Job hunting in France

LAST WEEK we asked about people job hunting in France and whether a government incentive of €2,000 to employ the over-45s would help you find work. Here are some of your responses:

I WAS made redundant in August last year and have been job hunting ever since. It's very hard work but I have found Pole Emploi (under the CRP scheme) to be very supportive.

I have already been to college for 40 hours to improve my written French and was then encouraged to find a "stage" at a large organisation so that they can review my competences.

I have discovered it helps to be a pest. I rang a local business eight times before they finally agreed to let me work there for a month, while Pole Emploi continue to pay me and will also pay them one euro for every hour I work.
I start this on Monday! Fingers crossed it leads to a contract.

I am currently 49 so the new bonus introduced by the government should also help to encourage someone to give me a chance (I hope).
Jayne Ireland

Myself and my wife moved to Paris on 28 November 2010 and I can honestly say that we found it pretty tough going at first. I am an English teacher teaching the French how to speak English.
As I said it was pretty tough going at first but the work for teaching started to come in after Christmas.

My wife managed to find a job as a secretary and this move to Paris was the best move we ever did.

Yes it was a gamble but I'm not looking back. My advice is: if you are going to do it, save a little bit of money for an apartment. Sort that out first, then once you have a place to live and enough to pay the rent for about four months just do it you won't regret it...
Ian Campbell

You asked about trying to find a job in France.... not easy. I'm a UK PGCE-qualified secondary teacher, but I can't teach in the state system in France. Even as a supply teacher in the private sector, I'm having to be assessed/approved/etc by the local Rectorat because they pay for supply staff! Argh....
And as for any other job for which I am also qualified, apart from working in a chicken factory, forget it.... Even a well-qualified French friend married to an Englishman can't get a job. I don't think the incentive to employ over 45's is going to make a blind bit of difference to me either.

Incidentally, I had no plans to work other than for myself when we moved here, but a long-running legal case against a fraudulent building materials supplier has made me look for a job, at least until we've got the case settled.

Despite the problems of finding work etc, we have no intention of moving to the UK - we live in France, warts and all.
Morag Ferguson

I have lived in France over 20 years. I love my job teaching at a French university, but unfortunately as it is a public function I am being forced to retire now I am 65.

This is so ridiculous, the Head of Department wants me to continue but in France "rules are rules".
I do not want to "retire", but the chances of finding a job at my age are remote
John Locke