Traineeships in Brussels and Luxemburg
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Lobbying if preselected

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Aneena
Aneena
Posts : 411
Join date : 2009-06-05

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Wed May 15, 2013 4:35 pm
If you get your preselection e-mails, remember to lobby ASAP. I have a friend who was preselected last year, I told her to contact me if she is, so that I can help her find a job (she has a great CV and I know people who could be interested in her). By help I mean tell her where to apply, nothing more Smile She contacted me 2 weeks later - sorry but much too late, all the interesting units have already chosen their stagiaires by then.

So if you have a very specific CV and there are only a few units (or just 1 like in my case) who are dealing with the subject - contact them directly, as 2 days later they might have already found somebody (in case of my friend a PhD student from one of the top international universities, who was in touch with the unit directly after preselection - but I suppose she would have also had a chance if she hasn't slept for 2 weeks).
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rocknrohl
Posts : 4
Join date : 2013-05-15

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Wed May 15, 2013 5:54 pm
do you think we should find a contact for specific units or is it ok to just send an email to a DG email, which will be provided in the pre-selection message?
i got preselected last year, and there were some general emails of DGs created specifically for traineeship candidates... but not sure if this is enough, maybe it is better to contact a specific person or a unit...
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martina310
Posts : 16
Join date : 2013-02-21

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Wed May 15, 2013 5:59 pm
Is it ok that also someone else is lobbying for you (as a recommendation) - employer for example?
Aneena
Aneena
Posts : 411
Join date : 2009-06-05

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Wed May 15, 2013 6:01 pm
Well the specific e-mails works in a way that there is somebody clicking "send automatic reply" and then deleting your e-mail.

I haven't heard of anybody getting any help from the general e-mail apart from the automatic reply Smile

Find the units that are of particular interest for you, call the secretary (phone number in the commission directory) and ask if they accept a trainee this year. If yes, write a nice cover letter/e-mail and apply with the head of unit/deputy head of unit.

If you don't have any specific units of interest you might as well just wait and see if somebody offers you a job, but with all the people around lobbying intensively and a large number of people who get preselected (it used to be much less a couple of years ago when I was doing the traineeship) your chances might not be extremely high.

What some people do is just sending tons of applications. I know somebody who sent 800 CVs (not for traineeship but after passing a competition) - rapidly got a job this way, but I am not sure if spamming 800 ppl is also optimal..

It's up to you to pick the right strategy. Good luck anyway Smile
Aneena
Aneena
Posts : 411
Join date : 2009-06-05

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Wed May 15, 2013 6:03 pm
@martina: it all depends. It's like applying for any other job. I always just send a short application letter + max. 2 page CV, but some ppl prefer to send an e-mail with 10 attachments and a CV of 8 pages. It's a matter of personal style I suppose Smile
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martina310
Posts : 16
Join date : 2013-02-21

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Wed May 15, 2013 6:04 pm
thanks Aneena Smile
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lilli84
Posts : 16
Join date : 2012-12-13

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Thu May 16, 2013 4:39 pm
I have 55 emails ready already, all in areas where I have interest/expertize. Do you recommend phone call and email, or is it ok as well to do first just email cv+cover letter and then call to check if the mail was received and they accept intern??
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Husker
Posts : 18
Join date : 2013-01-04

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Thu May 16, 2013 5:06 pm
I was wondering, what happens if you are lucky and get selected by several units? Can you tell the Traineeship Office your preference?
In my case (I am not sure at all to be preselected but), there's one unit in which I would really really like to work, another unit is my second choice and there are maybe 7-8 other units in which I have slightly less interest. How do you think should I proceed? Should I wait for the answer of my first choice before lobbying the others?
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lilli84
Posts : 16
Join date : 2012-12-13

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Thu May 16, 2013 5:11 pm
Husker wrote:I was wondering, what happens if you are lucky and get selected by several units? Can you tell the Traineeship Office your preference?
In my case (I am not sure at all to be preselected but), there's one unit in which I would really really like to work, another unit is my second choice and there are maybe 8-9 other units in which I have slightly less interest. How do you think should I proceed? Should I wait for the answer of my first choice before lobbying the others?

A friend of mine, an hour after the pre-selection email, was contacted by three units, which she all liked, but one of those was what she wanted. She said yes to the first one, which was not her favourite. Her favourite offered her a place as well. She accepted with them as well, and honestly told them about the first yes she told to the others, explaining they were not her favourite. The DG told her not to worry, that they would handle it between each other. So they did, and she got a place in her favourite one Smile

Thus, don't wait to lobby, they can handle their intern battles well enough between each other Very Happy
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FeJeNo
Posts : 3
Join date : 2013-05-16
Location : Brussels

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Thu May 16, 2013 5:14 pm
What about different units in a same DG ?
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travisfull
Posts : 122
Join date : 2013-05-14

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Thu May 16, 2013 5:17 pm
how you can find the email of the units director?
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Husker
Posts : 18
Join date : 2013-01-04

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Thu May 16, 2013 5:29 pm
lilli84 wrote:A friend of mine, an hour after the pre-selection email, was contacted by three units, which she all liked, but one of those was what she wanted. She said yes to the first one, which was not her favourite. Her favourite offered her a place as well. She accepted with them as well, and honestly told them about the first yes she told to the others, explaining they were not her favourite. The DG told her not to worry, that they would handle it between each other. So they did, and she got a place in her favourite one Smile

Thus, don't wait to lobby, they can handle their intern battles well enough between each other Very Happy
Ok thanks!

how you can find the email of the units director?
I think it's first name.last name@ec.europa.eu
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travisfull
Posts : 122
Join date : 2013-05-14

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Thu May 16, 2013 5:32 pm
ok thank you.
It seems so strange that people working at EC loose time and work hours for battling between each other for the best candidates...

