Whether it was the rich culture, the amazing food or the perfect climate that attracted you, France is one of the most refined and beautiful countries to work in. As an English speaker who wants to work in France, it is important to be well informed to make your job search smooth and successful. An English job is hard to find, but follow these 5 steps and you will be working in France in no time! Have you found your accommodation yet? Visit Spotahome Paris and Spotahome Lyon to find an apartment or a room to rent in France!
How to find work in France?
Step 1: Be Flexible
Job prospects for English speaking students and professionals will be limited so be open to explore jobs you would not otherwise consider. This can be an opportunity to make contacts and pick up some French, both of which can help you land your ideal job!
Step 2: Be Informed
The main ways of finding work in France are through search engines, local media (particularly free small ads papers) and local job centres.
Here are some examples of jobs that don’t require you to speak French:
- Care-giving: Finding a job as a nanny or an au pair is probably the easiest job to find as many families like their children to learn English at an early age. An extensive agency list for au pair jobs can be found at www.iapa.org.
- Tourism: This includes catering, restaurants and hotel jobs. Bartending jobs are plentiful and are great if you like to meet people from around the world. If you have a sharp memory, like facts and have good speaking abilities, you can work as a tour guide. With France being one of the most visited tourist destinations, there will always be work available. Visit L’Hôtellerie Restauration for restaurant and hotel jobs.
- English Teacher: Put your English skills to use by teaching at a university or by doing private tutoring. Having TEFL (Teaching English as a Second Language) qualifications is not always needed and often a just a university degree and some experience may be enough to land you a position in a private language school or a training agency. Visit www.i.-to-i.com for more information.
- Freelance Work: Freelance work doing translation, writing, proofreading/editing might be a perfect option for you if you want to work from home. You can join Freelancing sites like Upwork and Freelancer that allow you to work remotely.
- Ski Jobs: If you love adventure and are good on the slopes, you can find seasonal work in chalets. This is a popular option and jobs go quickly so apply early. Ski job listings in France can be found at www.ski-jobs.co.uk.
- Agriculture: There are many jobs for English speakers working in vineyards or on farms** in France picking grapes, apples, olives or maize. Agricultural and viticultural (wine growing) jobs can be found at www.anefa-emploi.org
- Large Multinational and National Employers: Graduates can often find work with large multinational companies like Carrefour, Vivendi, L’Oréal and more. Visit L’Etudiant, which caters to students and recent graduates and ABG L’intelligence for jobs in the science/medical field.
Other helpful websites:
- Emplois Verts (‘Green’ jobs)
- Indeed France
- Les Jeudis
- Recrut
- Stratégies Emploi (communications, PR and marketing and jobs)
- The Local
Step 3: Spice Up your Resume
When looking for work in France, it is best to update your CV to ensure that it is French friendly and the job titles and other details will be understood by potential employers. It is recommended to have a CV in French.
See also: The Magic CV Formula to Find an Internship Abroad [With Template]
Step 4: Build a Network
Since most jobs are found through personal contacts, having a good social network of friends and acquaintances is very important. Increase your network by:
Joining Networking Sites: LinkedIn and Viadeo are great networks to connect with professionals.
Joining Meetup Groups: There are so many interesting groups to pick from, perfect for making friends!
Having an Active Social Life: Explore France in your free time while making friends, activity partners and acquaintances along the way. They may lead you to your next job!
Step 5: Take Care of Details
If you are an EU citizen, you are automatically entitled to work in France. If you are not from the EU, you will most likely need to arrange a long stay and/or a residence permit if you are going to be working for more than 3 months with a French employer. Make sure to follow the correct procedures to ensure that your paperwork and job search will be a breeze!