Best Advice to Find a Job in Paris

Best Advice to Find a Job in Paris

Finding a job in Paris can be intimidating, but it’s not impossible, especially if you have some insider tips. Here’s my best advice to find a job in Paris. 

1. Verify your visa status 

If you’re an E.U. passport holder, you can go ahead and skip to the next section.

The first piece of advice for getting a job in Paris is to verify your visa status. If you’re not an E.U. citizen, you’ll need to verify your visa status and your right to work before applying for jobs in Paris. And be careful here, every situation is slightly different. If you’re on a student visa for example, you’re allowed to work part-time at 60% of the legal maximum hours per week. So this turns out to be up to around 20 hours per week or a total of 964 hours per year. 

2. Craft your cover letter

A cover letter or lettre de motivation  is a key part of getting a job in Paris, and France in general. Basically, this letter outlines your reasons for wanting to work there, your past experiences and how they align with the position, and ultimately to tell the employer a little more about yourself. This is where you can list the experiences that didn’t fit on your CV and also let more of your personality shine through.

3. Get the most out of LinkedIn

Actually, some of the best advice for finding a job in Paris is to utilize LinkedIn. This professional social media network is absolutely essential for your job search. If you’re not on LinkedIn, you should create a profile and upload your CV before continuing your job search. 

With LinkedIn, you can reach out to hiring managers, apply to jobs, research interviewers in advance, and just generally network in a professional manner. This is a great tool to grow your professional community in Paris and definitely can help you find a job here. The best part? It’s completely free to use. 

4. Make sure your CV is flawless

If you’re applying for a few different positions at a time, it’s a good idea to have a CV tailored to each one. This is especially true if you’re replying to job ads in multiple languages. You should always have someone proofread your CV, and if French isn’t your native language, it’s best to have a native speaker look over it for you to catch any potential errors and make your CV look extra polished. 

5. Check out in-person job boards

Applying online isn’t the only way to land a job in Paris, in fact lots of student jobs are advertised on in-person job boards. Often times these are waitressing or childcare jobs, but not only. Many universities have job boards as do some churches across the city. The Swedish and American churches also have job boards outside where they also post housing offers. 

6. Practice interviews

No matter what kind of job you’re applying for in Paris, practicing for your interviews will help give you an edge up. It can never hurt to be extra prepared so be sure to research the company, position, and even the person interviewing you beforehand, and take notes. If you can, look up typical interview questions for your position or area of work and practice with a friend before your interview. This will boost your confidence and our chances of being hired. 

7. Look into jobs specifically for English speakers

If you’re an English speaker looking for a job in Paris, you’re in luck. There are actually plenty of opportunities for English speakers in Paris, in just about any industry. Try to narrow your search to job ads in English or to websites specifically for English speakers. You can also easily filter results to show ads in English on sites like Indeed, Glassdoor, Linkedin, and more. 

8. Utilize social media

This might be the best insider advice for finding a job in Paris, and chances are, you’re already using it. Social media is a great way to network, and showcase your own work as well. But lots of your favorite companies, brands, and even influencers advertise open positions on their social media accounts (notably Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok). Just make sure your account is work appropriate and start your job search!

9. Practice your French

While speaking French certainly isn’t essential for getting a job in Paris, it most definitely helps. Chances are that you will have to at some point, speak at least some French with colleagues, interviewers, or clients. So if your level of French is intermediate or below, it’s time to work on this. Not only will speaking at least C1 level French greatly expand your potential to be hired, it will help you assimilate to life in Paris. You can take lessons online, teach yourself, find French conversation exchange groups or enroll in a French course to boost your level. 

10. Just keep applying

So you’re trying to get a job in Paris, it’s been awhile. Maybe you’ve sent dozens of CVs, maybe you’ve sent hundreds and still haven’t landed that job. Don’t despair, the hiring process here can be quite long, so companies often start recruiting potential candidates months in advance. Just keep applying, keep your head up, and you will find a job in Paris!

Best of luck for your job hunt, and see you soon in Paris!