The sheer number of comments at the main post ‘So I Won’t Be A Commission Official‘ has been causing problems, so all the old comments are here instead, and hence searchable.
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@nikoletta
I am waiting too for the RELEX results, and don’t know why it is taking so long. I think there are quite some fights about the questions, but I don’t know if they are already solved.
I know most of the people at Cadarache site. 30% have left ITER after the first semester in the commission. I mean, yes it is nice, but it is too much isolated. In Germany ITER was outside Munich (isolated too) but close to one of the city I prefer. ITER is a nice place where to work, but also very difficult, there are moments in which you are underpressure and you have strong political pressures to reach the results fast.
I prefer Helsinki at the moment, the quality of life is really high and I guess is a good opportunity.
See you in Brussel, I think we will meet somewhere in Breidel Building.
Stefano
So, your preference is for ITER, I passed this summer at Cadarache and I may tell you that the place it’s verry isolate, in Provence . But , for a scientific person , it’s the good place to work day and night and nothing else…
I’ll be at DG Environement in the next few years ( at least 3 years I think) , so , if you passed there maybe we’ll meet at the commission …
Good luck,
Dorina
Yes, ECHA in Helsinki probably is the fastest one (I gave availability starting from 15th October, but the problem is still the offer from DG ENT) and also the more interesting from a lot of points of view.
Yesterday I received a call also from DG RTD – Fusion for energy for Barcelona, and the week before I was in the shortlist of ITER Project for another position in France for the International Site, in this case I’ll be under EURATOM or DG RTD (I think I’ll ask for EURATOM).
Anyway I’ll move somewhere, the problem is to receive the offer ASAP. Then it is easy to arrange relocation.
Good luck, hope to meet you somewhere in the commission!
Stefano
Thanks Stefano.
a friend of mine was waiting 4 months to start , and she was avaible immediately … so I found 3 weeks OK , especially that I have to arrange with my employer … In fact HR and DG ADMIN told me to wait the offer before giving my notice , but I didn’t listen them .
It seems that I’m already planned for some grants audit on the week of 22 october , so I will start into force .
good luck to you too.. you are going to Helsinki , If my memory is good ?
Dorina
2 weeks for the medical examination seems to be incredible. The doctor told me they need 2 days to create the result, then the 2 weeks are because the DG ADMIN must send results….. It is really incredible (the MD told me the same).
I had already to arrange to move, the relocation office call me but the funny thing is that until I do not have the formal offer I cannot use the relocation service but just to organize with them.
I suspect the results have been already sent to the DG, anyway…. WHAT A STRESS TO FOLLOW AND TO ASK TO ALL WHERE IS MY OFFER! π
Thank you and good luck for your starting π
Stefano
@ Stefano
Hi Stefano, it wasn’t so long …
I passed medical examination on 27/08 , exactly 2 weeks after, on 10/09 I received the results at home, and then I received the offer on 20/09 by e-mail.
I’m not sure , but it’s possible that the head of unit ( or HR ) called DG ADMIN , because he wrote to me for asking news, and after I answer him that I’m still waiting for the offer and that I arrange from my side to leave, the offer arrived late, the same evening.
I will start just on 16 th october because my employer didn’t accept to let me go earlier (my contract was till the end of the year , so I have to negociate …)
It seem that 3 weeks is the medium delay .
@Dorina
Hi Dorina,
as you have just passed the procedure, how much time it takes to have the final offer after the Medical Examination?
Stefano
@ Andreea,
Hello.
I’m romanian too, living in Brussel from few years . Don’t worry , you will have a job very soon. I have a friend who pased the AST15 competition and get a job even before the reserve lists were published. OLAF was verry quick …They really need a lot of secretaries, accountants and other profiles.
Personally I succeded on CAST27/FG III Finance and I already been contacted by DG TREN . I refused it because I already have a job as temporary agent , I will start next week , on 16th october.
I doubt that the to the interview you will have somme specialist tests , for me was just about CV , motivation , capacities , etc …Try to be relax and every thing will be OK .
