Interviews

Elanor, it's not so bad.. at least they have called you..
I had no calls, so not one single interview..

davinya wrote:

saib wrote:How about DG EAC or ECHO? Has anyone been contacted by them: interviews, mails (besides the standard ones), etc?
Did you guys receive any e-mail from DG ECHO telling they finished their selection?

Hi saib!

I received an automatic email from DG ECHO yesterday evening.. they said they have closed the selection process and that all lists were sent to the Traineeship's Office.. nothing at all about my status

Yes, I received the same e-mail, but I guess they only wanted to be polite and replied to all who lobbied. I lobbied for two of their units, but I had no interviews or other e-mails from them. What about you? Did you lobby?

Yesterday I called the woman I had an interview with one week ago. She said that they wanted me but I was already selected by another unit. But she did not know which unit this was. So I guess I am in but I have no idea what I am going to do in the EC and where. But I guess it is the unit that checked my availability before.

Still a bit nervous because you never know before you recieve the contract... Good luck all of you!

still no words from EEAS?

saib wrote:

davinya wrote:

saib wrote:How about DG EAC or ECHO? Has anyone been contacted by them: interviews, mails (besides the standard ones), etc?
Did you guys receive any e-mail from DG ECHO telling they finished their selection?

Hi saib!

I received an automatic email from DG ECHO yesterday evening.. they said they have closed the selection process and that all lists were sent to the Traineeship's Office.. nothing at all about my status

Yes, I received the same e-mail, but I guess they only wanted to be polite and replied to all who lobbied. I lobbied for two of their units, but I had no interviews or other e-mails from them. What about you? Did you lobby?

I do guess so.. :/
I lobbied to just one unit in DG ECHO.. and that was the feedback I had..
I lobbied to other units of other DGs and all that I have got is a thank-you-for-your-interest email from more or less each unit..

What do you think guys today is the last day to be interviewed???

I do think so... they said that the Commission offices are closed from 22/12 until 2 January included, so...

There is no chance for us in January??

aphes2001 wrote:There is no chance for us in January??

I don't know... I told you just what I think, but probably I'm wrong!
Anyway I would suggest that we'll cross that bridge when we get to it so at least we can enjoy Christmastime

I´ve got a reply from the TO that we´ll have the results around the 10th of January (I asked about my status and she told me to wait), so I guess till then nothing more will happen...

I got this today... maybe it will be useful for someone:

Dear candidate,

Thank you for the interest you have shown in DG MARKT.

The selection has been done by Units and selected candidates should receive the offer letter in the coming days.
In case of withdrawal we will be able to select another candidate.

You may be contacted at a later stage but don't forget that there are much more candidates than opportunities.

I wish you good luck for your future career.

Kind regards


S. Patin
Trainees' coordinator in DG MARKT


It is an automatic email I guess.

I think today is really the last day for selection (if any) to occur. When I got the pre-selection e-mail, I sent a message to the general e-mail addresses of some DGs (the ones mentioned in the bottom) and today I got these 2 replies:

Dear candidate, Thank you for the interest you have shown in DG MARKT. The selection has been done by Units and selected candidates should receive the offer letter in the coming days.In case of withdrawal we will be able to select another candidate. You may be contacted at a later stage but don't forget that there are much more candidates than opportunities. I wish you good luck for your future career. Kind regards

Dear *, I would like to thank you for your e-mail of 5 December 2012 showing your interest for a traineeship in DG Competition. Our Human Resource's Unit included your name on the list of candidates with preference for DG COMP which is sent to all the directorates/units in DG COMP and they will certainly contact you if they are interested in your application. The units are contacting several candidates by phone to check if they are still interested and available for a traineeship. If a unit is interested in your application, your name will be proposed to the Traineeship Office. Please bear in mind though that these contacts are not binding and that only a written placement offer from the Traineeship Office will confirm that you have been selected as a trainee. Placement offers will be sent out around mid-January 2013. Only the contract sent by the Traineeships Office is the official document confirming your traineeship. For further more detailed information on the selection procedure, I advise you to consult the Traineeships Office official website.
http://ec.europa.eu/stages/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/stages/index_fr.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/stages/index_de.htm
I wish you good luck with your projects and your future career.

Kind regards

vvlv wrote:

claudia.s wrote:Hi everyone!

I was choosen by 2 offices that do more or less the same thing, but one is in DG enterprise, and they do mostly policy development. the other is at the EACI and they pretty much implement what the DG decides....

The thing is, they told me i would have to chose where i would like to go, and they explained to me what they wanted me to do there. but i can't decide. policy development sounds very interesting, but what can you tell me about that? will it be very bureaucratic and/or boring!? ^^

i already work with implementation and i know i like it, so should i try the other side? ..

Thanks!! good luck!!!

