Go France! I always seek a well balanced life through my daily routines

  • Career Center
  • Le 14 septembre 2022

Audencia's Career Center and Alumni teams are delighted to to bring you “Go France!”, the guide to working in France.

Following the success of the first guide in 2019, this new updated edition revisits advice from HR professionals, input from intercultural experts and shares yet more experiences of working in France for internationals. Alumni say they choose France for its corporate culture and impact-driven working environment but also for its croissants!

“Go France!” is a valuable resource for students staying in France after their studies at Audencia.
 


This week, discover what Carlos Gomez from Colombia has to say.

About Carlos:

  • GRADUATED FROM THE MBA PROGRAMME IN 2016
  • FROM COLOMBIA
  • CURRENT POSITION SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER AT ECOVADIS IN PARIS
  • NATIVE LANGUAGE SPANISH
  • DAILY WORKING LANGUAGES ENGLISH, SPANISH AND FRENCH
  • FRENCH LEVEL ADVANCED (B2/C1)
  • LIVING IN FRANCE SINCE 2014

Carlos' key message: “I always seek a well balanced life through my daily routines."


My biggest challenge
Paperwork takes ages but if you follow the rules to the letter you might even enjoy the experience.

Myths and realities

  • MYTH That the French are less productive or work less than other EU countries! Efficiency is at the top of the agenda. It is not about working more but working smarter.
  • REALITY Adaptation to change is always hard to get done in a French working environment. Plan the work and work the plan. Planning is at the centre of French culture.


My advice & top tips
Learn French, do a lot of networking, and give the small players a try (startups, scaleups). They are more open to international talent. Use your free time to enjoy life but also try to get a side hustle (project) to gain experience in France even if you are not paid for it. Be patient but strategic in how you spend your time. I recommend focusing on learning how the job market is evolving, up-and-coming companies and not necessarily the old established organisations.

Quirky & cultural
Looking for a balance in life is always at the forefront of French culture and I love it.

And finally
The emphasis they place on hierarchy and how roles and seniority are usually distinctly defined. This is not the case where I work but generally true of working environments. Similarly, for personal relationships, they are a bit reluctant to open up to people outside their circle but once you overcome that hurdle, you’ll have a blast.
 




 
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