MULTA BAFTA !!!
Dorina
Jon,
I found in google “pass commission concours” this page, nothing to do with EU concours. May you publish the right link? Thanks.
http://www.concours-pass.com/fr/dates-concours-calendrier-concours-pass/candidature-concours-pass.cfm
Anne
@andreea
Timing is important when people are coming from all Europe. It is expected to meet at least 8 people per day, most of them come via airplane (and the cost is really high for the commission, as you can imagine). If one is late, the risk is you must pay additional costs for all other candidates, in this case it is better to exclude the candidate.
Usually you must be there 30/45 minutes in advance.
Why people do not answer to your E-Mails? Because the level of mobility in the EU Commission is really high, and not all the people have the time to check all the E-Mail boxes.
The other problem is that you use istitutional E-Mail address, if you check for the name of Office Leader on the EU Address Directory usually it takes lett then one they to get an aswer.
I have already worked for the commission and I personally know people and places, but I must do the same thing you doΓΒ΄. I was attending the medical examination last week, and there was a long queue of people of the EU institutions to the mecidal facility in Brussel. All were served in the same order, first in, first out… It was not depending on your grade or if you were in recruitment medical examination. It is democracy which is applied in the right way, I guess.
You want to work for the commission, so it is important you understand that also when you will be in, it will take time to get an answer also if you are an “insider”. I’ve received an important answer after six months. π
Think always that we are speaking of an international organization of at least 12.000 people. π
Good luck
Stefano
@maria
Maria, to be honest I never contact the committee, there is an article which says that you should’t contact them in every case. If the competition if finished is another story.
Now, usually if I’m in a reserve list I call the agency/DG office directls to ask what are the available seats and if there is any chance. Really the escalation is that they do no have this information and re-direct my request to the IT team leader, then I speak with him/her just to understand what is the probability. It works in most of the cases.
The second interview is common especially if you do not have any prior experience in the EU commission.
My suggestion is to write them just to understand if there is the second interview short list.
Good luck!
Stefano
@Christos Bezirtzoglou
Christos, thank you for your insight!
To be more specific it is not an open competion. Through an open selection process, I have attended an interview with the selection committee for a specific post. Although the logical approach is to do so, my ignorance keeps me freezed…So is it advisable to send such a letter?
thank you very much again, deeply appreciated!
@maria
I assume that you have attended the oral examination of an open competition.
If this is the case, then a “thank you” letter is no good, since it will never reach the jury. As you have mentioned in another entry, you are not allowed to contact the jury.
However, if you passed a specific job interview, then I would recommend to send such a letter.
Good luck, Christos.
@ Jon – Well, Jon, I think you’re just gonna quadriple your friends’ number in facebook in one fell swoop there!
Maybe you should set up a facebook group entitled ‘So I won’t be a Commission official’…It’s become a bit emblematic appearing as a subject title in my email inbox.
Good luck to all!
tot ziens!
@Jon
I like the idea. I couldn’t work as a freelance, it scares me. But I am sure, people who dare to do it, never regret! Good luck with your job!!!
I will be glad to welcome anyone in facebook. My full name is Kostas Anagnostakis and I live in Greece. It is easy to be found.
OK, the Facebook Group is also now operational – called ‘So I wonΓ’β¬β’t be a Commission official’. It’s open for anyone to join.
I’ve also just realised that if you type ‘pass commission concours’ into Google you get this page as the number 1 result… Cool.
@Jon
Dear Jon, we all love you, and loved the comment that started all “So I won’t be a Commission official”. I like the idea of facebook. I also believe you have to turn this blog into a forum, many of us could help on that.
Why are you moving to Brussels? Have you finally become a Commission official?
I’m on Facebook as ‘Jon Worth’ but that’s a bit more of a common name than ‘Kostas Anagnostakis’… I’m the one who is listed in networks ‘Belgium’, ‘College of Europe’ and ‘Oxford’.
