France : Job market

What are my chances of getting a job?

You are most likely to find work with multinational or major national employers. Other opportunities include working as a teaching assistant or language teacher.

• Typical problems encountered: speaking French with a heavy foreign accent can present problems. Jobseekers from overseas will not have the same access to social networks available to French graduates through their family and friends.
• How to improve your chances: you may have to get work experience in your home country before working in France and also improve your spoken and written French.
• Language requirements: the ability to speak rudimentary French is essential in most organisations in France. It may be possible to get by with English, at least in the workplace, in some of the international companies, particularly if you have a strong technical background (e.g. computing and engineering). Learning French before you go to France is a good idea. Learndirect has a searchable database of courses in the UK. Your university may also run modules in some foreign languages, including French. Self-study and distance learning courses are available through organisations such as Eurotalk Interactive , Key Languages and the Open University (OU)  .

Where can I work?

• Major industries: aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals, industrial machinery, food and drink, tourism
• Industries in decline: industrial goods (excluding energy), manufacturing
• Shortage occupations: see For the Promotion of Economic Migration for details of shortage occupations listed by region
• Major companies: Accor, AXA, Carrefour, Crédit Agricole, EDF, GDF SUEZ, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Saint-Gobain, Sodexho, Veolia Environnement
• Search for more companies: the Franco British Chamber of Commerce and Industry , the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain , Kompass France , Pages Jaunes , Societe.com and Wikipedia - List of Companies in France can also provide information about companies operating in France as well as French companies operating in the UK.
• Major cities: Paris - the capital and largest city, Lyon, Lille, Marseille.

What’s it like working in France

• Average working hours: 35-48 hours a week.
• Holidays: up to 37 days a year.
• Average graduate starting salary: variable depending on the institution attended, degree subject and classification attained. Association pour l'Emploi des Cadres (APEC) website lists average graduate salaries by type of job (les salaires par fonction).
• Tax rates: personal income tax rates range from 14% to 30%, depending on your level of income, and can rise to 40% for those on very high incomes (France Accountants ).
• Working practices and customs: generally quite formal and professional. It is important to be punctual, well-organised and polite. As a rule, the French compartmentalise their professional and private lives, so try to avoid being over friendly at work. The French generally deliberate longer over business decisions and they do not appreciate the ‘hard-sell’ approach to business. See publications such as Live and Work in France and Living and Working in France: Chez Vous en France for more information on customs, laws and the way of life.