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finding a job in the Paris area - realistic?

5K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  Bevdeforges 
#1 ·
I'm trying to get an idea of whether a move to France for a job offer for my husband will work for us. Specifically, I need to be able to find a job as well, but if we move there, I won't have a work permit. Generally what I've read makes it sound like it will be really hard for me to find a job. I only know a little French (although obviously we'd be learning it if we do make this move, but that's not something that I can immediately use in my job search).

I work in IT. I do software development, business analysis, everything from hours in front of the computer programming, to aspects of project management and working with clients (requirements gathering, design, etc.), including management (of people, projects and IT support areas). I'm hoping that the IT field might be a little better and have more opportunities for me, but I also don't want to assume anything.

Can anyone offer an idea of just how hard it will be (and how long it might take) for me to find a job? I'm assuming also that it would be very, very unlikely that I'd find a position before we move, although obviously it would be nice if I could find some leads while we're still preparing for the move. I was thinking that maybe a more likely place to find a position would be with American companies who have a presence in France, so then language might be less of an issue, and I might also be able to use some current contacts to find openings. However, I have no idea if that's a reasonable assumption.

Thanks in advance for any assistance/ideas.
 
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#2 ·
Unless you have a visa that will allow you to work, you can pretty much forget about working in France. If you were able to find a job before you go, you'd have to apply for and receive your own visa - and if the job fell through, you'd be expected to leave the country.

Finding a job without speaking French is going to be close to impossible. First of all, without work authorization, most (reputable) employers won't even look at your CV. American companies generally hire local nationals and while they expect them to speak excellent English, the day to day language in most businesses is still French.

Talk to your husband's employer and see if there is any chance they could get you a visa with working privileges. (A couple folks here on the forum report that they did get work privileges even as a "trailing spouse.") If you do, you can at least get work through temp agencies while you're in France. Your chances would be better if you were eligible for CDD contracts (those are limited duration contracts that don't require the protections of a full-time, unlimited duration job). The trick is that you can't get a work visa for a string of CDD jobs. If you have the proper visa, finding the CDD jobs is easier than looking for a permanent job.
Cheers,
Bev
 
#3 ·
I think Bev has been spending too much time in France, and has lost some of that Positive thinking, can do attitude u generally find in the US ;-0

The work permit is a real issue, but given your skills, i think you have a fair chance to find work in the Paris area. Web programmers are always in demand, (Are you trained on PHP ? Java ? .Net ? All the above ?) If securing full time employment proves challenging you can also look into subcontracting as a freelance. I would approach all of the major IT Consulting Firms/Software vendors in the Paris area, the big ones such as:

IBM
Microsoft
Oracle
HP
Accenture
Cap Gemini
ATOS Origin
Altran
Alten
Steria
Orange Business Services
etc...

(google them, and look at their jobpostings)


(full disclosure, I work for one of the companies listed above ;-) )



As well as the myriad of second tier players.


You basically have a strong set of skills that are in demand in France, now everything else will fall into places...... Once a hiring manager decides that they need you for a project, they will a find a way to make it happen.

I would make sure my LinkedIn profile is up to date, with the right amount of testimonials (Most managers and HR Dept in France will look into it), you can also create a profile on viadeo (French flavor of LinkedIn). Once you get to France, and once you have a french Cell, create a profile on Monster.fr

You can probably start from overseas, but most of the hiring managers will want to have face to face interviews.

Also note that in France you are expected to provide a Picture, as well as your date of birth on a Resume....


Not sure about your particular situation, but during the Interview avoid saying that your husband is an expat, and that you are likely to go back to the US in 2 or 3 years.

If your skills were less technical for instance Marketing, or project management, I would be more pessimistic, but in your case I think you have a good chance.


Best of luck with your move.
 
#5 ·
I think Bev has been spending too much time in France, and has lost some of that Positive thinking, can do attitude u generally find in the US ;-0
I'm probably a bit more negative about the notion of working without a work permit because I'm in the side of the business that has to deal with the penalties of an employer taking on an unauthorized employee.

To work freelance, you should register as either an auto-entrepreneur or using some other statut, but that may be difficult without the appropriate work permit. Your income is supposed to be declared on both your French and US tax returns and if your husband's employer is handling the tax preparation services for you during your time in France, they may not be keen on having you working illegally and avoiding taxes and cotisations that you should be paying.
Cheers,
Bev
 
#4 ·
I'm a trailing spouse that got work priveleges. Have your husband talk to his employer to find out what type of visa he will be on. See if he qualifies for the "salarie en mission" 3 year visa. If he does, you will be elegible for the "vie privee et familaille" one year carte de sejour that authorizes work.

Other than that, can't help you find a job. I have only half-heartedly looked, but we're in an area where I'd either have to change careers or spend hours each day commuting. I'd love to have a part-time job, though.
 
#6 ·
Hi
Although I've worked in France for over 15 years, I can't help with the legal formalities as I am a Brit and EU nationals have no problems working in EU counties.

However, regarding finding a job in IT should be easier than most areas.
There is a French government site which gives a list of jobs on offer: Google APEC FRANCE to find it
( this forum won't let me post a URL link)

Obviously it is all in French but with Google translator you might be able to understand enough and register, and then look through IT jobs...

There are lots on offer

But finding a job and actually getting a job are two very different things.

Most people in the IT area stumble along in English, I don't think that will be the main problem, it'll be your skill set and what you can offer....

