CV Checker Articles - Finding a job in France

Finding a job in France requires a bit of patience and good knowledge of the country. You will need to have a very good knowledge of the language, as most companies based in France require that all procedures and documentation must be translated into French. Nowadays, companies are more and more international and happy to hire foreigners, especially Anglo-Saxons, but lots of meetings and communication is very often in French, even if the official language is English. At the end, you will have to cope with the French exception!

If you are keen to find a job in France, make sure your CV reflects the French way of writing a CV (refer to French cover letter and CV article for more information). Research the national contract and employment forms as legislation is different and more complex than the UK. France, along with Italy and Germany, among others, has a long tradition of union representative and strong labour law which is sometimes difficult to understand when one is not used to it.

Bear in mind that the unemployment rate is still quite high in France and consequently, the job market is not as flexible as in the UK. The strong French legislation tends to prevent companies from hiring as they may wish, as it is often difficult to lay off an employee and compensation is much higher than in the UK. Today, over 30% of positions are filled through networking so make sure you use your network properly.

Jobs are also posted extensively on the web and you have many websites dedicated to job postings. Don’t neglect the option of spontaneous applications, especially for multinational groups who are usually very keen to hire non-nationals. Use the employment agencies as well, such as ANPE, Agence Nationale pour l’Emploi or l’APEC, Agence Nationale pour l’emploi des cadres. They are public structures that can help you find a position. In some cases, they also have specialised consultants that may help you assessing your career, CV and positioning your professional project.

Don't forget that French recruiters give quite a lot of importance to education even after many years of work experience so don’t neglect the education section of your CV.

Bonne chance!

About the author
Valerie is currently Senior Human Resources Manager working in Italy, fluent in French and Italian.  Responsible for over 1500 employees across Europe, involved in an HR Transformation project covering 25 countries across Europe. 

Other articles by the author

• Career Help
• Action plan - Finding a job
• Online job hunting
• What to do in an interview
• How and when to resign
• How to ask for a pay rise

Published
14 July 2006

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