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France

This section contains information that should give you a fuller picture of the country that might help you and websites that you might find useful. It is divided into the following areas...

Don't forget you can find out about current job vacancies, working overseas or in the UK, on the Careers & Employability Service website.

General Country Guides
Embassies Jobs, CVs and the job market

Like all European countries, France has a problem with unemployment. Looking for work in France requires commitment and hard work as it can be difficult. Some professions are more difficult than others so find out about the opportunities before leaving the UK. The main opportunities for British and Irish graduates are still with multi national or major national employers in areas of business or commerce where English is a major business language. Small and medium sized enterprises are not closed to applications but require even greater effort in terms of research and self presentation.

Prospects, Hobsons and the EURES website have extensive information on working, living and studying in France.

EU or EEA nationals can use the French employment services - Agence Nationale pour l'Emploi (ANPE) - on an equal basis with French nationals. The ANPE provides information on job vacancies, training scheme and advice. You need to register to access all the services provided. You will probably be referred by the ANPE to the Mission Locale or the PAIO - Permanence d'Accueil d'Information et d'Orientation.. These offer careers guidance as well as courses on topics such as CV writing, job search, learning French or other employment related skills.

Another useful organisation is the CIDJ - Centre d'Information et Documentation Jeunesse. A CIDJ office is a drop-in information centre similar to a careers library where you can pick up information sheets on study opportunities, leisure activities, names and address of language schools in the area etc. They also advertise job vacancies.

Job adverts may be listed on the European Employment Service (EURES) system, as well as international publications and French newspapers. All the major French daily newspapers carry job vacancies as well as periodicals such as L'Express, L'Expansion and Le Point or Carrieres et Emplois, a magazine specialising in job advertisements. Recruitment is not fixed to any one time of the year and it is worth looking out for recruitment fairs. Speculative applications make up to 30% of all job applications.

French employers are likely to require a handwritten covering letter plus a formal one or two page CV. The French CV is either reversed chronological (most recent activity first) or functional (activities grouped thematically). Whatever style, the CV should be brief, succinct and direct, one to two pages of single sided A4. It should include personal details, education, language skills in detail and work experience. Often a French CV includes a 'Projet Professionel'. This is a rather precise description in a few lines of what you hope to achieve, in line with your education and skills, in your career in a period of several years. Examples of French CVs can be found here. The ability to speak French to a high standard is essential as is experience in "stages" or work experience placements. Many companies will expect two or three of these and, possibly, an additional business qualification.

Key resources include: Online Recruitment Agencies in France