The Right People

From September, the two recruitment processes for state jobs in Luxembourg will become one. Anyone looking for work in the public sector on govjobs.lu currently faces a choice: pursue a career as a civil servant, which requires passing the state exam, or apply directly as a state employee, which does not. The Chamber of Deputies approved the reform last week.[1]

Under the new system, both paths will require the same general aptitude test. Candidates will first apply for a specific vacancy, then take the exam at the recruitment centre in Kirchberg. The test, previously compulsory only for civil servants, will now be compulsory for everyone.[1]

One year, not five

The exam will remain valid for one year, not five. In return, the two large examination sessions held each year will be abolished. Candidates will be able to book an individual appointment throughout the year to take the test. The state is trading a five-year safety net for a year-round slot. The candidate who passes in October has until next October. The candidate who fails in October can try again in November.[1]

The right people for the right jobs

Civil Service Minister Serge Wilmes said the reform was intended to help fill vacancies more effectively. "We want talented people to join the civil service because we want a public administration that continues to develop, works efficiently, and provides the best possible services to our citizens", Wilmes said. The aim was to harmonise, digitalise, and make recruitment more flexible, while focusing on the specific requirements of each position. "That is the whole purpose of this reform: to find the right people for the right jobs."[1]

The right people for the right jobs. The reform takes effect in September, for all vacancies advertised after 15 September. The civil service has vacancies. The civil service has had vacancies. The reform does not create jobs. It changes the door. The door was two doors. Now it is one door, and the exam that was optional is mandatory, and the exam that lasted five years lasts one, and the sessions that were twice a year are every day, and the minister says the purpose is to find the right people for the right jobs. The right people were applying before. The question is whether the new door lets them in faster.[1]