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Written by Riviera Reporter
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The hunt for summer holiday work is now in its last stages. Cressida van Zyl-Pithey offers some advice.
Every year younger readers – usually in school or at university – write
or call us about finding summer jobs. Very often they leave it too
late. Unless you’re very lucky there’s nothing by the end of June. The
really workwise are on the hunt immediately after Christmas. By now –
mid-May – there’s enormous competition from other local students
(French grants are derisory), and intending incomers from elsewhere in
France and abroad are already e-mailing in to potential summer
employers.
Of course, if you live here and you’re legal you’ve got some
advantages. To start with, you probably speak French. Because of that
prospective employers will look at you more favourably and be less
likely to offer you a rip-off deal as a “black” worker. I know a lot of
youngsters do accept such deals but if anything nasty happens – an
accident, for example – they (and their parents) will be in a weak
position to claim compensation.
“Don’t expect your job to be a lot of fun”
How to go about looking for work? One way is to try the job centre
(ANPE) in the area you want to work. In this case you’ll know the
employment offered is legal and you’ll get at least the minimum wage
plus full social protection. Prospecting on your own can be tough but
can pay off. Be ready to sell yourself in French but also stress your
other linguistic skills. During the season upmarket retailers,
restaurants, hotels and “attractions” (theme parks and so on) are keen
to hire temporary help with the gift of tongues. English, Italian and
German are all a plus on your job application and Russian is in growing
demand. My neighbour’s daughter, by the way, has worked two summers
running as an autoroute tollbooth attendant. She tells me it’s
well-paid and on night shifts she gets to read a lot of law. But, as
Julie, the subject of our accompanying article found, don’t expect your
job to be a lot of fun. In many cases it won’t be ...
Thousands of jobs all over France are listed on www.anpe.fr and www.cidj.com.
From Reporter 109 - June/July 2005
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Doing It in France 
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