Working in France - my options!!!

[guapeton]

Hi to anyone who can offer me their valuable advice

My girlfriend is currently searching for a job in France, and at the moment has a big possibility of a position in Paris (yipee).

As much as i'd love to become a future house-husband, i understand that this wouldn't be the fairest and realise that i should at least attempt to pull my own weight. so my question is what would be the possibility of me finding work in Paris. My current profession is a signalling designer however i know that i have no chance of transfering my career abroad, as the field is quite specified, and have no problems with looking more into the career waiter or bar worker or kitchen worker or hotel worker etc. does anyone have any experience of this and know the type of wages i could expect, that is if i could actually do this in the first place.

The other possibility for me is that I am currently doing a correspondence type course in web-design, and so i could look at freelance, however i am informed that the french tax system stings freelancers big time (dunno how true this is). does anyone have any experience of working freelance?

Thanks

Guapeton

[Battypuss]

You won't have a problem getting waiting work. Trouble is, hours are waaaaaaaaay over the legal maximum and the pay is crap.

[Montcigoux]

Hi out of interest what exactly does a signalling designer do? Is this something to do with railways or electronics?  I wouldn't necesarilly assume that these skills wouldn't be transferable to a similar field in France especially if you are aiming to live in Paris and not in the sticks. You may find that if you know of UK commercial companies in your field they may have french equivalents. Your work contacts and the internet would be a good place to start.

As other posts have said especially if you are young, try and avoid "immigrant" type work for long hours and low pay. As temporary work to help you get fluent in French, hotel and catering work might be OK for up to 6 months while your are looking for a job. It could cause all sorts of strain on your relationship in the longer term and problems like low status and poverty not always attractive to the opposite sex! Try to think of a move to Paris as a move to another city in the UK. Would you take low paid hotel and catering work in the UK instead of the job you have now? If not why not? Those reasons will be the same when you live in France.

Bon Courage