Happy Birthday European Union!

On May 9^th in 1950 former French Prime Minister Robert Schuman issued the Schuman Declaration, calling upon the nations of Europe to come together economically whereby pooling their coal and steel production would make “any war between France and Germany not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.”  What came out of all this?

The birth of the present day European Union.

Perhaps it is too soon to say we can come together and call ourselves ‘Europeans’, placing our member state nationalities to a mere second place. Some individuals are comfortable taking that nationalistic leap, but in the midst of economic crises and austerity measures taking place on the member state and European level, it is hard to rally around ‘Europe’ at the present moment.

But nevertheless, the European project is a success in a peculiar, extraordinary way. Before turning a critical eye to the EU, let me first give credit where credit is due. The EU is not just an acronym that makes the majority scratch their heads and utter ‘huh?’ out of sheer confusion.

The European experiment has had successful results in two cases.

First – the unmistakable success of preventing war on the European continent. Schuman’s initial goal of preventing war between France and Germany has become a reality. While spats between the two still occur, it is nothing compared to the damage of the past. Today, a love affair between Sarkozy and Merkel (Merkozy) exists. Time will tell if this will hold true with the new French President Francois Hollande – maybe a Merkollande or Frangela will develop?

Second – the EU’s promotion of democracy and adherence to democratic principles. I think it is safe to say that any communication material issued by the EU has the word ‘democracy’ inserted somewhere. But it goes beyond just mere rhetoric. By making it part of the Copenhagen Criteria, a check-list for membership, the EU has made democracy part of its conditions for membership. A bold and worthwhile move, with tangible success resulting from its newest members in Central and Eastern Europe.

But, enough with the pat on the back – while well deserved – it does not address what the EU is lacking. It is far from perfect. Or truly functional most of the time.

With each birthday the EU should take a step back and reevaluate itself.

The EU, as it stands now, is a bureaucratic labyrinth trying to create policies that benefit Europeans, but at the same time is far removed from citizens. Some change is on the horizon with the European Citizens Initiative (ECI) coming to fruition. It will allow Europeans to launch petition-styled campaigns for initiatives they believe the EU should look into. It is a step in the right direction, but does it have the mechanisms behind it to garner real change?

Another aspect that needs to be addressed, or ideally, reformed, is the structure of the institutions. Too many individuals working within the institutions that have no bloody idea what they are doing or what is occurring in the other institutions. How many Heads of Units does one DG need? A friend writing her doctorate had an interview with a nameless Head of Unit at a nameless DG who told her he arrived at the position last year and had no knowledge of what his portfolio contained. Let the shock wash over you.

It’s no secret in Brussels that the three main institutions – European Commission, European Parliament and the Council on the European Union – do not look at each other favorably. Employees have no idea who their counterparts in other institutions are. Why should they? It wouldn’t make things run smoother. If the people within the institutions cannot figure out who to contact, how can regular citizens?

Bottom-line: everyone is too worried about keeping their precious salaries and benefits with too many holidays to count, rather than taking the necessary steps at creating a succinct and working system.

Yes, not all is perfect in this 27-member state political system experiment. To tackle all the issues would require a book, but it gives you an idea of the situation on the ground. But who would expect it to be perfect? With a constant battle between widening and deepening along with sovereignty versus pooled sovereignty debates, its not surprising the EU has all these issues.

The EU is still an infant compared to other political/economic systems. But there is a hope, within myself and many others, to see this experiment become more successful than it has been.

I do wish the European Union all the best, or as we say in Polish ‘Sto Lat’, in its next phase. Moreover, I wish the European Union further unity, common sense and unilateral organization in its future endeavors. Happy 62^nd Birthday!

Job Interview Boot Camp

The unexpected and difficult economic climate has created more competition for entry-level jobs. Employment is a precious commodity today, especially for us Millennials. In order to be successful, you need train to get a job. Now, I don’t mean lifting weights is going to get you a job, but you need to engage in the type of training that will prepare you for the process of getting a job. Aside from having a good resume and cover letter, most individuals neglect to actively and sufficiently train for the interview.

