Positive answer

Someone got a positive answer yet?

I guess anyway, nothing is settled for 100 % before we receive the final confirmation from TO.

Ya, nothing is 100% certain till we get the email from the TO. I think I'm giving up on waiting and hoping for something positive and will invest my energy somewhere else. I don't know if it's because other candidates are more qualified than me and/or because of my NON-EU citizenship (I know that some units are not allowed to recruit non-eu nationals) but it's a second time in a row I get preselected and I don't get any positive response from the units. Dude and I've got a M.A. in international relations (cum laude), spent time studying abroad, several NGO internships, I speak fluently 5 languages, and currently I'm a fellow for an important organization in the U.S. And even though I'm not a EU citizen, I have lived in the EU for 10 years and I've also got a specialization in European Law and policy. I can obviously survive without this traineeship BUT my goal is to work for an international organization and this traineeship is a perfect way to get some experience in this field and to actually understand if I could like this kind of job.

good luck to ya all

scsj, do you know which units aren't allowed to accept non-EU citizens? did you lobby US, Canada in EEAS by chance and if so, have you heard anything yet? thanks

that's the point! I wish I knew! As far as I understood, DG ENLARG usually doesn't take non-eu's. I'm not sure though. Maybe some of the current trainees know that?

Oh yeah those were the first Units I've lobbied to (EEAS, Unit Americas and Canada) right after the preselection email. I've got a reply from one of them saying that they appreciate my email and they will keep me posted about the selection process. The thing is that a lady from EEAS HR told me the HoU were going to take their decisions by the end of May and since I haven't heard anything from them, I'm not in for sure. bummerrr

ams47w Are you from the U.S.?

yes and i lobbied that unit as well but haven't had any positive response. i have a similar background (few study abroads, masters in IR here in Europe, etc) although not as many languages ha. good luck!

just to 2x check too but the e-mail for US, Canada is
Fernando.ANDRESEN-GUIMARAES@eeas.europa.eu, right? it was a bit tricky to find with the last names but i never got it sent back so i assume it was correct...

Yup, that's correct! He hasn't replied directly to me either, someone else replied on his behalf. But again I feel like it was too general as the email and they haven't emailed me or called since then. "Good news" is that it looks like they are taking trainees. So common why don't they take us? good luck to you too!

I'm in! DG sanco D2!

waiting for the letter now )

Great news, prox_n! It must be a great relief

Well I got contacted by my state´s representative office offering a traineeship in a political sector there. They said that because of my legal background I might not be interested in this particular traineeship, so If i am not they will send my application back to the EC so maybe some of the EC departments will take me instead. I told them that I am going to take up the traineeship with them as there is no guarantee that somebody will contact me from the EC, so at the end i could lose both opportunities. However, i am not particularly excited to work in the political sector because of my legal background and I am worrying all the time whether I made the right choice..

Hi Lelde_L,

If you take the internship in the political sector, you wouldn't be able to apply for the EC again? Because if you can, I wouldn't hesitate for in the end you will have a broader experience, knowledge and expertise it will add value for a future application! I think...

I'm also in! Andean Unit, EEAS. It's going to be a long wait until we get the confirmation from the TO!

Hi EleonoraM,

No this is a paid traineeship for 5 months they are offering me so I won't be able to apply anywhere else afterwards, that is why I am a concerned whether I made the right choice. ;(

Lelde_L, you got a PAID internship at the EU COMMISSION. It is going to benefit you not only in terms of work/life experience, contacts, skills; it is also going to be a very nice addition to your CV. It does not have to be your dream job. Yet.
So be happy that in these times of crisis you have a position somewhere. Well, not only a position, a paid position. And not just somewhere, but at the Commission.

estrella13,

the reason why i am not too excited about this particular offer is because it is in the REPRESENTATIVE Office no at the Commission and I have already worked there for 6 weeks last spring and I know how things are going to be there more or less. The only Thing I am hoping for is that because i am going to be paid they will expand my Tasks and i will gain more knowledge and competences than I did the last time with them. And another Thing is that it is political not legal. I am not complaining about anything here, I am just concern whether I will benefit from it really.

