Advertisement

Five quick tips for finding a job in France (from an expert)

The Local France
The Local France - [email protected]
Five quick tips for finding a job in France (from an expert)
Photo: eabff/Depositphotos"

Finding a job in France can be tough but there are a few rules you can follow that will help you land that perfect role. Founder of the Mister Bilingue employment agency Ludovic Martin tells us his five top tips for job hunting in France.

Advertisement

It's no secret that finding a job in France can be tricky even if you're someone who speaks fluent French. 
 
So before you apply, here are five tips to help you navigate the job market from founder of employment agency Mister Bilingue Ludovic Martin. 
 
1. Your resume must be written on a single page
 
Recruiters want to be able to quickly find the information they need so it's important to be clear, accurate and concise.
 
And if you think it's impossible, take Yahoo's CEO Marissa Mayer, who managed to write her resume on a single page. If Marissa can do it, why can't you?
 
 
2. The resume must be in French
 
Not every recruiter is bilingual in English, therefore, they might not understand certain words, for example technical terms.
 
We advise you to write your resume in French.
 
If you don’t speak French perfectly, you can always ask your friends to help you. Please avoid any spelling and grammatical errors.
 
If you apply for a job within an international company, you can write two versions -- one in French and one in English.
 
3. Be original... but don't go too far
 
Forget the usual black and white resumé. Add some color to make it pleasant to read and easy to understand, for example by putting the titles in colour (education, work experience, languages, etc).
 
But make sure you stick to one or two colours maximum.
 
You can also add the logos of the companies you've worked for.
 
This draws the recruiter’s attention and allows him to recognize the companies easily.
 
Brexit to create 3,500 finance jobs in Paris, says French lobby group
Photo: AFP
 
4. Stick to the facts
 
The pieces of information you give to the recruiter must be confirmable.
 
Be practical and provide data any time you can.
 
For example, in order to justify your speech level, you have several options:
 
English: Bilingual - Toefl test - Score 788
 
German: Fluent - 3 years in Munich, Germany
 
French : Mother tongue
 
To reassure the recruiter, mention the contact information of your most recent employers. 
 
If you are applying for a job in business, you can also implement key numbers, such as the sales turnover and the goals you have achieved.
 
20 new words the French language needs
Photo: Lagotic/Flickr
 
5. And what about the photo?
 
A photo is not mandatory in France, therefore you are not obliged to insert one in your resume.
 
But we do recommend you to put a photo of yourself for several reasons.
 
- It makes your resume more personal, you are no longer a simple resume
- It makes it enable for the recruiter to remember you more easily
- Recruiters will see a version of you in your work environment.
 
You are now ready to apply.
 
Ludovic Martin is the founder of Mister Bilinguea jobs site for bilingual and multilingual job seekers living in France. You can find details of his next jobs event in Paris on February 5th by CLICKING HERE.
 
Find out about internships, fixed-term contracts and open-ended contracts for jobs for people with the ability to speak English, German, Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Dutch or Portuguese.
 
READ ALSO:

FIND A JOB: Browse thousands of English-language vacancies in France 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also