That means you were the lucky one EACI wrote to me that from 5 final candidates they have chosen one and it's not me. Good luck with your traineeship, still hope to hear something from RTD.

Hi vvlv,
I was one of the other 5 candidates who had an interview with EACI. I also received an email that they didn't pick me...

Though reading Claudia.s message that she had been flagged by another unit without notifying her, I called HR today and hoped the same could be the case for me. And HR confirmed me that I had been flagged by another unit in DG Enterprise. I had indeed lobbied at this unit, though did not hear anything from them anymore.. HR was very kind and helpfull.

They also informed me that (for their DG) their Units had to send in their decisions on Dec 18th. On Monday Jan 7th, HR sends their final lists to the Traineeship Office. On Thursday Jan 10th the Traineeship Office sends the contracts ( or bad news) to the candidates.

Eventhough this was very good news, I won't allow myself to be too happy before I actually receive the contract/offer from the Traineeship Office.

Missy_S, you contacted the HR of the specific DG? And they were able to tell you by which unit your were flagged?

Hi Mdenic85,

Yes, I contacted the HR of DG Enterprise and Industry. And he was able to tell me which specific unit had flagged me. I specifically asked him whether he could see if I was flagged as number 1, or waiting list number 2 or 3. He answered as number 1. I also asked him if this information had alread been send to the TO, he replied that it will be send on January 7th.

I also contacted HR of DG Trade, she looked it up in the system and replied to me that I have already been reserved for DG Enterprise. So, I guess I am in?

(I don't know if the HR departments of the other DG's are also this kind and allowed to provide this information..)

I guess some HoU's interview their candidates and others just flag them without contacting or notifying them. Though "the flagging of candidates" already happened before the 18th of December (for this specific DG). However, as I mentioned I don't dare to be happy yet. First I want to see an offer from the TO.

Fingers crossed and good luck to everybody!!

OK I see... I was flagged as no. 1 by one Unit, and they emailed me to tell me that. And since they were among my TOP 3 Units, I said YES of course.

But I tried to contact the TO to see if I am not, by any chance flagged by other units as no. 1 too, since I got calls from others also. HoU that I prefer and they prefer me as no. 1 told me that they did not receive any feedback that I was taken already or similar... so I guess it should be fine, but I still want to be sure.

I might give a call to HR of my DG.

Mdenic85,

You are so lucky that you already knew this before Chirstmas. I sort of died everyday of not knowing anything.

Which DG contacted you and flagged you as their no. 1? The Unit that flagged me is also in my top 3 units.

I also contacted another DG, to see if maybe a HoU there also flagged me, but the lady of HR saw in the system that I was already reserved for DG Enterprise. I kind of hoped that if at different DGs a HoU flagged me as his no.1, I would have higher changes of receiving an offer.
So I guess if two different HR officers from two different DGs reply that, I am sort of in.

I have to say that they did not mention in the application information, that applying to a traineeship at the EC would be so nerve-racking..!! (and I will stay nervous until January 10th)

It's DG ECFIN.

Yeah, as long one unit marked you as No. 1 you have let's say 100% to get it... there is not reason not to. And maybe you are No. 2 for some other Units... which gives you even stronger position!

I just called HR in that DG, but they could not tell me anything. The lady was alone, and she does not know anything about recruiting trainees. She told me to call on Monday when more people are in the offices.

Anyways, considering all this we can be quite relaxed... but still waiting mid of January!

I suppose that when somebody is flagged by a Unit, means that he is the no.1 on the shortlist for that Unit, and no others Units can flag him. Maybe he can be in the shortist of others DGs at the same time, but only for the one he is the first choice.

Maybe the no.2,3,4 etc in the shortlist are not flagged, so they can be also in the shortlists of more DGs and can still be flagged by others Units.

Do you think I suppose right?

Hmmm... yes, something like that.

But I think also you can be only once choice No. 2 or 3... so it's more "first come first served"... OK, I doubt there is someone who is wanted to be No. 1 for 5 Units... but that would be the logic.

And also they should contact you or HoU if you are wanted by two different units as No. 1 choice and you should decide.

Missy_S wrote:Hi Mdenic85,

Yes, I contacted the HR of DG Enterprise and Industry. And he was able to tell me which specific unit had flagged me. I specifically asked him whether he could see if I was flagged as number 1, or waiting list number 2 or 3. He answered as number 1. I also asked him if this information had alread been send to the TO, he replied that it will be send on January 7th.

I also contacted HR of DG Trade, she looked it up in the system and replied to me that I have already been reserved for DG Enterprise. So, I guess I am in?

(I don't know if the HR departments of the other DG's are also this kind and allowed to provide this information..)

