would love to live in France, any advice?

lovetea

Hey there, recent graduate (well hopefully when i get my results!) and have been trying really hard to look for a job, but no luck.

I was thinking of moving to France, hopefully Burgundy (i read somewhere that the people are apparently very friendly) i have waitressing experience so maybe i could do some waitressing over there hopefully.

Does anyone know the work situation over in France in terms of whether it is easier to get a job? Anyone living in France could give advice in terms of living in France and the people? Any advice at all would be brilliant,

thank you

The Cool

I lived in France for 3 months last summer, in Montpellier. And although I was in the south of France during peak holiday season, have very good French and lots of waitressing/catering experience, I was not able to get anything at all. There are 50 hotels in that city, and I tried every one of them, to no avail.
My advice to you would be to not make it a permanent thing straight away, test the waters with employment etc. Also, bureaucracy is a French word for a reason, you are warned!
Best of luck though, I absolutely loved living in France.

LilOc

The Cool : Montpellier is a massive student town, actually the city with the biggest proportion of students in its inhabitantns. The competition for such jobs which anyway, are partly only open to people qualified in hospitality studies = massive (even waiters! French particularity...Hence the repuation of being snooty...They studied hard to get there in several upscale venues...).

But yep try to apply for a seasonal job/internship in advance and come with this sorted, then you can look for jobs on top of this and find something more long-term. Moreover, look for Irish solidarity...That's what my Irish friends did here to find a job. Even extend to 'Anglo' solidarity with any Aussie, Kiwi, British, US citizen having started a business, knowing someone who knows someone etc...

Best of luck but the job market is not the greatest here.

Also why Burgundy when you could go for the sun?...

azzie

If you're a totally fluent French speaker you might get some short term work at minimum wage in a tourist area, but there are lots of French people unemployed and unless you've got particular skills French employers would rather employ French people.
Sorry to sound so negative, but better to be prepared!
You could look at one of the French forums (such as Total France) to find out more about living in France.

LilOc

azzie wrote: »

If you're a totally fluent French speaker you might get some short term work at minimum wage in a tourist area, but there are lots of French people unemployed and unless you've got particular skills French employers would rather employ French people.
Sorry to sound so negative, but better to be prepared!
You could look at one of the French forums (such as Total France) to find out more about living in France.

Let's not exagerate.

My OH is a full English-speaker and managed to find a job here in 1 month, in his field though less paid than in London where he was before (but with better hours and paid holidays...). Now this was in Paris...Paris is different. The unemployment here is far less than in the rest of France.

Thing is it is still an asset to be a native English-speaker, and depending on your qualifications/degree etc...you could find work quite easily, especially if you're helped by French people on site since they can look for all those many websites/newspapers etc in French for you and then introduce you etc...saying : French intermediate (when it really is 'beginner'...lol) and if you're experienced or motivated etc...that gets your foot in the door, you manage to get opportunities for one-to-one interviews/trial (plus interpretor if needed) with the company and then they may rise above the language thing...(because you're qualified for what they want, they're in a hurry to get staff or whatever and it's not like you're language is German, Portuguese or something : most people here in this day and age know at least basic English...especially in big cities again...) and you can make your place, while intensively learning French on the side (free courses organised by local government and mayors office generally...or associations).

So don't desperate but choosing Burgundy maybe won't help (unless your qualifications are in oenology/wine marketing or something?....).

Moreover, you should try to look out for associations, France has a very big associative culture and you could find help there for almost anything, or even help yourself. And never stay on your own (if you don't know anybody) :
- Polyglot Clubs and Meetings
- Expats Group
- Local Couch Surfing Communities : couchsurfing.org
- Peuplade : to recreate social links between neighbours in big cities : peuplade.fr

And many other things will help you out!

azzie

OK but the OP is wanting waitressing work in rural France - not a highly skilled job in a major city!
I still think that for what she wants she'll be lucky to get even temporary work.

cognac123

So you are planning move to France...My advice to you is stay at home here in Ireland.France like almost every country in the world is in the middle of a deep recession with an unemployment rate at present at 10% of the workforce in France.

cognac123

Like I said previously unemployment is high in France at 10% at present and foreigners even with good French have little chance of finding employment and even French people themselves have difficulty in finding regular employment at the moment.

cognac123

You need two basic but vital elements on moving to France.First you need plenty of money a minimum of 5000 euro at least and secondly you need to possess a reasonably good knowledge of the French language.

zuroph

If ya want a job over there, start looking up Irish bars and applying online, you might have some chance then. When I went looking in Paris, the only places that would talk to me were the Irish and Aussie bars.

cognac123

If you are serious about learning the French language.Then I suggest that you should buy a self-study French course like Hugo or BBC with CD's and textbook from Eason or Waterstones.

