career dilemma

Hi everyone, we are all in the game so I figure you are the best to advice me on this.

I am in this round of the blue book for october 2014, I've done one interview but they did not say any of the magic words like "shortlisted", so it doesn't look bright.
However I've received an offer for unpaid traineeship in a EEAS' delegation, off the blue book, for september 2014.
what do I do?

I'll probably ask time to the delegation, maybe up to june to find out if I get a blue book internship, but then, since we can only do one EU internship, should I take this unpaid one or wait the next spring blue book round?

I know, it is super personal but I'm lost.

I did my "best" at this time around with the blue book, the process can be random sometimes, but I don't know if they don't take me for this round why would they take me in spring.
Also a blue book internship is not better than an unpaid one, there some shitty units out there, while this unpaid one is in a good delegation.
There is also the chance to make more then one EU internship maybe, I mean, the bureaucracy is a mess, they just might never find out. But then what is the point of getting experience that you cannot show to EU institutions plus the risk.

Is it a country you are interested in? (The EU delegation)

etoilefilante wrote:Is it a country you are interested in? (The EU delegation)

yes, definitely.

Do you have to give a response ASAP? Is there a deadline to confirm interest by?

etoilefilante wrote:Do you have to give a response ASAP? Is there a deadline to confirm interest by?

I assumed it was ASAP, but I've just sent an email to the delegation to the person I've told to contact, and she is actually out of office until the 28th of May (sic), so I guess there is no rush 0_o

I'll probably ask time to the delegation, maybe up to june to find out if I get a blue book internship, but then, since we can only do one EU internship, should I take this unpaid one or wait the next spring blue book round?

I'm not sure but I think you can only do one EU paid internship. So since this is unpaid it should be fine!

again I am not sure so you might want to check that to be sure!

Haha no worries then! Hopefully by May 28 you will hear from the EC may I ask what delegation it is?

thomas04 wrote:
I'm not sure but I think you can only do one EU paid internship. So since this is unpaid it should be fine!

Unfortunately paid or unpaid you only have one :/
"You must not have already benefited from previous in-service training or employment (paid or unpaid) with any of the European institutions or bodies for more than six weeks;
You are not eligible if you have completed a Blue Book traineeship"

Ow my bad! good to know though, thanks and good luck whatever your choice is!

I only know that EU delegation intenship is compatible with traineeship at EU Parliament. Anyway, if they are willing to give you time, I suggest you to wait and check for EU traineeship results. I had an interview and they told me that this week they are gonna send emails about "informal selection", so I think that by the end of the week maybe you'll have more info. Good luck with both
Last thing, it is true that the process is super random, I got tons of examples from friends and former colleagues!

grazia wrote:I only know that EU delegation intenship is compatible with traineeship at EU Parliament. Anyway, if they are willing to give you time, I suggest you to wait and check for EU traineeship results. I had an interview and they told me that this week they are gonna send emails about "informal selection", so I think that by the end of the week maybe you'll have more info. Good luck with both
Last thing, it is true that the process is super random, I got tons of examples from friends and former colleagues!

which DG told you this?

Saar wrote:

grazia wrote:I only know that EU delegation intenship is compatible with traineeship at EU Parliament. Anyway, if they are willing to give you time, I suggest you to wait and check for EU traineeship results. I had an interview and they told me that this week they are gonna send emails about "informal selection", so I think that by the end of the week maybe you'll have more info. Good luck with both
Last thing, it is true that the process is super random, I got tons of examples from friends and former colleagues!

which DG told you this?

I guess you mean about compatibility. I have two friends who did both in previous years. Maybe now the rules have changed.

NicBed wrote:There is also the chance to make more then one EU internship maybe, I mean, the bureaucracy is a mess, they just might never find out. But then what is the point of getting experience that you cannot show to EU institutions plus the risk.

Nope. I wouldn't count on it. Precisely because it's a bureaucracy, and there is going to be a record of you at the delegation in the Commission database.