EC Traineeship March 2018

Diaannaa wrote:

VerAnt wrote:Hi everyone and congratulations on being pre-selected!

I am a bit confused by this part of the process (and I can see I am not the only one).

I got a call (DG MOVE) right after I received the confirmation that I was put on the bluebook. They basically explained to me what they do and why they thought I would be interested, nothing like an interview at all. I just said yes, and then we agreed that they would send me an email and I would reply confirming my interest which is what happened after.

Then I asked how it works, how and when will I know that it's a sure thing, and they replied "I can confirm that we have launched the internal selection process. As a next step the Commission's traineeship office will officially confirm your selection and provide you with additional details about the stage. This is likely to happen by mid-January 2018." Any of you understands what it means? Speaking to current trainees it seems to them that they are saying they selected me and now I just have to wait for the official confirmation of the traineeship office, but I'm not so sure about it.

I am also not sure if I should lobby to other DGs in the meantime. I did for the ones that I put as preferences, but not others. I am not a big fan of the whole lobbying thing, but I haven't received any other calls so maybe I should lobby a bit more?!

Also, from what they say it seems that the official confirmation will be sent out mid-january, I guess that's useful info for everyone.

Thanks for any help in decodifying their enigmatic messages!!!

Well, VerAnt, their message was not enigmatic at all. They clearly indicated you that you have been selected, but you have to wait till the  traineeship officer will send you the official offer, which is going to happen for all the selected candidates at the same time around mid-January. Congrats!

VerAnt wrote:

KL01 wrote:Hi everyone,

How do you guys lobby? Do you write emails and/or call people?

Thanks for any advice!

I guess there is no specific guideline on how to lobby. Personally, I find the contacts for the unit I am interested in (or task force, or whatever) and email them. The email addresses are all name.surname at ec.europa.eu so that is easy. I use a template that goes more or less like this:

Dear Mr./Mrs.,

I hope this email finds you well.

I was pre-selected as a Blue Book Trainee for the traineeship in the European Commission starting March 2018. I would like to express my interest in XXXX.
(DG, unit, task force, whatever it is you are interested in)

paragraph explaining why you are interested (previous job, experience)

paragraph explaining why you should be selected for this specifically,
like how do you fit in this unit, how you can contribute.

If you wish to take a look at my application, my candidate number is XXXXXX. Please do not hesitate to contact me if further information is needed. I am available for a phone interview (or if you are in the area, face-to-face, as you may deem convenient. Please find my contact details below.

I thank you for your time and consideration.

Kind regards,

Name Surname
Candidate number: XXXX
E-mail: XXXXXXXXXXXXX.XXX
Telephone: +XX XXXXXXXXX

Andrea12 wrote:Hey everyone,

So I received a total of 3 calls from units in different DGs telling me they want to/will reserve me. How is the final decision made then? The problem is that 2 units that called me weren't in my preferences back in August and I am more interested in those units than the one that is in my preference. They suggested me to send an e-mail how my preferences have changed and they would forward it... But I still think they will assign me to the unit I put in my preferences (they were also the first ones who called me so of course I said I was interested). Is there a way I can change my preferences, somebody to contact regarding that?

epa wrote:

Andrea12 wrote:Hey everyone,

So I received a total of 3 calls from units in different DGs telling me they want to/will reserve me. How is the final decision made then? The problem is that 2 units that called me weren't in my preferences back in August and I am more interested in those units than the one that is in my preference. They suggested me to send an e-mail how my preferences have changed and they would forward it... But I still think they will assign me to the unit I put in my preferences (they were also the first ones who called me so of course I said I was interested). Is there a way I can change my preferences, somebody to contact regarding that?

Have you tried to reach your new preferred DGs?

Andrea12 wrote:

epa wrote:

Andrea12 wrote:Hey everyone,

So I received a total of 3 calls from units in different DGs telling me they want to/will reserve me. How is the final decision made then? The problem is that 2 units that called me weren't in my preferences back in August and I am more interested in those units than the one that is in my preference. They suggested me to send an e-mail how my preferences have changed and they would forward it... But I still think they will assign me to the unit I put in my preferences (they were also the first ones who called me so of course I said I was interested). Is there a way I can change my preferences, somebody to contact regarding that?

Have you tried to reach your new preferred DGs?

Yes, but they said they can not guarantee anything as they weren't in my initial preferences. They just forwarded the e-mail and said to keep my options open....

Andrea12 wrote:I think they were supposed to choose by the end of this week, as the holidays are coming now. But who knows, e.g. someone told me that I was reserved by a unit that never even contacted me... Do you think it makes sense to write to the unit I am not interested so much in that my profile fits with some other unit better. Or this is to risky and I can face completely losing a position in the end?

epa wrote:

Andrea12 wrote:I think they were supposed to choose by the end of this week, as the holidays are coming now. But who knows, e.g. someone told me that I was reserved by a unit that never even contacted me... Do you think it makes sense to write to the unit I am not interested so much in that my profile fits with some other unit better. Or this is to risky and I can face completely losing a position in the end?

It is risky but if such unit reserved you, you won't appear in the Blue Book and other unit cannot see you and therefore contact you.... :/ This is what happened to a friend of mine.

Personally, I won't do the internship in the units which don't match my profile at all... but if this dg is close to your aspirations, maybe you should consider it.. just to have the certainty that you will get a place

Andrea12 wrote:

epa wrote:

Andrea12 wrote:I think they were supposed to choose by the end of this week, as the holidays are coming now. But who knows, e.g. someone told me that I was reserved by a unit that never even contacted me... Do you think it makes sense to write to the unit I am not interested so much in that my profile fits with some other unit better. Or this is to risky and I can face completely losing a position in the end?

