General discussion for October 2012

Hi guys!

I just wanted to inform you that apparently late selection is already on-going. I got a rejection message last friday, but eventually yesterday I received an e-mail from the TO saying that I was chosen for a traineeship. I will not be based in Brussels, as I will be at the EC Representation in Italy.

So, finger crossed for all those who weren't selected at first!

Hi Zungol,

That´s great! Congrats! Have you received any phone calls before? I was not selected and I did not receive any phone calls so I am not sure whether there is still hope even for me...Which department was it if I may ask?

Hi pocahontas, thank you.

I didn't receive any phone calls before last Monday, when I was asked whether I was still interested in working for the Representation -- which I had lobbied, by the way.
I'm supposed to be in the Political Affairs sector.

I know how it feels to wait for a positive signal from the Commission services after all these stressful months, so I keep wishing you good luck.

Edit: The DG is COMM.

Hi all,

I also got the selection email last Friday. I had got phone calls from three different units and was ultimately selected by the one that had informed me I was their top candidate.

Has anyone got the email with the 'detailed placement offer' yet? Or the formal contract?

I still have a dissertation to write over the Summer, so I will only begin preparing the move to Brussels for real from early September.

hi! I also got the selection e-mail last friday and haven't received the detailed offer yet! Well, I guess we have to wait a bit more!

Zungol, Congrats, but may I ask is it COMM or representation in the end? Did they make a mistake? I am asking because I haven't seen anyone here write about DG COMM and this is first news from them.

@Arrdis and @Dori

Thanks for the info guys and I really wish you luck! I have actually seen some old statistics from which it's obvious that getting a traineeship in that area is extremely competitive,which is understandable of course.Well,I'll keep trying!

Hi zeko,

I'm sorry for the confusion! It's DG COMM, which includes all the EC Representations.

hi,
any selected trainee has got any news from the TO or their DG since friday 23rd emails?
does anyone have any idea of what does "the next few days" mean??

no, nothing! I suppose it means any time before 15th of July..!

Hey, everyone, so I was wondering if we're actually supposed to reply to the initial acceptance e-mails...In the e-mail it says that we should contact them if we're no longer available. But if we're still available should we just hang tight till the detailed offer e-mail or reply nonetheless?

I haven't answered so far and I suppose like everyone I'm getting a bit impatient waiting for the next e-mail...

Alecca2u wrote:Hey, everyone, so I was wondering if we're actually supposed to reply to the initial acceptance e-mails...In the e-mail it says that we should contact them if we're no longer available. But if we're still available should we just hang tight till the detailed offer e-mail or reply nonetheless?

I haven't answered so far and I suppose like everyone I'm getting a bit impatient waiting for the next e-mail...

I'm quite impatient as well, I've been checking my mailbox every 30 minutes! But the mail that we get ("We're pleased to announce you...") states that you should write them back ONLY IF YOU'RE NOT LONGER INTERESTED.

Hope they'll write some more information soon

Hi everyone! I contacted my Desk (desk 1) to find out when they would send out the placement offers and they said that they are working on it and that they would not send them before the 16th July..

But that's for Desk 1. In any case, they seem very busy so we just need to wait a bit more..

Thanks for sharing @Joan 85! If there's anyone here from DESK 8 please share if you got any news, as in at least a confirmation without official offer. Because I got nothing from desk 8 since the preselection email. @Fibica?@Ovca?

sent an email to the office, here is the answer:

Unfortunatly the selection is still ongoing. It is true that most candidates have been informed by now, however some cases are still pending. I hope that final decisions are being made in all Commission units within a few days from now. You will be informed then, immediatly.

Sorry for the delay,

Kind regards

christian meyer

Nothing still...Well, i guess we are the pending ones...

Thanks @ovca. I guess so @fibica, that's the only way I can explain how some people received refusals when the selection is still ongoing.

zeko wrote:Thanks for sharing @Joan 85! If there's anyone here from DESK 8 please share if you got any news, as in at least a confirmation without official offer. Because I got nothing from desk 8 since the preselection email. @Fibica?@Ovca?

i belong to desk 8 and received my selection e-mail on 22 june. nothing else since then.

Thanks @grrr_v, I suppose then there is really just a few of us that haven't received anything yet. @grrr_v are you also from Croatia or is desk8 for all non EU countries?

nono, i am from an EU country! basically countries are divided, but i'm not sure this is done on a pure geographical basis. probably rather based on the average volume of applications so all desks handle approx. the same no. of applicants.
i wouldn't worry too much, though. Croatia is in a rather peculiar situation now, there could be all sorts of complication and considerations in the background. so i would think no news is good news. hold on!

@Bazylia Thank you for the reply! I kind of figured the same thing! I had a look on the EC's traineeship page again and I think we're now in the final stage 'Trainee placement offer sent out by e-mail' that should be completed by July 15th so I guess that's the deadline...

This waiting for the official offer .....is KILLING me :S

is it too early to start thinking about where to live during our stay in Brussels??
does anyone have any ideas/suggestions? or know about best places, prices, etc?

ocecon wrote:is it too early to start thinking about where to live during our stay in Brussels??
does anyone have any ideas/suggestions? or know about best places, prices, etc?

Hi!
I have alrady found an accomodation and paid the deposit, but I am still waiting for the contract... I hope I didn't make a mistake...
I will be in the European trainee residence 500 €/month.

that was a good idea Belle86, I've just checked at the European Trainee Residence and it's already full booked for this year...! oh my god, i'm startig to get stressed...
any other ideas?

ocecon wrote:that was a good idea Belle86, I've just checked at the European Trainee Residence and it's already full booked for this year...! oh my god, i'm startig to get stressed...
any other ideas?

When I wrote to ask for a room, they replied me that the residence was already fully booked. After few days they wrote me with an offer. I think you should give your availability to the residence in the event that a room will gets free.
I know that is not cheap, but I think it is a good solution for 5 months.

Just got the official email from Desk8! I'm in!!!

Me too! It's definitely not where I expected though...

Hi everyone!

has anyone already recieved a written placement offer from the Traineeship Office? In our preselection mails was clearly written "Placement offers will be sent out from mid-July". I also called TO yesterday and I was told the same, but still I am curious-) All the best!