I guess some HoU's interview their candidates and others just flag them without contacting or notifying them. Though "the flagging of candidates" already happened before the 18th of December (for this specific DG). However, as I mentioned I don't dare to be happy yet. First I want to see an offer from the TO.

Fingers crossed and good luck to everybody!!

Missy_S, could you give me the name/e-mail address of the HR of DG Enterprise and Industry you contacted? I was interviewed by 3 units from different DGs (DEVCO, JUSTICE and ECFIN) and got an e-mail reply from an unit in DG Enterprise and Industry saying I was in their selected list... so I also wanted to ask them if they can check for me if I was flagged by either of these units (since apparently their HR are quite responsive and willing to provide such information). Thanks

Hi ECandidate,

I called the switchboard and asked for the HR department, then they put me through with the person in charge of trainees.

You got contacted by very varying DGs though.
If you got contacted by 4 DG's, you don't need to worry. Means you are very interesting to them. And appearing on their selected list means you are for sure in. Much be such luxury knowing so many DGs are interested in you.

Though I can imagine you would like to know, to which DG you have been reserved (which DG flagged you first).

Good luck and hopefully we will all see each other in Brussels in March!!

Missy_S wrote:Hi ECandidate,

I called the switchboard and asked for the HR department, then they put me through with the person in charge of trainees.

You got contacted by very varying DGs though.
If you got contacted by 4 DG's, you don't need to worry. Means you are very interesting to them. And appearing on their selected list means you are for sure in. Much be such luxury knowing so many DGs are interested in you.

Though I can imagine you would like to know, to which DG you have been reserved (which DG flagged you first).

Good luck and hopefully we will all see each other in Brussels in March!!

Thanks, Missy_S! Maybe I'll contact him tomorrow the same way you did.

I know I am on the selected list of these 4, but I don't know how many people got there too (for example, the HoU of DEVCO who contacted me said he needed to provide 3 names ranked by preference to the TO and some people here mentioned those lists were with 5 candidates), nor in which place of the ranking I am in... so imagine I am indicated as no. 3 of these 4 units, there's a great deal of chance that I don't get in. So although it is good to have received these many displays of interest, I wanted to know if I was indeed flagged by any of them and, if so, in which place.

But anyway, all of us will know next week the final decision, so it won't hurt to wait a bit more

Good luck to everyone!

Hi everyone!

The time for interviews is not yet over it seems.
I've been called by the HoU of A6. Media Networks (DG COMM) this morning and after a short interview (by him and two of his staff members) he offered me the trainee position in his Unit!
And of course I said yes

I lobbied directly to his unit (via mail) before Christmas and didn't hear anything from them just until now.

So everybody out there, still waiting for a call - keep your hopes up and your phones close at hand!

Hi lija! Congratulations! Actually I got a phone call from them too but they decided to select you Could you tell me a bit about your profile, experience, studies...? So I can have an idea for next sessions...thank you!

dudu wrote:Hi lija! Congratulations! Actually I got a phone call from them too but they decided to select you Could you tell me a bit about your profile, experience, studies...? So I can have an idea for next sessions...thank you!

Hi dudu,
I'm really sorry for snatching away the position!

Of course I can tell you a bit about myself. I'm enrolled in a Masters program "Applied Cultural Studies" with a focus on European Regional Studies and Media Studies.
I work parttime as a research assistant in the evaluation institute of my university (doing mostly empirical research, analysing data, proof-reading reports, etc.) and I am working freelance for the public TV/Radio broadcasting doing online editorial work.
In my free time (of which there's not so much left) I am a member of a political youth organisation (called "Young European Federalists"). I speak german, english, french and italian.

I don't know which of my activities made them pick me, but I'm glad anyways
If you have any other questions, shoot!

Hi everyone,

do people get hired without interview/phone calls? I am really beginning to worry about my fate because I have not received even a single email after my lobbying exercise. I am thinking that maybe no unit was interested.

Hello everyone.

loba, don't worry, as it's been said in other discussions, not all Units contact people before submiotting a reservation to HR, so if you did not hear anything it doesn't mean you're automatically out.

Also, I've been speaking with the HR Unit of Taxation and Customs and they say that offer will be sent starting on the 10th of January, and not until the 10th. Basically, the frst round-up will be on Thursday, and then they will fill all vacant positions in the next days

good luck again everyone!

Lija and could you copy here your motivation part from the application (of course if it's possible). I have problem with this.

Lukrecja3333 wrote:Lija and could you copy here your motivation part from the application (of course if it's possible). I have problem with this.

Posting my motivation text from the application is a little problematic, because I wrote it in German (since I'm a German native speaker).

Anyways, I think it was what I wrote in my "lobbying-email" that got them interested (or maybe the fact, that I cared to lobby at all). Because during the interview they only asked me about the things I stated in this mail-text/ covering letter.