Also there’s a Facebook application that will help you with the Concours – Traveler IQ Challenge is good in general but I have also made a special EU history version. Add Traveller IQ Challenge as a Facebook Application and then follow this link or click through from my profile. It contains strange things like the birthplace of Robert Schuman…
yes this is what I meant. Merging/integrating this part of your bloc with facebook /linkedin offerings..
I will be glad to talk you after your settling down in bxl!
I believe it is not so ealry saying bienvenue/willkommen:)
All the best.
Ah, no, I won’t be a Commission official! I’ll be working as a freelance website designer and training consultant (training people how the EU works). My work will be split between Brussels, London, Berlin and Stockholm. It’s a bit risky as I’m leaving the UK civil service but it should be fun, and while I’m still young(-ish) I should be ready to take some risks.
@Jon
Jon, a million thanks for providing your space for this exchange of info. It is like a thematic social networking within your blog. Having seen your blog, how about turning this part of your blog into network? I believe it is not difficult for you and if you are willing to take it a step up, it will be great for visibility,awareness and story tellying…”It started with Jon Worth’s statement – So I wonΓ’β¬β’t be a Commission official and to date xxx wanna be EU functionaires have posted, exchanged and shared info ……” If there is so much supply with the concours, your target audience will be quite high!
Anyway, all the best and thank you again.
Thank you Kostas, thank you Stefano !
I must say that I feel better already, even though I still wonder why they are all so imperative about the timeing (in their letters of invitation) but never on time to give you the informations you need to get to them…it’s kind of strange…’Till now I received three emails, from Brussels, Luxembourg and Itlay…Brussels never answered back (!?), Luxembourg was just checking, so I think it’s ok if I do not have another email after a week. And Italy…normally I’ll have to be there next week, but I still have to receive an email with a form to complete till Friday.
Stefano, I just wanted to say that my interview now are not with EPSO, but with the agencies, the DG’s. EPSO did said, about Cast 27, that after the results, they don’t “mingle” with anything else. I know that for other competitions EPSO did the interview thing, too, but not in this case…so i’m a little scared, this is my third competition with EPSO, so I “know” them…the others…its another story π
good night everybody and if I can help, please ask !
@Stefano
Stefano, thank you for your insight. Yes it is true that the process in the private sector is more or less as you have described it. For the EU now, I have been told that there will be a second round of interviews. This is why I am wondering whether to take the liberty to send an email and support further my application. I am not sure whether this initiative could have a boomerang effect in relation to the clause of ” candidates are kindly requested to avoid making direct or indirect contact with the selection committee”. Frankly I also feel being rude without keeping the com route open- but anyway. If i may ask, did you communicate with them after the 1st interview or you simply await for the decision and the invitation for a 2nd interview?Thank you again.
I must admit I am a bit astounded about how successful it has been! π I never thought I would get 680 comments on a post about how I had failed the concours… Anyway, c’est la vie and I’m happy to offer the forum here.
I’m currently in the middle of moving from London to Brussels and that’s taking most of my time at the moment (hence why the everyday posts on the blog have been very quiet) but after that I can look into what we might build on the concours front. We could perhaps use a social networking site like Facebook to run things further?
Wdyt?
@nikoletta
All the results are posted on the EPSO web site. You receive a mail from ROBOMAIL, and then you can read the information.
There is a reason for this. The Commission certify when you login and that you have read the communication in this way. It is a predefined behaviour of all the application of the EU commission where there is a relationship with people. π
Good luck.
Stefano
@maria
Maria,
at the EU commission there is just one important interview. Then there is the possibility to have a second one. I had the second one via Video Conference, no need to move, we saved a lot of money and time, and the effect was the same.
Generally speaking the rule is that you have the first from an independent commitee and a second directly with the DG people.
In the private sector (especially if you are a manager and I bring the sample of Google in the US) you can have also 4/5 interviews also to define the role.
In this case the procedure is really simple.
We were discussing with a couple of guys from DG JRC if it is effective… They say that in most of the cases the results are quite good.