Shocked
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lilli84
Posts : 16
Join date : 2012-12-13

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Thu May 16, 2013 6:07 pm
Well, it's still cheaply paid slavery, although an awesome one. Everyone wants the fastest slave which will compile unnumerable reports and copies.. Very Happy
Aneena
Aneena
Posts : 411
Join date : 2009-06-05

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Fri May 17, 2013 9:46 am
Well there is always somebody in the unit responsible for recruitment and this person is basically paid for that - so I don't see why it would be a waste of this person's time..
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monique1302
Posts : 11
Join date : 2012-12-12

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Fri May 17, 2013 7:13 pm
travisfull wrote:how you can find the email of the units director?

Here's the directory of the whole EC http://ec.europa.eu/staffdir/plsql/gsys_tel.display_search?pLang=EN

And you can help yourself as well with checking the websites from DGs and their directory/organisational scheme http://ec.europa.eu/about/ds_en.htm

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kimkillah
Posts : 25
Join date : 2013-05-17

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Sat May 18, 2013 6:52 pm
Hey I was wondering are you preparing somehow for the phone interview (hopefully we'll receive one)? I read that some candidates were asked very specific and technical questions...honestly I don't know if I'm prepared to answer specific questions about some topics especially in a stressful situation...
What do you think?
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kimkillah
Posts : 25
Join date : 2013-05-17

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Sun May 19, 2013 1:01 am
I have already received an answer to one of my email, unbelievable! It's of course a negative answer, saying that the unit won't get trainees.
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Elanor
Posts : 145
Join date : 2012-12-06

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Sun May 19, 2013 1:08 am
Wow, that's fast. What unit was that?
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kimkillah
Posts : 25
Join date : 2013-05-17

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Sun May 19, 2013 10:16 am
DG MARKT Directorate B International affairs unit
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monique1302
Posts : 11
Join date : 2012-12-12

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Sun May 19, 2013 11:38 am
kimkillah wrote:I have already received an answer to one of my email, unbelievable! It's of course a negative answer, saying that the unit won't get trainees.

Woow, do they work on weekends as well?
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kimkillah
Posts : 25
Join date : 2013-05-17

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Sun May 19, 2013 11:44 am
monique1302 wrote:
kimkillah wrote:I have already received an answer to one of my email, unbelievable! It's of course a negative answer, saying that the unit won't get trainees.

Woow, do they work on weekends as well?

It was sent by an iPad so I guess the HoU was checking his emails Wink
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at86
Posts : 59
Join date : 2013-05-17

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Sun May 19, 2013 1:10 pm
The EU never sleeps ... maybe Smile it's pretty nice they sent out the mail om Friday though so we can prepare a little. Monday is a national holiday, so I suppose , they might check their mails but call tuesday at the earliest.
Jimmy.86
Jimmy.86
Posts : 36
Join date : 2013-01-22
Age : 37
Location : Serbia/Hungary

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Sun May 19, 2013 5:55 pm
Who should I approach when "lobbying"? Head of the Unit or some of the team leaders, secretaries?
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at86
Posts : 59
Join date : 2013-05-17

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Sun May 19, 2013 7:04 pm
As far as I've gotten advice from a friend who was a trainee last year and also from what I've read on this forum, it is the head of unit or deputy head of unit that should be approached when lobbying. I've just done it by e-mail so far.
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schatten
Posts : 37
Join date : 2013-02-09

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Mon May 20, 2013 5:12 pm
How can I write HoU if he has a double surname? Tried firstname.1stLastname-2ndLastname@ec.europa.eu and it didn't work (((
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at86
Posts : 59
Join date : 2013-05-17

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Mon May 20, 2013 5:22 pm
Maybe you could try to google the e-mail address with the different combinations and by that see what surname they use for the mail address.
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schatten
Posts : 37
Join date : 2013-02-09

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Mon May 20, 2013 5:40 pm
I tried to send it only with the first Lastname and it worked =)) *at least no delivery failure*
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monique1302
Posts : 11
Join date : 2012-12-12

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Mon May 20, 2013 5:48 pm
schatten wrote:How can I write HoU if he has a double surname? Tried firstname.1stLastname-2ndLastname@ec.europa.eu and it didn't work (((

I'd use the directory of EC Very Happy

http://ec.europa.eu/staffdir/plsql/gsys_tel.display_search?pLang=EN
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schatten
Posts : 37
Join date : 2013-02-09

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Mon May 20, 2013 5:52 pm
And? Does it provide the email? No Wink This directory helps you to find out the name of HoU .. But to get email out of the name is not always straightforward.
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