO Case Study

During the EPSO case study, you are given approximately 15 pages containing various pieces of information about a subject relating to your application.

You are provided a computer to answer the case study and formulate a report within the 90-minute time limit. 

Please note that on the real assessment, you are required to produce a written report. In this pack, the report is in the form of a presentation.

Even though the formats are different, the main skills needed to either create a presentation or write a report are the same.

The most important thing is to summarise your findings in a clear, cohesive manner. Use the proposed presentations as notes for your report.

The EPSO case study is either taken as part of the assessment centre in Brussels or at a separate location beforehand in your county of application.

This is generally the same location you took your EPSO computer-based tests.

During the EPSO case study, you are given materials to read through ranging from emails, memos, reports, and other relevant articles—approximately 15 pages in all. Although in some EPSO competitions you are asked to take a pen-and-paper case study, most candidates are now asked to complete the assignment using a computer.

However, even in computer-based EPSO case studies, there is no spell check, nor is there the ability to use any 'normal' word-based features like copy, paste, underline, bold, etc.

In fact, you are not even given a paper and pen to take notes with. Instead, you are allowed the use of a small white board for notes. You must write a detailed report on the subject; it should include an introduction, a main body, and a full conclusion. The time limit for this test is 90 minutes. 

The style of the questions is such that you are basically asked to perform three separate tasks. In fact, completing these tasks is very similar to answering questions using the STAR method. You are asked to write a report detailing the following:

• An executive summary of the situation at hand.
• What are the problems facing the company/ situation at present?
• What do you recommend that would increase profits etc.?

It is your task to create a report detailing each step of the process. Firstly, you must demonstrate your knowledge of the area by elaborating the main concepts and details covered in the EPSO case study example.

Following this, you must detail any problems that are either covered intrinsically in the materials provided or that you can think of based on them. Finally, you must come up with possible solutions and recommendations that you think will increase the efficiency/profit margin of the company.

Your report should be between 500 and 1,000 words and should be a complete discussion of the subject. As there is a 90-minute time limit for this test, you have enough time to read through all the source material and write a detailed report if you work quickly.

In your EPSO case study preparation, you need to be aware of the competencies that are being assessed. In fact, your case study report score is determined by the EPSO competency framework.

In general, there are four competencies measured. However, for some specialist roles, there is a fifth competency that is defined in your notice of competition. The four competencies are as follows:

Analysis and problem-solving – This means identifying critical facts in complex issues and developing creative and practical solutions. There are many facts to deal with as you can see in the official EPSO case study examples. You must show that you cope well with complex information and possess practical awareness to find good solutions to problems.

Communicating – This means communicating clearly and precisely in your writing. A good way of showing this is through the creation of a good plan at the top of your report and then going through the points in a clear and concise manner.

Delivering quality and results – There are very clear instructions informing you how to go about writing your report in the EPSO case study. Following these is not only a good idea but also vitally important, as these are the markers for the assessors scoring your report.

In the EPSO tests, there are set procedures that you must follow if you want to get a high score. Following these procedures demonstrates you are able to deliver quality and results.

Prioritising and organising – This means prioritising the most important tasks, working flexibly, and organising your workload efficiently.

These are a lot of items in the EPSO case study samples. Although much of the information is necessary to compile your report correctly, some of it is not. You must show that you are not distracted by this information and can select the important material and leave aside the 'chaff'.

The most important thing to remember is the necessity of practising. Without a full understanding of what you need to do, you will not show your full potential and skill. JobTestPrep offers a variety of resources to help you prepare for the EPSO case study.

While our case study pack is generic, it does include a sample case study and a 3-steps solution to get a grasp of the main guidelines for approaching these kinds of assessments.

Please bear in mind that although the case studies in this pack are not 90 minutes in length, they do follow the same style as the EPSO case study.

Indeed, to answer these practice exercises well, you must possess the same skills required for the EPSO case study. As well as this, the pack also includes two model EPSO case study answers.