Finding a job
Advice and vocabulary
Applying for a job
You should send a letter of motivation which is hand written explaining why you are applying for the post, your CV can be printed. You do not have to include a photo.
Remember that the employment laws are very strict in France and that you must be employed with a signed and agreed contract, which will stipulate your functions, obligations, hours, holidays and salary.
All salaries must be paid by a bankers cheque, bank transfer or employment cheque. You should never be paid in cash.
Common abbreviations
The following list contains common abbreviations concerning employment and work
- Pole Emploi : Job centre
- A.N.P.E (Agence nationale pour l'emploi) : Job centre
- C.D.D (Contrat durée détermine) : Contract for a limited period of time
- C.D.I (Contrat durée indéterminé) : Contract for an unlimited period of time
- C.N.E (Contrat nouvelle embauche) : Contract for a new employment
- R.T.T (Récupération du temps travail) : Recuperation of working hours (from the 35 hour working week)
Vocabulary
- Les 3 - 8's (les trois huit)= 8 hour shift work
- Le boulot = the work (familiar)
- L(a)'allocation chômmage = the unemployment benefit
- Le cadre = the middle manager
- Le chômmage = the unemployment
- Le chômeur/euse = the unemployed person
- Le congé = holiday/ rest day
- Les congé payés = holiday pay
- Le contrat = the contract
- L'employé/ée = the employee
- L'employeur/euse = the employer
- L(e)'emploi = the employment
- L(e)'emploi saisonnier = the seasonal employment
- L(e)'entretien = the interview
- L(a)'embauche = to be contracted/employed
- Le feuille de paye = the pay slip
- La fin de contrat = the end of the contract
- Les heures supplémentaire = the over time hours
- La période d'essai = the trial period
- Le préavis = the notice
- La prime = the bonus
- Le salaire = the salary
- Le salaire brut = the salary before deductions and social charges
- Le salaire net = the salary after deductions and social charges
- Le travail = the work
- Travailler = to work
- Les vacances = the holidays