Sending of offers

Of course I responded and very quickly I hope you're right about me being their forst choice, I really do!

For me.. yes, curiosity and... I just really wouldn't like to end up without any options in the end so I will wish my christmas wishes really intensely this year

I think we can only wait now until Mid-January. As for me, I'd only make a phone call if I really had to know very urgently (in case of another interesting job offer) whether I've been picked or not, because, as you say, I don't want to end up with no options.
So, fingers crossed! I hope to see you there!   

I agree, it's so tiring!
Two days ago I felt really dejected, it seemed that no-one was interested in me, but then I got two calls from the same unit. They asked both times whether I had been booked by other units.
Don't know what to think. Two calls might be a good sign, but they have also specified that the final decision will be taken by Friday at the latest. They didn't say I was their first choice, maybe in order not to create false expectations.
It would be simply awesome: it is my favourite one, I wrote my recent Master thesis on their area of activity... but I might also be disappointed again. Read so many different opinions on this forum, very useful though.

eeritrejaa wrote:Of course I responded and very quickly :)I hope you're right about me being their forst choice, I really do!

For me.. yes, curiosity and... I just really wouldn't like to end up without any options in the end so I will wish my christmas wishes really intensely this year

If they wrote what you said I think it is very clear you were their first choice.

I also get the feeling that every unit tries to highlight that the decision is not final until we get the official offer from the TO in mid-January. However, one HoU I had an interview with said that the chances to get a position if you have been proposed as the first choice by a unit are very high.

Hey all!

I am another really confused as well! My case is that I got a call asking for my availability and my interest and of course I said that I am interested and available. And I think I was their first choice, but as it was in English and I was really nervous and I didn't got anything written later on so I still can't be totally sure! What can being nervous make to you! After that I had two interviews because one was already cheduled and other came as suprise. They did not ask for my availability. One of those send me later a message that I am their first choice and other one that I am one of the three that they will send to TO. So feels of course great, but now I am really worrying that did I do something wrong as I just wrote to the later units thanks and that I am interested to go there if finally have the possibility. I mean for example kiar, you are saying that you had to make a final choice? Should I have told to these later interviewers that there is a chance that some other unit is interested in me? As I had understood nothing is binding at this stage and we can be picked as first choices for more than one unit and it is the TO that decides? Should I contact them that there is some other unit interested in me even I am not 100% sure if the first one ever did all the procedures to pick me or if they are finally granted a trainee etc. We are not informed at all on how should we behave with the unofficial offers, so I thought that I should only be happy of them and see if I get the official. But instead of that I am worrying!

aile wrote:Hey all!

I am another really confused as well! My case is that I got a call asking for my availability and my interest and of course I said that I am interested and available. And I think I was their first choice, but as it was in English and I was really nervous and I didn't got anything written later on so I still can't be totally sure! What can being nervous make to you! After that I had two interviews because one was already cheduled and other came as suprise. They did not ask for my availability. One of those send me later a message that I am their first choice and other one that I am one of the three that they will send to TO. So feels of course great, but now I am really worrying that did I do something wrong as I just wrote to the later units thanks and that I am interested to go there if finally have the possibility. I mean for example kiar, you are saying that you had to make a final choice? Should I have told to these later interviewers that there is a chance that some other unit is interested in me? As I had understood nothing is binding at this stage and we can be picked as first choices for more than one unit and it is the TO that decides? Should I contact them that there is some other unit interested in me even I am not 100% sure if the first one ever did all the procedures to pick me or if they are finally granted a trainee etc. We are not informed at all on how should we behave with the unofficial offers, so I thought that I should only be happy of them and see if I get the official. But instead of that I am worrying!

In my case I accepted one offer. When two other units called asking for availability and whether other units had contacted me (actually all interviews asked this as the first question) I explained them the situation and they said that normally units tend not to "steal" interns from other units if there has already been a commitment.

However, it still may be that two units put you as their first choice, specially if you weren't asked about it. In that case I am not sure how that works.

If I were you, I would just chill and wait for the TO official letter. There is no point in messing things up at this stage. They have already sent the proposals with the candidates.

From what you say, you seem to have at least one unit that picked you as the first choice.

About the others I wouldn't take it for granted. If they said they have proposed you as one of their candidates, it most likely be in second or third position, as otherwise they specify for first choices (happened to me and it was clarified later by a phone call).

And about the first unit that asked for availability, if it did not further say anything else I don't know how to interpret that.

Again, in my case I got specific answers as to what position I was at (first choice or not first choice).

yesterday I got following email:

"Following our telephone discussion this morning, I would like to inform you that our unit would be interested to have you as a trainee. Could you please confirm your availability for the period 1 March 2014 – 31 July 2014? (If you would not be available, could you please let us know as soon as possible?)

Furthermore, could you please confirm that you have only one nationality. If you have double nationality, could you please specify countries concerned?

Please note that this is an informal communication and cannot be considered as commitment from our side as the final decision concerning selection of trainees is taken by the Traineeship Office.


We would appreciate to receive your reply and a signed declaration by tomorrow morning at the latest."

how to interpret this? I wrote email and got reply

"We will make an informal proposal at the level of DG. The Traineeship Office (at the level of the whole Commission) will then make a final selection decision"


I still do not know how to interpret this. Am I their first choice or just shortlisted. No idea...

hey guys, I also wanted to share with you what happened in my case:

I had one interview with one unit from the COM department, but then a couple of hours later another unit wrote me (they didn't even want to have an interview…a bit weird, but well..) and they said that they would like to hire me as their trainee and whether I am interested/still available.

I answered YES!

