Becoming a civil servant and a role model at 22: Virginia Plaiu explains how working in public institutions can be a superpower
Each of us has a superpower that helps us make the world a better place. For example, being well-organised, communicative, and good at coordination. These are the superpowers of Virginia Plaiu. At the age of 22, she became a civil servant. Now, she successfully inspires young people in Moldova to follow her example and use their knowledge and skills to support their country on the path to EU accession.
In 2024, Virginia graduated from the Faculty of Philology at Moldova State University. She currently works as a senior consultant in the Translation Service at the European Integration Office of Moldova. Alongside her job, she is studying for a master’s degree in European Studies to better understand how the EU functions.
Virginia’s interest in foreign languages began back in her gymnasium. That’s when she realised she wanted to explore this subject more deeply. However, when applying to a university, she initially submitted documents to the Faculty of Education, thinking that teaching might also be a good fit. But she quickly realised that it wasn’t her path and transferred to the Philology Faculty, specialising in Translation and Interpreting (English and French):
“That was definitely my thing. The lectures I attended for three years were very interesting. And the translation field allows you to discover something new every day — that’s a huge advantage!”
Working in public institutions? It’s interesting!
In her third year, Virginia had her first hands-on experience through a mandatory internship. She wanted to see how state institutions function from the inside, and sent her CV to the State Chancellery. To her surprise, she was accepted. That’s how she ended up in the Department for Drafting Legal Acts, part of the General Directorate which prepares documents for government meetings.
“That’s when I realised that even young people can realistically get a government job,” Virginia recalls. “Plus, I made friends who later recommended that I apply for the Paid Internship Programme in public institutions, organised by the Moldovan Government with EU support.”
Note: This programme offers students and recent graduates the chance to do full-fledged internships in state institutions involved in Moldova’s EU integration process. The fourth edition of the programme began in mid-April 2025, with applications open until May 20. You can find more information on how to apply in this article.
Virginia applied without hesitation and was again selected:
“First, I had to fill out a detailed CV with information about my education, experience, and interests. Then came the oral interview, which wasn’t easy. They really wanted to understand whether I truly wanted this, how serious I was about working in the public service, and how I could contribute. After two stages, I received the great news – I was accepted!”
“The new position was different from my previous internship. But it was there that I gained a deeper understanding of how public service works, what rights and responsibilities civil servants have. And my interest in working in such institutions only deepened,” says Virginia.
This internship turned out to be more than just useful – it became a pivotal moment in Virginia’s life. In addition to gaining insight into the public administration system, she also made new friends. Although interns were assigned to different departments, they stayed in touch.
“It was fascinating. I realised that I could be a worthy candidate for a government job,” she says.
Thanks to the internship programme, she clearly defined her future career path — working in a government institution, in the field of translation. She was already familiar with the European Integration Office and its Translation Service, so she kept waiting for a job opening:
“I regularly checked the website cariere.gov.md. And when the consultant vacancy appeared, I took it as a sign. Especially since I had just started my master’s in European Studies. It was the perfect combination of my two main interests in life.”
In April, Virginia marked five months since starting her job as a senior consultant in the Translation Service of the European Integration Office. Her tasks include translating and editing documents, as well as working on unifying the terminology used by all institutions involved in translation processes.
“The image of our country is shaped by the reports and documents we submit to the European Commission. That’s why it is essential to use a consistent language, clearly formulated terms, and coherent expressions. This is our path to the EU,” says Virginia.
She hopes that Moldova will become a member of the European Union. Especially now, working at the Bureau, Virginia adheres to this goal on a personal level:
“This is a unique chance for Moldova. Honestly, I don’t know when such an opportunity might come again. We must take advantage of it, because the EU values are exactly what we sometimes lack.”
‘I wanted to understand why we do what we do’
When Virginia started working at the European Integration Office, she had certain expectations. First and foremost – effective communication with her colleagues:
“It was crucial to me that someone clearly explained what my tasks were, why we were doing them, and what was the expected result. This is especially important for newcomers. And I am lucky with my team: I can ask them anything if I don’t understand something. We all help each other out.”
She also wanted to become more organised and manage her time better – and she succeeded! Having to combine work and studies, especially motivated Virginia.
Virginia also learned how to manage her workload.
“I used to prefer working alone, thinking I would lose control over the situation if someone else helped. Now I understand: even in translation, if a second person reviews the text, the result can be much better.”
Do you only get government jobs through connections?
While working in a government institution, Virginia realised that it’s actually quite realistic for young people to enter public service:
“Unfortunately, society still believes that you can only get into public institutions through connections. But this is not true at all. Young people who want to understand what public service is or try themselves in this field have plenty of opportunities. Yes, experience is required, but even a little experience – especially from international projects – is valued.”
Virginia encourages others not to be afraid of applying for such positions. If you have ideas and want to make a difference – anything is possible. The main thing is to take the first step. Her story proves that.
What is your superpower?
Virginia’s experience shows that superpowers are real! All we need to do is to believe that they exist – and develop our own. Have you ever thought about what is your superpower?
Watch this video to learn more about Virginia’s superpower.
Author: Cristina Plataș
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