Lelde_L wrote:Hi EleonoraM,

No this is a paid traineeship for 5 months they are offering me so I won't be able to apply anywhere else afterwards, that is why I am a concerned whether I made the right choice. ;(

Making a paid (or unpaid, it doesn't matter) traineeship in a Representative Office for whatever duration will not prevent you from applying for the EC traineeship afterwards. If you make such traineeship in another European institution or body (which are all identified in the traineeship rules, by the way), that would prevent you from applying for the EC traineeship afterwards. But in a Representative Office, that's no problem. I actually know a current trainee in a Representative Office who will finish her work there in July and applied to the October session of the EC traineeship and she made it to the blue book now.

ECandidate,

I am sure that Representative Offices are included in the European insitutions as it is mentioned for the EC on their Website: 'The Commission is based in Brussels and Luxembourg and has offices (representations) in every EU country and delegations in capital cities around the world.'

Lelde_L, taking into account the information provided by the eCandidate, I would definitely grab the opportunity But contact the TO and clear out all doubts.

Here you go, this has been taken from the rules governing the EC Traineeship scheme:

2.3. Prior employment
The European Commission wishes to offer to as many people as possible the
opportunity of in-service training. Therefore applications will not be accepted from
candidates who – for more than six weeks:
– have already benefited or benefit from any kind of in-service training (formal
or informal, paid or unpaid) within a European institution or body2, or
– who have had or have any kind of employment within a European institution or
body2 ,
including anyone who is or has been an assistant to a Member of the European
Parliament, an intra-muros consultant or researcher, a temporary staff member, a
contract staff member, an auxiliary staff member or an interim staff member of any
EU institution, body, delegation or representative office.
Candidates should inform the Traineeships Office of any change in their situation
that might occur at any stage of the application process.

it clearly states that representations are included, so no Chance for me to get another traineeship after this one.

Lelde_L wrote:ECandidate,

I am sure that Representative Offices are included in the European insitutions as it is mentioned for the EC on their Website: 'The Commission is based in Brussels and Luxembourg and has offices (representations) in every EU country and delegations in capital cities around the world.'

Ah, sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you meant you were going to be a trainee in a Member State's Permanent Representation in Brussels, not in an EC's representative office in a Member State. The case I know of a friend and the one that wouldn't exclude you from doing the EC traineeship is the first one. In this case, no indeed!

Lelde_L, tough decision indeed!
What would upset you the most: accepting this offer and then miss out a more appealing one, or end-up without any offer at all BUT with the chance to try again?

No easy answers I suppose... If I got contacted by a unit that has nothing, or very little, to do with my background and future career perspectives, I wouldn't accept it! But on the other hand, even though it isn't a favorite one, if it add value to my career path... I would give it a go!

Having the EC in our CV is great, but the pertinence and relevance of the work carried out there for future internships/jobs is also very important. For example, I made an internship in an UN organization and I'm sure it helped me to make to the second stage... but I'm aware that the work I did there is just not relevant for some units I've lobbied.

Good luck with that!

Really difficult situation to be in. But as you said, there would be a possibility that the EC wouldn't give you a traineeship - missing out on both (obviously with the possibility to try again, but still..). To be honest, I wouldn't want to work somewhere if I felt the tasks weren't appealing and/or wouldn't add to my career path - in fact I got an e-mail two weeks ago from a unit, they were interested in me and wanted to show them my interest. They explained the tasks, but it didn't really fit what I wanted. So I turned down, knowing that they could have selected me and I would go to Brussels and might now not be given any offer and not going to Brussels. If things have to be, then they will be. Look at the positive sides of things, it may and will benefit you greatly, perhaps you don't realise yet in what ways. Maybe one day you want to become a parliament member or a MEP, than this political experience will come in handy!

I've worked for a permanent mission to the UN in Geneva, it was amazing to see everything from a state perspective. working from that side was very intresting since you are working for those who are really in the driver seat . But that was my UN experience. Either way its a great offer

Anyone heard from DG ENV(ironment)? Does all DGs go for a phone interview or some send emails or so?!

HI!!

How is going?has anyone of you received a positive answer from DG Markt or just an interview?


Thank you very much!!!

ALEXAN12, Yes, i've got an interview from DG Markt from the Task force in the governance of internal market directorate. They said they should make decision the next week.

ada.s wrote:ALEXAN12, Yes, i've got an interview from DG Markt from the Task force in the governance of internal market directorate. They said they should make decision the next week.

Ok thank you!!My interview was from tha same Unit . Good Luck!!