Phone call after pre-selection

Hey!

So I got a phone call from DG-Budget. I didn't apply there but they are interested and will call again in 2 days for a follow-up with information. Is this an informal interview? Anyone else called? I'm a law student so somewhat surprised with this department...

K

Hey !!! I also got a phone call this afternoon, from DG ECHO (my second choice) and the guy asked if I could tell him my personal application code, since I forgot to mention it in my lobbying cover letter!! tHEN he said he would stay in touch, but nothing else! Now I don't know how to interprete this.. he did not even say that he was interested, even tough I think he could be since I am working right now in a similar field ... but still, I am confused!
Returntigger, did they ask you any questions at all?

congarts people! cross fingers for you both!

Hey!
No they didn't ask any questions other than 'are you still interested in a traineeship?'
Sounds positive for you though bea: I don't suppose they are phoning if they aren't in the final stages.
I didn't send a lobbying cover letter to anyone; is that recommended?
Exciting stuff!

K

Hey Returntigger, no it is not recommended, it is just for some psychos who would do (almost) anything for doing an internship at the EC! Well at least the cover letter seemed to pay off which is great news and I really hope the guy will call again for an official interview! As for you, I think you are the first certain stagiare in this forum!!

Well not just yet. I got an email this morning telling me about the post and asking whether I would be interested in doing it. Unfortunately the start date is 1st March and I'm in the USA taking the New York Bar so I couldn't start until mid-March. I'm going to ask them to change the dates for me but let's be honest: I think it will be a 'no way!' as a response!

Well keep me updated and good luck! Sounds like the cover letter was indeed a good idea!

K

Oh that is a shame! Well I hope it will work out somehow and the best of luck with your bar exam!!! Of course I will keep you updated! bea

I didn't lobby yet (though I was planning to) and to my surprise, my second choice DG called me today... without any previous message so good I was at home (but still my adrenaline level rushed to the higher level ). The phone call was led in my mother tongue (other than English, German or French) because whom called me was a permament representative of my country in the commission! It was a very informal conversation - questions regarding my studies and work experience (the person intervieving me read both my application & Europass CV) and my availability (I have a permament job and they asked me if I could go on an unpaid leave if I am selected etc.). I do not know what to expect from this interview, I spoke in my mother tongue but still it was very unexpected and it stressed me a lot so now I think I could do much better...

If this certain DG called me, does that mean no other will call me and shall I only concentrate on lobbying there? Do you think it would be all right if I call the men I spoke to directly within few days? And, by the way, they told me they should contact me and let me know if I am selected or not within a week (for anyone's concern, the DG that called me was DG COMM)

Can somebody tell if DG REGIO and DG AGRI gave any sign - email response or phone call? From the former trainees, does anyone know if these DGs give phonecalls? If yes, whic units? I have received a email response from DG AGRI, Unit L1 telling that they don't have trainee positions for the March 2012 sesion.

Hello,


I also received a phone call today by my second choice DG Hr and security. Yesterday I sent them a couple of e-mails to a couple of units there. They told me that they are making a short-list now. The conversation was in a very informal tone....Finally they asked me if I had applied to other units in their DG and I said yes. Why do you think they ask that?

lostdog wrote:Hello,


I also received a phone call today by my second choice DG Hr and security. Yesterday I sent them a couple of e-mails to a couple of units there. They told me that they are making a short-list now. The conversation was in a very informal tone....Finally they asked me if I had applied to other units in their DG and I said yes. Why do you think they ask that?

I guess they want to know if you are motivated for their unit. If you send emails to every unit of a DG saying that you strongly believe there is where you fit better, they might think that you are looking for no matter what. I do think it is ok that you said yes because, maybe, they can check and see if you were honest, but if this happens again, you could say that you applied to other units, but that theirs is the one that most interests you.

I had 2 interviews for an internship in france, (the first was successful ) and every recruiter asked me if I applied elsewhere or if I had other interviews. There, what they want to see is if others rejected me, and having many interviews without success leaves not such a good impression. Luckily I got an offer from the first shot

Good luck

Hey guys,

I had a phone call a couple of days ago (from the Secretariat-General, where I lobbied, though it wasn't on my choice list) but I didn't think it went well enough and the lady on the phone didn't say we'll stay in touch or anything like that. However, an hour ago I received a follow-up phone call from the same unit and this time I spoke with the HoU. As far as I'm able to tell, they seem interested in taking me in (she did not state that explicitly though), however, there is something she said that made me worry.

Namely, she said that trainee positions are distributed through the Traineeships Office (we know that) and that they are the ones who extend offers (we know that as well). However, she also said that her unit doesn't know if I'm free (as in not flagged by one of the other departments) which means they may not be able to take me due to the fact someone else might have already "booked" me (understandable since it's a first-come, fisrt-serve basis). This sounds good at first but what if "flagged" actually means that given department flagged you just for review, to look at your application? For instance unit A of some department flags 5 potential candidates including our candidate X but only takes one of them and not the X. In the meantime, another unit B wants to take the candidate in question but is unable to because he's already flagged by the unit A, so moves on to other candidates. As a result candidate X doesn't get picked by either unit.