Consider another thing: in a project where i partecipated they recruited 55 people, 30% have left after 6 months due to the international environment. This means that it is importat your skills, but also the adptation spirit to every situation and to the international role of EU Commission.
Stefano
@Andreaa
Hi Andreaa,
the interviews can take place in several places. I had one in Munic, one in Barcellona, one in Italy and one in Brussels, depence on where there is need of people.
About reimburment. You have right to the full ticket (railway until 700km and then the cheapest air fare), and 50 EUROs per Day.
If you stay for every reason one night more, you get additional 50 EUROs.
Reimburment takes a lot of time (I needed 6 months to take back the money from Barcellona), but in some places (In Munich for example) they are able to give back the money immediatly on presentation of ticket. Ask them before to leave, in case they can arrange to help you, people at EU commision are always human.
After this, in case you have shoosen you must flight to Brussels for the Medical Examinatio, reimbursement like before, in this case it takes less time because it do not depence on EPSO but on your DG.
If you need any other info: braccos@usa.net
By the way, the once who have applied to Fusion for Energy will receive the invitation for the interview in the next hours. Interviews are scheduled for IT from 5th to 7th November 2007.
Stefano
@Andreea
I think you people who succeeded in FGII secretary group have many many possibilities to get a job. According to the statistics, 1488 were successful. According to the vacancy notice of CAST 27, 1167 people are going to get a job. So, your chances are 80%. And if we count people who will refuse the job offer because they might already have a better job, it will be too difficult to loose the opportunity… So good for you!
@Andreea
I think you are very excited and you wrote a lot of things in one paragraph. Try to relax, if you go to an interview it is going to be a great experience.
I am sure they are going to give you back the travel expenses, but you will have to pay for everything and then wait for 1 to 2 months. I was in Brussels for an interview on July and it was great!
Can you tell us how many invitations have you got, after succeeding in CAST27 exams?
You can write to me at anagno@teicrete.gr
Kostas
Hi Nikoletta,
First you get an automated email from EPSO asking you to check your profile and then there’s a pdf letter in your profile telling you whether you’ve passed or not.
The automated email’s from epso-robomail@europe.eu.eu.
Anyway, good luck!
uspeh – dano rezultatite sa polojitelni!
Sasha
@Christos Bezirtzoglou
Dear Christos,
I have attended an interview with a selection committee and am wondering about a Γ’β¬Εthank youΓ’β¬Β mail. In the private sector this is the must for following up interview, reiterate the interest in the position and supporting further the candidature. What is the norm/proper for the EU institutions? Maybe a silly a question but I would rather not err at this stage. Your insight will be deeply appreciated! Thank you.
Hi guys,can I ask a silly question?I am candidate for the RELEX FGIV and as you know still no results..For you that you have yours out, did you first receive an email, or they were direclty posted on your EPSO profile?Thanks a lot in advance!
@Kostas – EPSO/AD/46/47 EPA
Hi everybody, hi Jon !! excellent blog transformed in a forum for a good cause π !
It took me quite some time to read all the responses/advices/etc…but it worth the time spent.
I am romanian who took the cast 27 in fg II (secretary) and now I am on the reserve list. I am contacted by DG’s from the comission….and I would like to ask those who already went through an interview after the EPSO results, how does this happens, what are the main issues discussed in the interviews, do one have to pass again some competence tests, or EU knowledge tests?
I think that every agency has its own way of doing that, but maybe there is something they share…I saw that Nora went to an interview in Luxembourg, maybe you can tell me more, because I also received an email from Luxembourg asking if I am still interested (!?) in working with the EU institutions, and I said yes, I am, please tell me more…that was a week ago, nothing more came through…then I received something from Brussels, but I think I asked the wrong questions…like if the interview takes only 30 min, where it will take place? and if I have to go to Brussels, do they support financially with the flight ticket? and I had no other email from them…is EU that poor? point is, I really want to work with them, but I cannot afford the flight, I really can’t.
