A question that frequently pops up from fellow expats in France is related to working. More specifically, how to find a job and how to get hired.* And right now, with unemployment figures what they are, things are tougher than ever.
I've heard from many frustrated people who don't understand why they're not being asked to go for an interview after submitting their CV to a company or why they're not getting hired after having an interview.
Here's what I think.
Over the last several years I've been hired by a half a dozen French companies (two of those jobs I turned down) and from my experience, the one thing that I think gave me an advantage was my ability to speak both French and English. And when I say, "speak French," I don't mean simply knowing how to order a meal in a restaurant or ask where the toilets are located. I mean being able to converse in French, talk on the phone in French and do business in French. Now I'm sure it may be possible to get by speaking only minimal French in a big city like Paris, out here in the provinces, local language skills play a pretty important role in daily life. And in finding work.
So if you don't have a good level of conversational French, you're probably going to have a tough time competing in the job market.**
Luckily, there is hope!
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