Looking for a job outside France, and in London in particular, presents a few specificities that we’d like to share with you. Before you dive headlong into sending out your CVs, take the time to read these few pre-requisites, which will undoubtedly save you time and make you more efficient. In addition, to prepare for your expatriation in the best possible way, consider taking out international health insurance before your departure to cover all your medical expenses in the UK.
Take stock of your aspirations
Take advantage of this opportunity to move to a new country, and ask yourself what you really want. Revisit your values, your driving forces, your talents, your skills. Reclaim your career path and your talents to gain confidence and take on a new market.
Face up to the reality of the English market
Compare your professional project with the English market to assess its feasibility and understand the differences. Meet with current employees to analyze the differences in terms of professions and job titles corresponding to your target, and adjust your search accordingly.
Be forceful in your approach
The English have a very pragmatic approach based on “achievements”. Whereas a French recruiter is more likely to look at your diploma and your day-to-day actions, an Anglo-Saxon will focus on your achievements and results. So adapt your CV / LinkedIn profile with this in mind, and think about keywords. In fact, your profile is scanned by the ATS (Application Tracking System) before being read by a recruiter. For each job, spend some time working on your keywords. Tools like Jobscan or TopCV can help.
Adopt an effective “network strategy
Abroad, more than in France, networking is the key to success. Meet professionals in your field to understand the English market, the challenges, the specific vocabulary… And, of course, communicate about your project! Even if you’re responding to an ad, don’t forget to network within the target company.
Use recruitment agencies
90% of vacancies advertised in the UK are managed by recruitment agencies. Identify recruiters in your sector through the job offers they publish.
Prepare an effective elevator pitch
Prepare a presentation of your background and your project so that you can talk about yourself at every opportunity. When expatriating, every opportunity is an opportunity to “let people know” that you’re looking for someone: a dinner, a school outing, a visit… An effective presentation is clear and concise. Practice your presentation in no more than 2 minutes.
Get ready for your interviews
Prepare your answers to the “must-answer” job interview questions in advance: tell us about a success or a failure, your qualities and faults, your management style etc….in English, of course, so that you’ll be more fluent during the interview. For every interview question, think STAR. (Situation Tasks Actions Results) This will enable you to be factual and illustrate each of your answers with your results. After all, Anglo-Saxons are pragmatic!
Be surrounded and supported
Job hunting is all about “up and down”, so don’t remain isolated. To stay confident in your abilities, take “small steps” every day. Surround yourself with positive people, or join groups of people in the same situation as you. Making a success of your expatriation also means making the most of your private life and managing administrative procedures calmly and harmoniously.
“The true voyage of discovery is not about seeking out new landscapes, but about having new eyes.”
Proust
Article written by Harmony & Mobility Consulting, which for 10 years has been supporting French expatriates at every stage of their professional life and career success. In September 2018, launch in London of a job search program, Job Search Accelerator, based on a proven methodology and the Group’s energy.
For further information
- consulting@harmonymobility.com
- http://www.harmonymobility.com
