English Speaking Jobs In Paris France

There is no question that living and working in France, the country that is known for its delectable cuisine, its picturesque elegance, its richly vast history, and its eclectic cultures, is an adventure worth pursuing.

Before you hop on that bandwagon, however, let us look at the reality of things. And the reality here is that it is no as simple as you might expect or hope. Unless, of course, you are currently employed by an international company with a branch in France and unless they are willing to transfer you there and make all the necessary arrangements, you are on your own and going through a number of preliminary steps will save you much unnecessary grief.

To get an idea about availability and what is sought in the French job market, you might begin by looking at several websites that I listed below:
http://jobs.escapeartist.com/index.php?&country_id=33, 
http://www.multilingualvacancies.com/search_results.php?kwds=&ro_id=&jo_employmenttype=Any&freetext=&lpack=114&spack=&salary=&lapack=66&dpack=&pa=20, http://france.zeezo.com/jobs.html, http://www.anritsu.fr/jobs/jobs.php, http://www.rileyguide.com/internat.html, and http://www.toplanguagejobs.fr/langloc-2-107.html. There are numerous other websites, as well, but these seem to be most comprehensive.

Did you find anything interesting? Are you qualified for any of the posted positions? Do you have the required degrees or diplomas? I warn you, there is no leniency in the very conservative French marketplace and shortcuts will not work.

Are you discouraged yet? No? That then is a good sign—you are meant to do this.
English-language teaching in private schools, tourism and the legal industry are sectors particularly open to English-speaking candidates and if you have the affinity for that kind of work you may land yourself the job of your dreams faster than you might think. However, we need to establish whether you are entitled to legally work in France, and that you have at least a basic grasp of French. Eligibility to work in France means carrying the appropriate visa and work permit as well as the specific job qualifications as described by a particular employer.
Generally, English teachers and English teachers’ assistants may be asked to fulfill any or all but not limited to the following roles during their posting in a French school:

• Helping pupils develop confidence in speaking and understanding;
• Assisting with other educational activities at school;
• Serving as a model speaker for audio/video recordings used in teaching;
• Providing personal tutoring for pupils;
• Taking part in school exchange projects;
• Organizing conversation-based activities.

And if teaching is indeed your intent, you must get certified and to do so please review the information on the following websites: http://www.oxfordseminars.com/Pages/ESL/esl_about.htm, http://www.teflonline.net/, info@teflworldwideprague.com,  http://www.teflworldwideprague.com/Graduate-Testimonials.html,
http://www.tesol.net/teslprog.teach.html, and http://www.vialingua.org/. You will note, by the way, that many of these also have placement programs that will greatly help in getting you the teaching job of your dreams in France.

As is true in most countries, pursuing a job in France requires that you either, contact a company’s human resource department, register with head-hunting agencies, and/or look through listings such as I have already mentioned. If you are contacting a French company, a small business or a large international company, you will need a resume in the French language and the customary French format in which listing your age and marital status is required. Including a recent photograph of yourself and a handwritten (to be examined by a handwriting analyst) cover letter are expected in many of the most traditional companies in France. Be aware that some of your diplomas and degrees may not be recognized in France even though they may have been acquired from accredited institutions.

As you can see, finding an English speaking job in France is no overly easy but it is definitely doable and worth the effort. Good luck and a votre sante!

Posted in France Vacation Guide