Good luck
 
#10 ·
Hello Bry,

Do you know if software developers particularly in .net/C# and SQL skills are in demand in Paris? My partner is a senior software developer in NZ with 6 years of experience in .net/C# and SQL. He's planning to look for software developer jobs in Paris from NZ.

Do you have any suggestions related to his skills in Paris?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.
 
#7 ·
Thanks everyone, for your replies (I've been offline most of this week).
My situation might be a little different. First, my husband has been offered a permanent job with a French company, so it is not necessarily true that we'd be there only a couple years. He had looked into the visa he'd have, and originally it sounded like it would not be possible for me to have a work permit. However, the company is saying that they think they could get me a work permit (he questioned that, and they are looking into it some more). Obviously if I had a work permit, things would be easier. I was guessing that technical IT skills would be helpful, but unfortunately my skills are primarily in a programming language that is not as widely used (Natural), although I know a little bit of java. We're hoping that I'll be able to find something, even if it takes a long time. We're trying to decide on this opportunity within the next couple days, and whether I can get a job or not definitely weights heavily into this decision.
 
#8 ·
Assuming you can get a visa that would allow you to work, you probably can find a job - however no one can tell you how long that process will take. It would help if you spoke French, and it may be the case that you'd do better to work on your French the first few months there and then set out on the job hunt. (With a long-stay visa, you may be eligible for the mandatory French classes from the government, which are free.)

Just remember that things tend to take longer in France than in the US. Hiring someone is a big decisions for most employers because there are many protections in the law for the workers. So, if in the US it would take you a month or two to find a job, you should probably figure on at least twice that length of time. Or maybe you'll get lucky. It's really hard to tell.

Or you can temp or freelance, so long as you have the legal right to work in France.
Cheers,
Bev
 
#11 ·
This thread is a good three years old and I suspect that some of the original participants may not have checked in recently to see your posts.

Do you know if software developers particularly in .net/C# and SQL skills are in demand in Paris? My partner is a senior software developer in NZ with 6 years of experience in .net/C# and SQL. He's planning to look for software developer jobs in Paris from NZ.

Do you have any suggestions related to his skills in Paris?
To find out what skills are in demand in France or in the Paris area, just check out a job site like Monster.fr, LinkedIn or even the Pole Emploi job postings.

But, to look for a job from a distance (and NZ definitely IS a distance), your partner should be ready to make a trip at his or her own expense to France to make him- or her-self available for some face to face interviews. It's highly unlikely that anyone can be hired these days without a face to face interview, and it's equally unlikely that most employers (in France or elsewhere) will be willing to take on the expenses of flying a job candidate in from NZ just to interview them - especially if they don't already have some claim on the working papers necessary to work in France.
Cheers,
Bev
 
#12 ·
It seems to be impossible to get a job in France without speaking French and from a distance for non-EU residents?

I'm looking for an opportunity in France in IT field. Is there anyone here who is non EU resident, get a job in France from a distance? Is it mandatory to have a face-to-face interview?
 
#13 ·
Let's say it's pretty rare to be able to get an IT job here in France with no French and from a distance - particularly in the current economy.

And, I will note, that corporate transfers seem to be becoming rarer all the time these days.

Given the labor laws here, which make it very difficult (and expensive) to terminate an employee, there are virtually no employers who will consider hiring someone without first meeting them face to face. (There's also the little matter of having to get authorization to hire a foreigner over a similarly qualified French or EU person. Very difficult to convince the ministry if they haven't met the person in person.)

One possibility is to make yourself available in France for interviews - by mentioning, for example, that you plan to be in France "in the near future" in your cover letter. Or, you can say that you travel to France regularly and would be available to discuss the position next time you are there. (This approach does require that you are able to schedule a trip to France on short notice on your own dime.)
Cheers,
Bev
 
#14 · (Edited)
Thank you Bev for your information.

I have recently observed this fact: I was approached by some headhunters in France because my CV interests them (I do have my Monster.fr and Viadeo account). But when I told that Ì'm not in France at that time so I'm eligible to apply for this position?... no feedback at all :)

In fact, my profile, to some extent, is favorable to work in France. I have a French Master degree, I was living there from 2006 to 2011 but I had to get back to my home country due to family reason. I can speak fluently French. Now, I would like to be back to France for work but it's not easy to get a job from a distance. I opt for corporate transfer but you mentionned that it recently becomes rare... I'm actually working for a large French corporate (one of three world leaders in its field) and looking for an internal transfer to France. The internal policy is clear, it's possible but of course, it's upto economic situation in France and how they are ready to bring me to France :)

Another option that I found many people go for is to take a year of study in France (i.e. Master degree) and looking for a job. But it's not my way. From my point of view, it's some kind of getting a job in France 'à tout prix' which I don't like.

Best regards,
HBLE

P.S. It would be better to have a seperate thread discussing about getting a job in France, adminitrative steps to take, etc.
 
#15 ·
If you were approached by headhunters regarding a job in France, it's most likely that what they were interested in is whether or not you were currently living in France with working papers (i.e. on a long-stay visa that gives you working privileges). You can certainly apply for the position, but unless you can indicate on your CV that you have work papers, there probably isn't much point.

From the employer's point of view, it is a long and not terribly easy process to get work authorization for a foreigner that will allow the foreigner to get a "work visa." Being transferred by a French company would be simpler - but they may be limited in the number of transfers they can do over a certain period of time. (I'm not sure how it works for companies doing regular transfers of this sort.)

In your case, there are no administrative steps you can take to get a job in France. If you are outside France and don't have French or other EU nationality, you need to get a job (and visa sponsorship) in order to get a "work visa."
Cheers,
Bev
 
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