If you are living in a major city like Dublin or Cork.Then enrol for a French
classes with the Alliance Francaise.The AF are partly owned by the French
govt and I have heard that the teachers at the AF are pretty good.

If you are unable to attend to French classes.Then sign up for French online
lessons with an online tutor.Online French lessons are pretty inexpensive and
you can take your French online lesson at any time and day at your choosing
from the comfort of your own home.

cognac123

This will be my final message and my advice to you is... do not go to France...Not in the middle of a severe deep recession.You would be far better off to stay at home here in Ireland.

Stay in Ireland...

lovetea

Thanks all for your input, turns out i'll not be heading to France! I got a job in Ireland Thanks a million everyone your advice was all very helpful.

LilOc

Cognac. Out of your 10 posts, 4 are on this thread urging the OP not to move to France painting a gloomy image of the country...What is your hidden agenda?...

OP, for waitressing work, several layers to the problem compelling people to be either super connected, super lucky or super-prepared before their move when they want waitressing work in France in places other than Paris-Lyon-Marseille...

1) France is one of the most visited countries in the world, and in this era of people travelling around a lot and funding their trips doing bar/cafe/restaurant etc...entry-level type of work, the competition is severe between all the Frenchies and Francophone people looking for those type of jobs + all the backpackers/travellers/expats!...

2) France has a tradition of "diploma for everything", even to be a certain type of waiter/waitress...linked with the big hostellery/hospitality tradition, + some "someliers"/wine specialists, even downgrade to being part-waiters to keep their job...You against someone over-qualified for the same pay => you lose.

3) Big charges/taxes on employment in the sector means even with the 5% tax now, bar/cafe/restaurant-owners will be thinking a lot before taking on more staff and then the competition for each position is tough...

4) Unless it's in an "expat HQ" like Irish/English/Scottish/Aussie etc...pub/bar/restaurant, French is mandatory. And those type of venues are most likely to be found in at least decent-sized cities.

So unless you have a friend/acquaintance in France, even better, working in a bar/restaurant/cafe him/herself...Tough one. Or you join one of the Irish expat communities through a sports club for example and have them help you out then but this is something existing only in big cities...If you want to find bar work in Paris i can try to help you out. All the people involved in the Paris Gaels / Irish Cultural Centre etc...British Expat Groups or whatever looking for such jobs manage to find quite quickly. I know more than a dozen people since my bf's involvement with them (2 months ago...) who did. Again, Paris is something else...

It's not impossible to find work in other places, but if you want stable work and not only to be an extra here and there, tough one.

If it's only a "funded trip" experience you want and you don't care about the bread earner, here are some suggestions :

- start by the "vendanges" (grape harvesting) in the south for example : you'll be in a group (with a few expats and a few Frenchies usually, offered home, food and WINE (;-) ) and sometimes even a small pay),and in marvellous areas most of the time...

- then you could be an au pair in a middle-sized city (i'm very much a city girl since i'm obsessed by festivals, cultural events, fashion etc...among other things but you seem to want something else) that means if you are lucky enough you would have accommodation and even a small pay sorted, a good opportunity to really immerse in the culture and language and hopefully locals helping you out to find another job on the side, experience, visit as much as you can (fingers crossed for good people hosting you) etc?

Other options include looking out for graduate programs in France from Ireland? A 4 month internship or something then see if you can do something else after (looking when on site is always easier...)?

Maybe working in a shop is a better option? Look for job postings when they expressively look for (native) English-speakers as well, they are actually many of them! Even in villages if they're touristic ones!

Here are a few advises, but for a fantastic experience in France sadly, the "carefree attitude", "let's just land there and see how it goes" may not work for everybody, whether French, French-speakers or foreigners. It has to be planned or you have to be helped but then i know many people who loved it!

danbohan

cognac123 wrote: »

This will be my final message and my advice to you is... do not go to France...Not in the middle of a severe deep recession.You would be far better off to stay at home here in Ireland.

Stay in Ireland...

all of your posts keep telling people to stay in ireland , aparently 120000 have already ignored you and left another 200k will go by 2015 . where is the benifit of a young person with no ties commitments here staying here to be demoralised by been unemployed , even they are only to cover their costs when abroad they will still be better off than been in the rut of unemployment , i wonder what your agenda is .

cognac123

danbohan wrote: »

all of your posts keep telling people to stay in ireland , aparently 120000 have already ignored you and left another 200k will go by 2015 . where is the benifit of a young person with no ties commitments here staying here to be demoralised by been unemployed , even they are only to cover their costs when abroad they will still be better off than been in the rut of unemployment , i wonder what your agenda is .

