Avenues to finding work

[Rob G]

We moved to Normandy from the UK nearly eight months ago. I am a fluent French speaker with a successful career in the UK, so was hoping to have found suitable work here by now. I haven't. (My French is very good - I am often mistaken for a native French speaker - I say this not to blow my own trumpet but to show that I don't think it's a language issue that's stopping me finding work.)

Don't get me wrong, we didn't come here with unrealistic expectations of how easy it would be. What I'm finding difficult is not so much the fact that I haven't yet found a job, it's not knowing really what else to do to try to unearth one.

I scour the major job sites on the Internet, several of which send me automated e-mails each day with any potential job vacancies. I have sent on spec applications to all the "cabinets de recrutement" in the area, and to some in Paris who may have a national reach. I have registered with every "agence d'intérim" I can find in the area, personally visiting them on a regular basis. And I've not been fussy - I've told them I'll take pretty much anything in the short term. (The recurring problem I come across is that they consider me over-qualified.) I'm registered with, and make regular visits to, the ANPE. And yes, I have sent off umpteen applications over the last eight months and longer (I began my search before we moved here).

Things work very differently here from the UK. When I was in the market for a job in the UK, I registered with a couple of recruitment firms, had interviews etc. with them, then they went to work trying to find suitable prospective employers from within their network of contacts. Recruitment firms just don't seem to work that way here - they seem to work much more for the employers, seeking out that one ideal candidate for a specific role, rather than for the candidate who wants to get exposure to as many potential employers as possible.

All of which leads to my question: is there anything obvious I'm not doing? Is there some key area I'm neglecting here? Any constructive advice on other approaches I should be taking would be gratefully received.

Thanks,

Rob

[Nick Trollope]

Obvious point; what do you do? And have you considered doing it for yourself?

A quick analysis of my (French) friends suggest that (Government employees apart, the bulk) they are either a) retired, b) self-employed. I know one chap who has a job, but I gather that he works for an American company, on contract!

That aside, I don't know what else you can do, apart from registering as an Artisan, then going to agencies who deal specifically in that field. This has worked for several Brits I know.

 

[Afy]

What line of work are you in?

France is notoriously difficult as a work environment.

[Pangur]

It sounds like you're putting all your eggs in the recruitment basket.  Have you tried approaching companies you are interested in working for directly? .  Personally, I found recruitment companies, even in the UK, a waste of time.  Unless you fit their profile to a t, they're not going to put any extra legwork. The French companies are probably not going to be familiar with your qualifications or work experience and you're probably being shoved in the too much effort basket. This is not necessarily a French thing - I found UK companies were clueless about any qualifications from outside the country.  The commission is the only thing they are interested in and I would think you are much better off concentrating on getting your CV in front of the company's HR officer or even better, your prospective line manager.

Plus, many companies don't want to waste money on recruitment companies and prefer recruiting directly.  Depending on your industry, online jobsites can be a total waste of time.  There are thousands of CVs on most of them and the same companies use them over and over again. 

Use any personal contacts you have and if you don't have any, start networking and spread the word by mouth!  Nepotism and pull are standard recruitment measures in Europe.  I got my job from getting my cv on the right desk at the right time - few large companies I've ever worked with have used recruitment agencies and it was always a sign of desparation if you had to use this method. 

Lots of luck

[Rob G]

Thanks, all, for your responses so far.

You asked about my line of work. I worked in the UK banking sector for 11 years, of which four were spent in the branch network, and seven in a variety of senior marketing roles at head office. I've banged my head against a brick wall applying for branch banking jobs here - there seem to be quite a lot of them advertised, but they don't want me - as far as I can ascertain this is due to a number of factors: my branch experience is not recent enough, all my knowledge and qualifications are based on the UK market, and at 35 I'm too old (they want "jeunes diplômés" fresh out of university). As for marketing roles, which would be my preference, there's a shortage of them in Haute-Normandie (it's mainly an area for heavy industry and agriculture); those that do come up are often in the retail sector and require specific experience that I don't have.

I've already registered as a freelance translator and picked up one or two scraps of work, but nothing substantial. I've started drafting a business plan for a web design and development business which I think could be viable, but this would, I think, have to be a medium-term rather than a short-term project.

Pagur, you're not the first person to tell me that networking is of the essence in france. I've been giving my CV and stating my case to all and sundry. Unfortunately, I don't know many young professionals who move in the kind fo world that might be interested in someone like me. As for contacting prospective employers directly, the key problem is finding which ones to contact: the majority of employers of any size in the area are industrial, and are unlikely to require the services of a marketeer.

I don't want to sound defeatist, but seem to be running out of options....

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

[quote user="Rob G"]
 the majority of employers of any size in the area are industrial, and are unlikely to require the services of a marketeer.

[/quote]

I spent 6 years in the marketing department of a GEC (remember them?) subsidiary. The company is now part of British Aerospace. Also worked in what is now part of Glaxo Smithkline. They have a big marketing arm as well.

If you're looking at Web authoring there are two basic markets for that -- the cheap & cheerful £100 a site stuff and the fully interactive, database driven e-commerce type. The cheap end requires that you can churn out halfway decent sites fast and get enough customers to maintain volume -- not a market I'd like to be in. The high end requires the right type of customer close enough to meet with and a much higher level of IT and design knowledge. I'd be wary of a one-man operation being able to provide all the skills.

[KathyC]

I know that this won't be what you want to hear, but what about applying nationally and then moving? If your type of skills are not needed in the area you live and you're not able to work for yourself then you may have little choice. I help people into employment on the Isle of Wight and know many people who move here because it's lovely and then find out that there's little work. They are then faced with the above choices or the possibility of a long commute. Would commuting to Paris be viable from where you are? Personally I've always found it better to get a job and then move near it, rather than doing things the other way round, but we all do daft things sometimes.

If I've misunderstood your position then I apologise. I'm sure that you can market yourself better than any agency but you can't find employment opportunities where none exist .

Best wishes.

[Rob Roy]

I have also always understood that it is who you know, not what you know, in France when it comes to job hunting, and I must say this has been proved to be correct for both my husband and myself in the past. Even our immobilier told my husband about a suitable job once, that he subsequently got through the introduction.

It may sound rather obvious but have you had a chat about this at all with your local bank manager?

[opas]

As  you are registered with ANPE , havn`t they contacted you as far as helping you with your return to work, calling you in for an interview to see how they can help?  They are there to help .

[Deby]

I sympathise and am not at all surprised.  Why not try approaching things from the other angle.  I would look at multi-nationals based in the UK (possibly US) who require a person to re-locate to France - but you are already there, on the ground so to speak. This is your asset.  Try the web, but you really need to registered with the UK agencies who can represent you and use their line of contacts.  The french agencies are not much good as you to them are complicated as you do not fit into the pre-definded boxes, so therefore hardwork and they will not just want to make the effort for you, plus they are reactive not pro-active.  Also contact people directly - especially multi-nationals as they do look at your CV and especially in marketing see this as initiative. Banking/Marketing is niche but with a language you are attractive, however you will need to understand french systems, you need to talk alot about this on your CV.

Good luck.

Deby

[Rob G]

Thanks again for all the comments.

To address a few specific points which have been raised:

- Finding work and then moving to where it is, is not really an option, for reasons I won't go into here.

- ANPE: yes, I have monthly interviews with them but these aren't a great deal of help.

- Contacting UK recruitment agencies could be a good idea - thanks.

- Haven't been to see my local bank manager, although I have contacted all the banks direct, both with "candidatures spontanées" and to apply for specific advertsied jobs.

Must keep smiling!

Rob