It is risky but if such unit reserved you, you won't appear in the Blue Book and other unit cannot see you and therefore contact you.... :/ This is what happened to a friend of mine.

Personally, I won't do the internship in the units which don't match my profile at all... but if this dg is close to your aspirations, maybe you should consider it.. just to have the certainty that you will get a place

No, as far as I know, this year you appear in the Blue Book even if you are reserved. That's how more units contacted me even though they told me I was reserved by another unit. But the decision then is done centrally by the Traineeship office as I understand.

maria12@ wrote:Hi, guys!

If nobody has sent me an e-mail/called until now is it over? I did lobby, but the only answers I got were that they have already selected their candidates. However, congrats to those who did and good luck to the other ones!

Thanks

epa wrote:

maria12@ wrote:Hi, guys!

If nobody has sent me an e-mail/called until now is it over? I did lobby, but the only answers I got were that they have already selected their candidates. However, congrats to those who did and good luck to the other ones!

Thanks

I am in your same situation! I don't know...it can also be that you have been selected and you don't know that

ACC wrote:Do you think it is stll worth to send emails and do some lobby? Or it will be a waist of time and  energy? I just got one call but they didn't tell me anything.

epa wrote:

maria12@ wrote:Hi, guys!

If nobody has sent me an e-mail/called until now is it over? I did lobby, but the only answers I got were that they have already selected their candidates. However, congrats to those who did and good luck to the other ones!

Thanks

I am in your same situation! I don't know...it can also be that you have been selected and you don't know that

epa wrote:Hi guys,

Can I ask if some of you has been already contacted by DG DEVCO  Gender Equality,Human Rights and Democratic Governance Governance? Just to know if I can still contact them

Imogen wrote:

epa wrote:Hi guys,

Can I ask if some of you has been already contacted by DG DEVCO  Gender Equality,Human Rights and Democratic Governance Governance? Just to know if I can still contact them

Hey,

I lobbied them and several other units within DG DEVCO on 15.12 (possibly too late) and got no reply. For one other DEVCO unit I got a 'thanks for your email' reply, otherwise nothing. I'd say it's probably too late to start lobbying now, but you could still give it a go.

I also lobbied DG HOME and DG NEAR, no replies except that DG HOME B.1 is not entitled to a trainee this time.

Hope that's helpful!

Did anyone hear anything from DG DEVCO, DG HOME or DG NEAR?

Imogen wrote:

epa wrote:Hi guys,

Can I ask if some of you has been already contacted by DG DEVCO  Gender Equality,Human Rights and Democratic Governance Governance? Just to know if I can still contact them

Hey,

I lobbied them and several other units within DG DEVCO on 15.12 (possibly too late) and got no reply. For one other DEVCO unit I got a 'thanks for your email' reply, otherwise nothing. I'd say it's probably too late to start lobbying now, but you could still give it a go.

I also lobbied DG HOME and DG NEAR, no replies except that DG HOME B.1 is not entitled to a trainee this time.

Hope that's helpful!

Did anyone hear anything from DG DEVCO, DG HOME or DG NEAR?

epa wrote:

Imogen wrote:

epa wrote:Hi guys,

Can I ask if some of you has been already contacted by DG DEVCO  Gender Equality,Human Rights and Democratic Governance Governance? Just to know if I can still contact them

Hey,

I lobbied them and several other units within DG DEVCO on 15.12 (possibly too late) and got no reply. For one other DEVCO unit I got a 'thanks for your email' reply, otherwise nothing. I'd say it's probably too late to start lobbying now, but you could still give it a go.

I also lobbied DG HOME and DG NEAR, no replies except that DG HOME B.1 is not entitled to a trainee this time.

Hope that's helpful!

Did anyone hear anything from DG DEVCO, DG HOME or DG NEAR?

I hear from dg near just to be notified that many divisions are not accepting trainees. The were mainly from Western Balkans area.

hl5 wrote:

Imogen wrote:

epa wrote:Hi guys,

Can I ask if some of you has been already contacted by DG DEVCO  Gender Equality,Human Rights and Democratic Governance Governance? Just to know if I can still contact them

Hey,

I lobbied them and several other units within DG DEVCO on 15.12 (possibly too late) and got no reply. For one other DEVCO unit I got a 'thanks for your email' reply, otherwise nothing. I'd say it's probably too late to start lobbying now, but you could still give it a go.

I also lobbied DG HOME and DG NEAR, no replies except that DG HOME B.1 is not entitled to a trainee this time.

Hope that's helpful!

Did anyone hear anything from DG DEVCO, DG HOME or DG NEAR?

I have a feeling DEVCO booked their candidates right away. I got a call from them the first day and after that they had booked me. However they didn't tell me that and didn't respond to my emails. I only found out today that they had booked me, because another DG wanted to book me. All in all, I wish I had known before.. Would have saved my time and nerves Anyways, I declined. So they will be choosing another candidate

Also, if you haven't had any confirmation, don't worry. It really seems they book a lot of candidates without informing them..

dekey wrote:Some information that could help some of you.

I have been contacted by a traineeship officer and she told me that there are DGs/Services that are still looking for candidates, and that they look among candidates who have either been selected yet or not.

Secondly, that the selection process ends in mid-January (as we already knew), and that after, the Office will do a last check and then proceed to send the binding offers: that`s why they use the "you have been selected, but wait to see"

So yes, it is possible to be contacted from now on if you have not been yet, or to get emails/calls from others DGs if you have already been selected by another one.