Slightly to my surprise I applied for a job with the European Commission yesterday. They put up an advertisement last week for a political adviser in an area I know something about and am very interested in, deadline for applications being 5 pm yesterday. So I pulled together the standard CV (and completing their CV tool is an experience in itself). I suspect I may just miss the cut in that I have been in international politics for only nine years and they want ten. Also the furtiveness of the advertisement suggests that they are only advertsising it in order to regularise the position of the temporary appointee who may be doing it at the moment (or that in some other way the post is already earmarked for someone). But nothing venture, nothing gain; I got the form handed in at 4.15 pm, and sent an email to the Italian ex-ambassador who would be my boss if it works out. (It occurs to me that this is a week when talented Italians who have been in political exile for the last five years may be heading home; perhaps this has created the vacancy?)