If you are lucky enough to catch a potential employers attention, thereby getting called for an interview… Congratulations! Let the euphoria take over, jump up and down – be careful not to knock down your computer or break your phone – and smile from ear to ear. That in and of itself is a worthy accomplishment. But than the painful realisation comes. The ball of anxiety begins to form in the pit of our stomachs and we realise that this interview can “make you or break you.” Perhaps in the past, we were more willing to show up to an interview semi-prepared or we would just “wing it.” Uh uh. Not anymore.

Just like any decent athlete, you need to develop your skills and knowledge about the sport – in this context the same applies for the interview process. Based on my own experiences with interviews, the experiences of my friends and horror stories that I have heard, I would like to share a list of ‘best practices‘ for interviews. It might just mean the difference between sitting on your parents couch for another few weeks/months or actively developing your professional resume. Keep in mind, these are not in any particular order.

• Appropriate clothing. Yes, I know this sounds mundane, right? But, you would be shocked as to how many people make the mistake of putting on the wrong clothing to the interview. A colleague from a prominent think-tank shared with me that a potential candidate came to the interview dressed in jeans and sneakers. Shocking yes, but moreover its idiotic. This is your first impression at this organistation. First impressions matter. You need to impress them with the level of your dedication and preparedness. Gentlemen, wear a nice suit with a tie. You want to be presentable. Ladies, dress skirt/pants and a white shirt are always safe choices. You want to look like a lady, not a slut. Remember, before they hear what you have to say, they will see you first.

• Research your potential employer. With all the applications you are sending, you will start to gain some form of amnesia concerning who your potential employer is and what they do exactly. Therefore, get on that Internet and start Googling. Their official site is a good start to get basic impression of their goals and history. If they have an annual report, read it. I have impressed many potential employers when I started spitting out statistics and the names of their past events. You want to raise those eyebrows. Check to see if they have a Twitter or a Facebook. This will give you a broad overview of the place you could be working at along with public opinion and quality of articles written. There will be questions testing your knowledge about the organisation, so do the research to pass this test. Think of it as memorising boring facts for social studies in grade school.

• Present yourself as a person. The point of an interview is to see how you would fit into that specific workplace, and to gain more detailed information about your qualifications. But at the end of the day, 60% of it is about this: “Can I actually see myself working with this person?” You need to be a combination of fun and professionalism. You don’t want to walk in there with a stick shoved so far up your bum that you have trouble sitting down in the seat. Relax and show them that you are an interesting, fun and knowledgeable person with the skill set that they are looking for. Smile. Move your hands when speaking. Don’t sit like a robot and regurgitate your resume. You want them to walk away feeling pleased that they met you and that they can see you as part of their team. Just be yourself. Out of 12 people interviewed, I was the one who did this and my interviewer loved me, getting me to the next step.

• Anticipate Questions & Ask Questions. The Internet is a fantastic source of information on this topic; you just need to know what to look for. I would assume that your university has a career office that can provide you with information about typical interview questions. My graduate school has a great page about interviews and all those other career steps. If you don’t like your career center, just Google career centers from other universities. Most of this information is available without having to be a student at that university. Want to see what the Ivy Leagues say about interview questions, just Google Harvard Career Center, for example. Questions will range from ‘tell me about yourself’ to ‘what is your favorite novel ‘to ‘why this organisation’. Along with having an idea about what they will ask you, be ready to ask them questions. This shows an interest in the organisation, that you took the time to research them and want to know more about a certain aspect. It’s a very positive step. Be a boyscout and be prepared.

• Calm those nerves. Impossible you may think because everyone gets nervous during an interview, especially the morning of when you can’t eat or stop jittering around. Yes, it is true, but you need to be in control of those nerves. Being too nervous can and most likely will hinder your abilities to present yourself well and speak clearly. My solution? Bust out that Ipod or Iphone and listen to your Interview Playlist. Whether you listen to David Guetta, Chopin, Lil Wayne or Elvis it will relax you and get you into that “feel good, kick-ass mood” where you are on top of the world. I have such a playlist and I use it every time. Not only does it calm me down substantially, but it puts me in a positive, but most importantly, confidant mood. Along with a strut in my step that reminds of the Bee Gees walking down the street in the music video “Stayin’ Alive.”

In the end, of course, these suggestions are not bulletproof. You can be the most prepared person in the world, and still fall short of getting hired. However, the point is that you know what to expect, how to present yourself and be proud of who you are – with that your confidence and strengths will shine through.