Tommorow I’ll know much more, because from Italy it seems they will let me know about all the details about this financial issues…but I still don’t know anything about the interview itself. Please, if someone passed that kind of interview, let me know a thing or two…thanks in advance and good luck to everybody !!
@Breach, which EPSO exam are you taking in Brussels?
@Oscar, hmmm I wonder whether this means that the database has still not been provided to institutions? From the wording of this piece of news, it seems like it.
Yeah, I do think they should separate ICT into IT, Communications and GIS — the may be overlapping in some ways, but IMHO are totally different disciplines. Anyhow, at least we made it :-] I am flying to Brussels this Sat for the oral part of another EPSO exam and will try to ask questions on CAST employment, though I’ll doubt I’ll manage to get hold of people’s time. Cheers.
More news: It looks like the selection procedures could start after October 22nd, as that is the deadline for modifying the CV:
http://www.europa.eu/epso/cast27/news_cast27_en.htm
Best,
Oscar
PS: for me the GIS questions were not tricky, but the networking ones instead π
@George
You can try to book for the testing in a test centre in another country, I guess you won’t have any problem.
About the expectation for interview, our case is a little different than yours because we have already passed the competence tests. We were tested in 4 subjects: Verbal, Numerical, EU Knowledge and also IT test.
Hello,
I would like to know whether I can take the competence test [FG IV] in a test centre located in another country than my own, seeing that I am currently abroad.
I’ve noticed that you people talk about expecting to be called for interviews – isn’t the recruitment process supposed to start after the final competence tests?
Thank you and good luck!
Hi,
Like George, IΓΒ΄m also preparing for the competence test for FG IV -translators. I have looked for information about the format of the exam but I havenΓΒ΄t found anything.
Does anybody know (maybe somebody who took the Cast 25 exam) what should we expect?
Many thanks and good luck!
On CAST27, I am told that Contractual Agents are really recruited for their specific profile and kind of escape the nationality recruitment pattern of officials. Which to me is still pretty much a lottery, you have the resumΓΒ© they want or not at the right time… No calls in FG IV for me yet!
@ Breach: so you did it despite those tricky GIS questions, right? Well done 8^)
No news from my side (ICT, FGIII)
Statistics from Group III are: http://europa.eu/epso/cast27/pdf_archives/FGIII_STATS.pdf
@Breach
No, the statistics are not so bad. If you look careful you see that the results were out on December 2006 and the statistics are from April 2007, only 4 months later. And the percentage of people under contract to successful candidates is already quite good.
I only worry, because I am not sure if I need to be in some kind of lobbies, or I have to be Mr Barosso’ s close friend in order to be contacted. Maybe someone who is inside can tell us: Did he/she have to “speak” to some people, in order to get the first contract?
Not me π By the way, I looked at the CAST 25 hiring statistics and they’re really pessimistic in terms of successful candidates / candidates actually hired:
http://europa.eu/epso/cast27/pdf_archives/FGIV_STATS.pdf
That’s for FGIV, but I imagine it’s the same for the other FGs as well. For some reason I was thinking the chances of getting a CAST job were hire π Anyway, one never knows. Good luck.
Any news from CAST27? Anyone of the IT successful candidates contacted by any EU institute?
Anyone who has taken the AD/53-62/06 orals? What kind of questions were asked in French/English/German versus the native (first) language? How was it to navigate between the two?? :))
Hello Mimmo,
I didn’t passed AST1 compettion, but I heard (readed in fact) my romanians colleagues who did it, what’s about : the written tests were the word document to type , formating , etc , as you know , and than they had to write on the computer or by hand a little essay (1-2 pages , a half an hour ) on mother tongue . It’s not realy an essay in fact, it was things like : how you camed here to pass the exam , what book you readed lately , how you may organize a meeting for a delegation …. etc. the purpose is to test you mother tongue , that you speak and read it correctly , and you must have at least 80% .
I hope it’s hopefull for you .
Dorina