Do you guys think it is possible?

Read page 34 and 35: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/evalreports/civilsociety/2008/stagereport_en.pdf

Hello,

I have read this forum in the past 2 weeks and found very interesting observations. I have looby the DG Env, sending an email to the head of the division D1, and haven't receive a response, neither a phone cal interview. Anyone that is in the same situation as I?

Hello Jota,

I lobbied at the same unit and didn't get any response either.
If you read the forum of the last traineeship period, someone was offered a traineeship at that unit without being interviewed, so this might be on of those units that just look at the BlueBook.
I am getting nervous, but patience is important now.

Good luck

Got a phone call from DG Justice, they seemed interested but told me I would have to wait because it is always a long process...

Hi gt80 thanks for sharing that. I also applied to Justice. Could you share with us what sort of questions they asked you? thanks

Hi!

They were really nice but they didn't assure me anything. The interview lasted 10 minutes, it was in English and basically they asked me why did I apply to this traineeship, if I would be interested in working for them and some questions about my CV.

Let's see...

Did anyone get a phone call from ELARG, kosovo issues unit??????

I did, and the HoU said that he would call other 5 people, so I am just curious if some of these 5 people are in this forum, hidden somewhere =)

Hello everyone!!!

i also got a phone call from DG INFSO and i am really excited about it!!! The conversation was in a really friendly, kind and informal tone!! After the phonecall i received an unofficial e-mail from the Unit that called me, asking me if i would be interested in a traineeship. As i've already said, they made it clear to me that the offer was unofficial and that i should wait for an official offer of the traineeship position.
Anyways...i am soooo excited that i received a phonecall from a very interesting DG that suits my academic profile, no matter what the result should be.
I am waiting for your comments!!!
Thanks in advanced!!!! Good luck everyone!!

Congratulations Notturna!

May I ask you which unit called you? Because I am also interested in DG INFSO but I still have not received any call.
I hope they will confirm you officially but I am sure that they will!

Thank so much fonfon_4!!

Fingers crossed for you too!!

The Unit that called me was Unit S2. I am wishing you all the best!!!!!

Thank you notturna!

The Department I am interested in is Department A (Audiovisual). I have sent an email to one head of unit but I did not get any answer and I sent it more than a week ago...

Just a question: I wrote the first name in small letters and the Name in capital letters. I do not know why I did that but I saw it written like this... But I did no receive a message "Notification failure) so I don't know if the head of unit received it or not..

I am going to wait but I did not have any call or any email so I am started to worry a bit especially because DG INFSO seems to have started the selection procedure.

We will see...

Congratulations again!

regarding INFSO, i have also sent emails to units A1 A3 and S4..from S4 i was informed yesterday that they don't take any trainees for march..but i still have no answer, not an email, from the other units..i had only received the very first days a reply from the general email adress that they gave us (it was sth like if you are selected we will sent you a contract)...i am really worried but don't know what to do more..

Fonfon_4 i think that the kind of adress you used for sending your e mails might be the right one, so do not worry at all.. just be a little more patient and hopeful...

elina, i am wishing you all the best too, hope you have some good news to share with us the next days!

Cheers to all of you!!!!!!!

Notturna wrote:
elina, i am wishing you all the best too, hope you have some good news to share with us the next days!

Cheers to all of you!!!!!!!

thank you!!!!

I got a phone call from DG Budget - my third option. He told me they have an offer and he wanted to know my availability, my motivation. The interview was in French, even though I applied in English. But I guess he preferred French because it is his mother tongue and he saw that at the moment I am studying in France. As I need a traineeship to validate my year I asked him if my supervisor could sign my papers to have the internship recognized for my studies, because otherwise I will have to re-do my year.
He told me that is the first time they have such a situation and that he will look into it and will get back to me. I guess he will rather choose someone that does not have this kind of problems. But, if it is ok, and I decide to accept their offer, what is next? I have to send them something?

Hey guys -

Is anyone here actually getting an offer? I've had three calls now: two from Budget; one from EACI agency (they are interviewing me this afternoon). One from Budget said I'd get an offer by today...and yet no response. Is everyone else feeling that this is a rather arduous process with not much movement and clarity..?

K

I got two call from the same lady in Justice and also no offer yet...

I lobbied a unit today (GD Sanco) and got the call on the same day I will be put on a shortlist. They have only 1 place for a trainee and there will be 3 persons on the shortlist

The man also said the candidates will be assigned a priority, so the first one on the list will receive the offer, the other 2 don´t. He also said, that they will send this shortlist on friday to the traineeship office...
Still hoping...