brucebanner

Hi All,

- What's the job market like for C++ Software Engineers in Financial Services? I've worked in London all my life.
- How many years of experience do employers in Paris generally require?
- What districts of Paris are similar to Shepherd's Bush or Ealing (both in West London), or Kilburn (in North-West London)?
- How do I go about applying for a job in Paris? Are there any job fairs hosted in London that one can attend?

I am basically looking for a change from London. Paris is very close but very different at the same time. Madrid/Barcelona I might also consider.

Any more tips welcome.

Ka Ora!

Welcome to the forum, should you get any issues give me a shout.

brucebanner

How much can I purchase a two-bedroom flat or house for in Paris in good area? How about a three-bedroom? I wouldn't mind if it's in the outskirts of Paris but as long as I can use the tube, then all is good.

cyrian

Have you considered Dubai or Australia?
Do you speak french?
If you don't then you will probably be wasting your time.
There are plenty of french programmers who speak french and are looking for work.
At least in Dubai or Australia you would be able to speak in english - which would be a lot less likely in France or Spain.
I suggest that you decide on your final destination first and then focus in on where to stay.

Good luck

Tweedpipe

At 1 Feb 2012 the indicated average price of property in Paris (75) was
7885 € / m2. This ranged from:-
- Paris 20 arrondissement at 6656 / m2 to:-
- Paris 1 arrondissement at 10386 / m2.

dmu

Hi, I agree with Cyrian, there must be fierce competition on that particular job market, and as a general rule, French employers give priority to English-speaking French candidates. You could look on the "Pôle-Emploi" website to have an idea of what jobs are on offer.
Do you speak French (or Spanish)?
As suggested, if you don't speak any European languages, and wish to leave London, you might do better to consider an English-speaking country...

brucebanner

So all the Banks and Hedge Funds in the financial district of Paris require one to speak in French?

dmu

Hi, I didn't say that.
I said that there are plenty of English-speaking French candidates for any jobs going and as a general rule, all other qualifications and experience being equal, such candidates would have priority over Anglophone candidates who don't speak French.
Do you speak French?

cyrian

You have previously posted that you wanted information about moving to Dubai and also Australia. This probably means that it is not working for you in London. Why would you think that it would work for you in Paris in a foreign culture and language? You have a different culture to work with. Different taxation. Different health system. I take it that you don't speak french and that you think that the french will accommodate that. Simple answer - they won't - because they don't need to. There are plenty of highly qualified french who are looking for work who can do the job that you do and can speak french.
Good luck with your quest.

steveread999

Bruce,

To live in France, you'll need to have enough French to go shopping, deal with estate agents, interact with government departments (a non-trivial consideration, especially Assurance Maladie), and so on. Assurance Maladie is a particular problem, mostly because it is officiously and obnoxiously bureaucratic, and French colleagues have said that it is far and away the worst of the French bureaucratic departments. Watch The Twelve Labours of Asterix, in particular the segment "The place that drives you mad" for a gentle introduction on what you might feel like if things go wrong. The tax people, on the other hand, are polite and efficient, and much improved compared to how they were in previous generations.

To work in the software industry in general, and finance in particular, less so, depending on which company you work for. If your French is rusty, consider taking some classes with l'Alliance Française (in Dorset Square, just near Baker Street tube) to wake it up again. In my job-hunting experience in France, your specific experience and job skills are at least as important as your language skills - I got my current software job in a resolutely French-speaking office because of my skills and experience, and not because I speak French like a native (I do not). It helps that the quarterly company meetings are held in English - the wide international distribution of sales offices means that French is not a company-wide common language.

Also consider setting up an account with a French bank before you move - I use Credit Agricole Normandie's Britline service www.britline.com because they offer a knowledgeable English-speaking phone service, including all the financial services you'll need: current and savings accounts, insurance, mortgages, "caution bancaire" for rent deposits, etc. It gets me some funny reactions sometimes, because French people sometimes assume that I lived in Normandy at some point, but they also accept the explanation about the English-speaking service, so no problem overall.

Get your CV (in French! Alliance Française can offer advice) into the Paris-based agencies - remember to include a photo because French CV practice usually includes a picture.

The reference above to "caution bancaire" is important if you are planning to rent for any amount of time. Because you represent an unknown quantity starting a new job, a letting agency (and private landlords, probably) will require you to set up a "caution bancaire". You deposit money, in my case a year's rent-and-charges, in a special (interest bearing) account - Britline's version is a "Varius" - and the letting agent then tags the account with a link to your rental. The account is at your bank, and you can usually clear the link and recover the money after a few months, once you have established in their minds that you are a reliable rent-payer. This is distinct from the normal deposit you pay against damages etc.

Anyway, good luck!

brucebanner

I don't want to get into an argument ... but

So what if I posted a similar post in the other forums?

"This probably means that it is not working for you in London. " how can you make that assumption. I clearly said at the beginning "I am basically looking for a change from London.".

Thanks for the help.