How to find a job in the French Alps
Looking for a job in a new foreign country is sometimes a walk through the jungle with closed eyes. You never know where you are heading and what’s around the corner, but we can stand a lot to find a source of income in a desired place. The matter is never easy, unless we know someone who can recommend us somewhere. Also sometimes searching for job offers on the Internet by a person reminds me a conversation between a blind and a deaf. The task is to enter keywords in the search engine, hoping that it will correctly understand us and provide with the appropriate portals. Personally, I avoid sending applications through portals like indeed, because I never hope that someone will read them. My strategy is usually to search for specific places and send applications directly to where I would like to work. Often, I send the application after making a phone call to a specific place. In this manner, the employer can get to know me at least slightly and I am not a piece of paper for him anymore. However, if I receive feedback that they are not looking for employees, I do not send the application and so I don’t pump myself with the illusion of hope that they may call me in the future (as they always tell). Despite all you think, I do not live in a illusory world only. 😉
In case of winter jobs, I was simply looking for lists of ski resorts and tourist centers in the region. Then I sent inquiries about the listings of available positions and in this way I was employed in a hotel at the reception in Les Gets. In response, a tourist office employee sent me a list of establishments seeking employees. I had e-mail addresses and phone numbers on the list. I called those that interested me and then I sent a CV if the position was still available.
Readers of the previous post already know that I worked in a hotel less than a month as the situation there became more than complicated. Later, I got employed on ski slopes and this position I was given thanks to one of a friend whom I made on the spot. Being open to people in new surroundings can help us solve later problems.
When we manage to settle in a given town, the matter may seem simpler – we can hand over our cvs personally and get a job straight away. But searching for Facebook groups is also a brilliant idea. We can’t always find the most popular ones. However, entering the key phrases like: “city name + travail” or “saisonniers + city name” should be found at least a few.
Below I hand you a list of websites and Facebook groups that can help you to find a job in the French Alps.
Pages www:
www.pole-emploi.fr
www.indeed.fr (a jednak!)
Facebook groups:
Saisonniers Morzine-Avoriaz
https://www.facebook.com/groups/7370102660/
Saisonniers des Gets-Morzine
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1062472473771407/
Les Gets – saisonniers
https://www.facebook.com/groups/795530250489964/
Community Les Gets – What’s up
https://www.facebook.com/groups/946900585409502/
Espace Saisonniers des 2 Alpes
https://www.facebook.com/espacesaisonnierles2alpes/
Les saisonniers des 2 Alpes
https://www.facebook.com/groups/815194188590689/
Saisonniers des Arces
https://www.facebook.com/groups/503389023031422/https://www.facebook.com/groups/104654030001604/?ref=share
Les saisonniers de Chamonix
https://www.facebook.com/groups/477417619098686/
I have never used the service of employment agencies. I always gave them a hint of distrust and simply preferred to keep my affairs in my own hands.
To sum up: looking for a job in a new country where we don’t know anyone or none of our friends can help us, it’s not always a simple task. It may happen that we find something immediately, but if we have specific requirements in terms of jobs, the matter gets complicated. The clash with reality can also be hard and severe and sometimes you may find that the job is okay but the accommodation that goes along is unacceptable.
In this case, we need to improvise, whose time will certainly support savings on the account. It is worth remembering that looking for a job in the winter is more difficult than in summer cause we can’t wait the suspension time by sleeping somewhere in the tent. Of course we should always stay positive but it hurts less if we prepare for the worst. Just in case!
If someone feels the need to ask questions or get additional help, don’t be shy to send a message via e-mail inbox, my facebook or instagram. 🙂
In the next post you will read how to deal in a jungle of French bureaucracy.