Then a day later another unit which actually also interests me wrote me that they would like to have an interview with me. I was then wondering what to do, so I wrote the other unit how SECURE it is that I can be their trainee because other units contacted me. She then wrote me back that I am definitely their first choice but that they are not allowed to CONFIRM to me that this is the case but informally she can promise me that they will not change their mind about me and that its up to me. And that she would propose to answer to all of the other units that I already made up my mind and that I decided to do the traineeship in their unit (she also asked me not to mention their name in my emails to the other units).

So i declined the interview offers from other units and accepted the offer of this one unit..

I hope this was not too confusing

Hi guys! Could anyone explain what does practically "shortlisted" mean? From any of your past experiences or general knowledge - does this mean that someone is their first choice or it's better not to have any hopes and expect too much?

Is today the last day? I mean, next Monday is 23, so I don't think anything will happen before January.

@annalo: being shortlisted is not that much. I have been too during this session, but as far as i've understood on this forum if they don't state openly that you are their first choice, I would suggest not to be too confident.
They said I would know the outcome of selection no later than today, but now 5 pm has passed and I got nothing. I feel that I'm out.
I hate when people say that you will be informed about something and eventually they don't. Unfortunately it happens very often with jobs/traineeships.

Same here stevedale84.I had an interview with dg elarg on wednesday.The HoU told me he was going to do a few more interviews and he would let me know of his decision on Friday either it was a negative or a positive one.he also told me not to accept another offer at least bot without letting him know.but today no phone call,no email nothing.. :/ so i will just have to wait till after christmas i guess

velvetgoldmine wrote:Same here stevedale84.I had an interview with dg elarg on wednesday.The HoU told me he was going to do a few more interviews and he would let me know of his decision on Friday either it was a negative or a positive one.he also told me not to accept another offer at least bot without letting him know.but today no phone call,no email nothing.. :/ so i will just have to wait till after christmas i guess

Which unit were you interviewed by?

A.1

velvetgoldmine wrote:A.1

Thanks :-)

mede84 have you been interviewed as well by dg elarg?if yes by which unit?

Unfortunately, no. I am interested in elarg though (mostly b3), that's why I was curious.

Hi guys, I was wondering what you think? I was contacted by a unit earlier this week. They said I was one of their top candidates and they would like to check my availability for the March traineeship. I said yes, I was available. They then said they would contact me later about their decision but I haven't heard back. That makes me think that they have selected someone else. But why would they check my availability then? Has it happened to anyone else? Do they check availability of all shortlisted candidates or just of their first choices? This is really so frustrating that we won't know until after Christmas!! I would really appreciate some feedback. Thanks :-)

they check the availability of all short-listed candidates. That's what they told me. If you are their first choice they will say it to you.

Thanks Erik, I just have to wait and see, I guess...

@velvetgoldimine: Could you please say more about your profile? I'm very interested in DG ELARG, also in the unit A1 that interviewed you. Thanks a lot!

You guys think everybody is on holiday today already? I've forwarded some emails that I've got no reply to back to them and got 'out of office' automatic reply. I've checked online and discovered they are on holiday between 24-31 December.

So I believe nothing will happen until after the 1st of January..?

Yra88 wrote:You guys think everybody is on holiday today already? I've forwarded some emails that I've got no reply to back to them and got 'out of office' automatic reply. I've checked online and discovered they are on holiday between 24-31 December.

So I believe nothing will happen until after the 1st of January..?

Same doubt here...
But yes I think they're already out of office...

Whether they are on holidays or not, the traineeship might not be their priority.. I wrote 5 lobbying-emails 2 weeks ago and got only one reply ("no trainee in march 2104"). The two phonecalls I got were from units which I didn't lobby and they only asked if I was interested and availible. So, with this experience and from what I've heard from a former trainee, you can be picked by units where you've lobbied without any call, since they already know you're interested and available. I can imagine, that the units who do interview have done so by now, so we have to wait for the official offers.

delta86 wrote:Whether they are on holidays or not, the traineeship might not be their priority.. :)I wrote 5 lobbying-emails 2 weeks ago and got only one reply ("no trainee in march 2104"). The two phonecalls I got were from units which I didn't lobby and they only asked if I was interested and availible. So, with this experience and from what I've heard from a former trainee, you can be picked by units where you've lobbied without any call, since they already know you're interested and available. I can imagine, that the units who do interview have done so by now, so we have to wait for the official offers.

Yeah, that's right. It's frustrating though that got no sign whatsoever (except from those that host no trainees) .. and have to wait at least 3 weeks to find out smth, smth which may be a rejection..  

The Traineeship Office will notify the candidates with the results on 15 Jan.

vviana90 wrote:The Traineeship Office will notify the candidates with the results on 15 Jan.

you got that message from the Traineeship Office?

pamg wrote:

vviana90 wrote:The Traineeship Office will notify the candidates with the results on 15 Jan.

you got that message from the Traineeship Office?

No. I called them today.

Guys, I don't really intend to destroy your (our) dreams or spoil your Christmas, but the facts here seem quite clear: if you get called it's a good sign, but still doesn't mean a thing. ONLY if they tell you that either you are the first choice or if you get an unofficial confirmation (as some people claim to have received, such as an email) you can have serious hopes to be eventually selected .

I have had several job interviews before and I would love doing this traineeship more than everything. However, I won't be spending all days until 15th January praying for getting in, because I'm tired and a bit annoyed of this procedure. They said I would hear back from them and it didn't happen. Game over.

It's ok if you disagree, but from my experience when people don't contact you for a while you are likely out. I will focus on other opportunities. Anyway, good luck to everyone and have a nice Christmas!

yeah, I don't think I'm going to get lucky with this traineeship as well

You are quite right about it. I was told the same these days. What I know is that I will do better next time. This is a good experience for some of us. Merry Christmas and better enjoy it without any worries! Conclusion: no email or calls = super little chances to be selected.