It is very important if you want to work in France that you have a good working knowledge of the French language. Possible exceptions include language teaching and working for an international company although you will still be expected to understand the language.

There are some industries in which there are skills shortages and the growth employment industries in France at the moment include IT and work in conservation and sustainability industries. There is always a demand for language teachers and experienced construction workers. Unemployment stood at a rate of 9.6% in January 2011 which was higher than the rate in the UK at the same time. As a result, there are regular reviews of the type of work that those from countries outside the EU are permitted to apply for so that foreign nationals are only able to take on work that French nationals and residents are not able to do. Those who try to work illegally could find themselves deported from the country.

France does have an equivalent of the UK job centre. It is called the ‘Agence Nationale pour l’emploi’ (ANPE) and most towns have an office. There are boards in each office where details of local jobs are posted. If you see a job that you believe that you may be suitable for then you can get the contact details from the receptionist. The ANPE offers free photocopying services for your CV and you can make telephone calls from their office to make enquiries about the vacancy. Those who want to apply for management positions can do so at a different branch of the ANPE organisation, known as ‘ANPE cadre’. These can be found in larger towns and cities. ANPE in Paris has different sections for different types of jobs.

Temporary work is a popular way of gaining experience in France in order to find full-time work and each town and city has a number of recruitment agencies which place office workers and industrial workers on short-term contracts. Adecco is one of the largest recruitment agencies in France although there are many others. Newspaper and magazine advertisements are another popular way of finding work in the country and if you are in the Paris region there is an English language magazine which is published fortnightly called ‘FUSAC’ which advertises job vacancies.

Making contacts in the industry you are interested in working in can be fairly easy as there are numerous organisations in France for English speakers that you can join, such as the Rotary Club. There is also the Franco British Chamber of Commerce, which publishes a magazine monthly where you are able to place an advert for ‘situations wanted’. There are other ‘chambre de commerce’ organisations in and around Paris which link specifically to other countries as well as Britain and it may be worth making contact with these groups. There is no harm in simply sending your CV to companies that you are interested in working for, as these are often kept on file and you may find that you are invited for an interview at a later date.

There are some companies in France that are happy to accept a CV written in English, but if you have the language skills then you should write it in French. Covering letters should always be written in French and these should be handwritten, rather than word processed. Both the cover letter and the CV should be kept to a single page. CV layout can be as for those you would use in the UK, with your personal details and contact information at the top, but you should always write your surname first, for example, ‘SMITH, John’.

As with CVs in the UK, in each section you should put the most recent information first although on a French CV, education is listed before your work experience. You should have a special skills section next which gives details of languages, computer skills and other skills not covered in previous sections. If you have references you can mention this at the end and you should always send your CV with a passport photo.

Interviews in France are formal affairs so you should always dress very smartly. Always address the interviewer as ‘Monsieur..’ or ‘Madame..’ unless directed to do otherwise. It is always a good idea to do a little research about the company before you go to the interview as it will be frowned upon if you do not appear keen on the job. It does not hurt to name drop so if you are on first name terms with another member of staff (management in particular) then you should casually mention it. It is common for interviewers to ask personal questions about your family life and future plans. This is because they want to know if you are going to cost them money for parental leave in the future.