Pink Milk

I'am quite looking forward to moving to Nice or Geneva,from Paris,where we live now (family of 4).My hubby was offered a job in Nice and Geneva.He has yet to decide which one to pick.After 10yrs of doing nothing(being housewife) I've decided to carry on with my well known old proffesion and follow my dreams and start looking for Vet nurse job. It would be a crying shame not to have a go at it.I Have all needed qualifications and experience.So I haven't got a clue where to start, honestly? and most intriguing what's the average salary for vet nurse in South of France region?

Any support appreciated!

Louise *

mikelincs

How's your French, I would suspect you would have to be fluent to get that sort of job.

dmu

Hi, however qualified you are, you may possibly have to take an exam. in French, like nurses for humans, to ensure that you follow the French methods and can communicate with the Vets and their patients' masters.
Go along to your nearest Vet in Paris and ask how to go about it! And if you go to Geneva, find a Vet on the spot and ask!
As mentioned, your French must also be adequate in order to compete with all the probably bilingual French candidates for any job going.
Good luck!

Pink Milk

It wont be easy I can feel that. My French is, I could say far from fluent but very strong intermediate! Any hints on how much is paid approx.? Thx

dmu

No idea, sorry...

EuroTrash

There's one here advertised on a CDI at 700-800€ a month part time.
http://www2.pole-emploi.fr/espacecan...riteresListe=0

dennerlymum

I have never seen an actual vetinary nurse of the sort you see in the uk here... assistants that are very largely receptionists as in this job, but not nurses that assist in operations etc like the uk... good luck anyway

kazzo

I agree - we have never seen a veterinary nurse either on our many trips to the local vet over the past 10 years, just the vets and the receptionist. Not sure how it works in Geneva....

dmu

I've never had need to see for myself, but at least one of the receptionists at our Vet's assists the Vet for operations, so they do exist!
Going from the job offer, a full time job (35 hour week) as an "Auxiliary" would be 1750€ per month.

Garonne

Veterinary auxiliaries in France as previously stated are receptionists as well as assisting in veterinary procedures such as shaving the animal, etc and administering medication. You won't be considered unless you are totally bilingual, not even fluent. So if you say your french is intermediate level it's a non starter. Sorry if this is a bit blunt but even if you get to interview stage (which if you declare honestly your written and oral level of French I would think is highly unlikely) it will be in French asking you all things veterinary related - could you cope with that??

It's difficult enough for non fluent French speakers to deal with simple matters on the telephone so if you have a farmer ringing up with a strong local accent who's telling you about one of his cows showing symptoms of xxxxx how on earth would you deal with that?? None of the receptionists at our practice speak English although one of the vets speaks reasonable English. If she's busy or not in and an English person comes in with poor French they ring me and I speak to the English person then tell the receptionist what they want, and the phone goes back and forwards a couple of times if it's about an operation, preparation 'à jeun', length of stay, etc. I do it just to help out but also I get 20% off any treatment

Also remember that unemployment is exceptionally high in France so competition is tough. I've been using the same practice for 12 years and the two receptionists have remained throughout (one of them is a vet's wife).

Sorry, but rather than thinking it won't be easy, I don't think it's even a vague possibility.

EuroTrash

I would agree, you don't have much chance of getting a job that the locals are competing for - UNLESS you can find a practice in an expat area that is specifically looking for an English-speaking person.

Garonne

Even then EuroT, there will be plenty of qualified bilingual applicants and bearing in mind the prescriptions, factures (which have to be in French), post operative written info, forms to be completed consenting to operations, data entry on the computer, telephone calls to be dealt with in French, there's no way they'll consider anyone less than bilingual (ie educated in France and fully conversant in both languages, orally and written). I'm fluent French speaking and have vast experience of dental practice management and reception work (as well as dental nursing - but they don't exist here in general either) but in over 12 years have managed to get only a couple of short-term jobs in dental practices. So if in doubt, turn to your admin skills which is what I did in the end

Though I'm now unemployed after having been made redundant. Pink Milk, the bottom line is fluent French speakers and bilingual people are ten a penny and there are thousands of us (qualified and experienced here in France) looking for work.

Pink Milk

Thank you Dear All for helpfull info. We arrived in NICE,finaly.
So, what I might say is that perhaps I was in the wrong state of mind thinking and wanting to get out there and have my
ambition, my youth, my confidence and my knowledge back.As a middle aged female competing with all those young French birds in their early 20ies,I have clearly no or very little chance. Mr.plan "B" has always worked for me and this is no exception. Despite all white,clean and warm vet.surgeries there is always unwanted or unpopular vet.jobs in the rural areas(farms). Not many of them wants to get out of their confort zone and get faecalis dirt on their hands, blood or sperm all over their outfit. Now, looking for a new adventure.I can't wait to become part of the nature.Cheerio!

EuroTrash

Good luck to you - as they say, it's funny how it's always the ones who work hardest who get all the best luck

Keep positive and I hope your new life in Nice brings 100% nice things, if you'll excuse the pun.

victorian67

Good afternoon

I am glad that things worked out fine for you and best of luck for your new life in Nice

I believe that the job you are referring to is called "Auxilliaire Veterinaire" and you will find a link below to a site specialized in this profession and their recruitment, just in case :

http://www.emploi-asv.net/

Karim