There is no hidden agenda just some realistic advice...

In the previous recession in Ireland in the 1980's there was the safety valve of emigation.One could emigrate to England or
the USA or to a lesser extent mainland Europe.However the current economic downturn is very different compared to the 1980's.

Today there is not the safety valve of emigration as was previously.England,the USA and mainland Europe are all in a deep severe recession.The pickings abroad are not what there were in the 1980's.At least in the 1980's there was a choice of booming economies abroad.That situation does not exist in the current ecomomic downturn.

I have the feeling that most unemployed here in Ireland this time will just have to tough it out here until the economic
recovery returns to Ireland.So pardon me.I am not being negative.I am just pointing out the economic reality of today.
I am just being realistic.

cognac123

LilOc wrote: »

Cognac. Out of your 10 posts, 4 are on this thread urging the OP not to move to France painting a gloomy image of the country...What is your hidden agenda?...

OP, for waitressing work, several layers to the problem compelling people to be either super connected, super lucky or super-prepared before their move when they want waitressing work in France in places other than Paris-Lyon-Marseille...

1) France is one of the most visited countries in the world, and in this era of people travelling around a lot and funding their trips doing bar/cafe/restaurant etc...entry-level type of work, the competition is severe between all the Frenchies and Francophone people looking for those type of jobs + all the backpackers/travellers/expats!...

2) France has a tradition of "diploma for everything", even to be a certain type of waiter/waitress...linked with the big hostellery/hospitality tradition, + some "someliers"/wine specialists, even downgrade to being part-waiters to keep their job...You against someone over-qualified for the same pay => you lose.

3) Big charges/taxes on employment in the sector means even with the 5% tax now, bar/cafe/restaurant-owners will be thinking a lot before taking on more staff and then the competition for each position is tough...

4) Unless it's in an "expat HQ" like Irish/English/Scottish/Aussie etc...pub/bar/restaurant, French is mandatory. And those type of venues are most likely to be found in at least decent-sized cities.

So unless you have a friend/acquaintance in France, even better, working in a bar/restaurant/cafe him/herself...Tough one. Or you join one of the Irish expat communities through a sports club for example and have them help you out then but this is something existing only in big cities...If you want to find bar work in Paris i can try to help you out. All the people involved in the Paris Gaels / Irish Cultural Centre etc...British Expat Groups or whatever looking for such jobs manage to find quite quickly. I know more than a dozen people since my bf's involvement with them (2 months ago...) who did. Again, Paris is something else...

It's not impossible to find work in other places, but if you want stable work and not only to be an extra here and there, tough one.

If it's only a "funded trip" experience you want and you don't care about the bread earner, here are some suggestions :

- start by the "vendanges" (grape harvesting) in the south for example : you'll be in a group (with a few expats and a few Frenchies usually, offered home, food and WINE (;-) ) and sometimes even a small pay),and in marvellous areas most of the time...

- then you could be an au pair in a middle-sized city (i'm very much a city girl since i'm obsessed by festivals, cultural events, fashion etc...among other things but you seem to want something else) that means if you are lucky enough you would have accommodation and even a small pay sorted, a good opportunity to really immerse in the culture and language and hopefully locals helping you out to find another job on the side, experience, visit as much as you can (fingers crossed for good people hosting you) etc?

Other options include looking out for graduate programs in France from Ireland? A 4 month internship or something then see if you can do something else after (looking when on site is always easier...)?

Maybe working in a shop is a better option? Look for job postings when they expressively look for (native) English-speakers as well, they are actually many of them! Even in villages if they're touristic ones!

Here are a few advises, but for a fantastic experience in France sadly, the "carefree attitude", "let's just land there and see how it goes" may not work for everybody, whether French, French-speakers or foreigners. It has to be planned or you have to be helped but then i know many people who loved it!

There is no hidden agenda at all.Believe me I like France very much and I like the French language too.
I am just pointing out the reality of the economic situation of the country at the moment.

cognac123

lovetea wrote: »

Thanks all for your input, turns out i'll not be heading to France! I got a job in Ireland Thanks a million everyone your advice was all very helpful.

You have done the right thing by staying here in Ireland.

Good luck in your new job...

All the best for the future...

Cognac123...

danbohan

cognac123 wrote: »

There is no hidden agenda just some realistic advice...

In the previous recession in Ireland in the 1980's there was the safety valve of emigation.One could emigrate to England or
the USA or to a lesser extent mainland Europe.However the current economic downturn is very different compared to the 1980's.

Today there is not the safety valve of emigration as was previously.England,the USA and mainland Europe are all in a deep severe recession.The pickings abroad are not what there were in the 1980's.At least in the 1980's there was a choice of booming economies abroad.That situation does not exist in the current ecomomic downturn.

