FINDING A STAGE IN PARIS

As part of our course we are required to fulfill a 6 month work placement with a company in France. Of course the first ideal location that comes to mind is to spend the summer working in PARIS! However finding the stage to make the dream become a reality is the most difficult part.

Here are some tips below to help you along your way and to give you a kickstart...

1) Its always a good idea to talk to people that you know who have done work placements before- ask them about the type of work they did, the company the worked for, what they liked and didn’t like. It never does any harm to have contacts especially in the business world!

2) Most colleges have an online system where companies will make offers looking for stagaires. They usually have apply by dates so be careful to check daily.

3) Depending on the type of stage you are looking for - you will need to tailor your cv to suit the company you are applying for. Make sure your professional experience is relevant to the job you are applying for! Its essential! Experience can be a real winner!

4) If you have ideas in your mind as to which company you would like to work for try applying online through their website. Check their job offers which are usually updated every few days! There are also websites like www.annonceetudiant.com which may offer you opportunites in what you are looking for!

5) You will need to set up a voicemail message in french of course incase a company tries to contact you and you cannot answer for some reason. Make sure it’s professional and clear. Most companies will ring for a quick chat before calling for an interview so try and have a few things ready to say about yourself, your professional experience and most importantly why you applied for the job. This is key and a most definitive question.

6) If you are lucky enough to get called for interview firstly CONGRAGULATIONS! Secondly make sure do your preps beforehand. Write out your answers- but dont learn them as it will sound too rehearsed but rather use keywords for structuring of your answers. Remember to address the person as vous and finally- try not to be too nervous!

7) On the day of the interview make sure to dress appropriately. Dress smart rather than casual and make sure have a know how to get there and have taken note of the address and contact details incase you need to call them.

8) Depending on the company you might have to go through a series of interviews before being chosen for the stage. Before starting you will have to transfer to them your "contrat de stage" which is sent to you by the college to confirm acceptance of the position as your credited stage.

9) Usually within the first few days you will be presented with a "contrat de travail" from the company. Make sure to read it through and ask about anything you don’t clearly understand before signing it

10) ENJOY YOURSELF... MEET NEW PEOPLE... AND IMMERSE YOURSELF INTO LA VIE FRANCAISE