I have the feeling that most unemployed here in Ireland this time will just have to tough it out here until the economic
recovery returns to Ireland.So pardon me.I am not being negative.I am just pointing out the economic reality of today.
I am just being realistic.[/QUOT

your right about oportunitys in 80s been more availble however australia and canada were not on many peoples travel plans then , thing is is i am not sure ireland inc can afford them to stay around , how much of an economic recovery we will have here in 5 -10 years in the real terms is debatable certainly not enough to employ 150k builders that have lost their jobs

keithclancy

cognac123 wrote: »

There is no hidden agenda just some realistic advice...

In the previous recession in Ireland in the 1980's there was the safety valve of emigation.One could emigrate to England or
the USA or to a lesser extent mainland Europe.However the current economic downturn is very different compared to the 1980's.

Today there is not the safety valve of emigration as was previously.England,the USA and mainland Europe are all in a deep severe recession.The pickings abroad are not what there were in the 1980's.At least in the 1980's there was a choice of booming economies abroad.That situation does not exist in the current ecomomic downturn.

I have the feeling that most unemployed here in Ireland this time will just have to tough it out here until the economic
recovery returns to Ireland.So pardon me.I am not being negative.I am just pointing out the economic reality of today.
I am just being realistic.

I live in the Netherlands, just on the Border between Belgium and Germany and I'm from Cork.

You couldn't be more wrong, every time I got back to Ireland I see things getting worse, Employment, Infrastructure, Health care, Unemployment etc etc.

The reason for this was the economy was one big bubble, now the bubble is burst everything is going tits up, during the good year everyone was just buying sh*t they didn't need, houses and cars every two years.

No investment in public transport and TBH with the Irish mentality 'using the car' is a must.

Seriously, some of the former eastern block countries have a better setup than Ireland.

Living here 3 years now and wouldn't live in Ireland in the state its in at the moment, best of both worlds really, 1hr and a half and i'm back in Dublin.

nitrogen

keithclancy wrote: »

I live in the Netherlands, just on the Border between Belgium and Germany and I'm from Cork.

What industry are you in, and what is the market like?

Ponster

cognac123 wrote: »

So you are planning move to France...My advice to you is stay at home here in Ireland.France like almost every country in the world is in the middle of a deep recession with an unemployment rate at present at 10% of the workforce in France.

Just to say that France was probably the country the least hit by the recession and if you define the word by the 'official' definition, the country hasn't been in recession for almost a year now.

It's true that employment is 10% but from 2000-2008 it never dropped below 8%. Things aren't too bad here, it's just that everything is slower then it used to be a few years back.

CamperMan

cognac123 wrote: »

This will be my final message and my advice to you is... do not go to France...Not in the middle of a severe deep recession.You would be far better off to stay at home here in Ireland.

Stay in Ireland...

nope. not for me this time.. there is feck all to do in ireland, the weather is ****e, no money, no jobs, no culture, nowhere to go, nothing to see. time for me to make plans and head for France

seachto7

CamperMan wrote: »

nope. not for me this time.. there is feck all to do in ireland, the weather is ****e, no money, no jobs, no culture, nowhere to go, nothing to see. time for me to make plans and head for France

Ok, I'll agree with the no jobs bit, but "no culture, nowhere to go, nothing to see...".

What do you want? There's plenty of things to do in Ireland, and plenty of places to see. No culture? Are you for real lad?

Fysh

seachto7 wrote: »

Ok, I'll agree with the no jobs bit, but "no culture, nowhere to go, nothing to see...".

What do you want? There's plenty of things to do in Ireland, and plenty of places to see. No culture? Are you for real lad?

Whatever your opinion may be on this topic, it's absolutely irrelevant to the topic being discussed in the thread. Please stick to the subject of moving to France and any advice about how to handle such a move.

seachto7

Having lived in Italy and France, I would consider France a good option.
However, I lived in Burgundy for 9 months, and the countryside was EXACTLY the same as most of Ireland, so was the weather, only at the time, we got a about 3 weeks of good weather in the summer. Other than that, it was the same as Ireland, so bear in mind, it's not all going to be sun sun sun, and scantily clad liberal French women (or men).

If it were me, I'd move somewhere within proximity of the sea, Nantes, when I was there was a nice city, not too big, but with lots going on. Defo try and pick up some of the language as soon as possible. If France was anything like Italy, the bureaucracy could be a pain in the *ss.

Also, what are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your spare time. If it's something that involves the outdoors, try and fit this into choosing your location.

At the end of the day, all well and good moving to France, but it would have to stack up for everything in order to justify the move permanently.