Working and living in another country, especially in a renowned city such as Paris, boasts an incredible number of benefits. While being a stressful, overwhelming situation for many, working in a capital city is the best place to be to find exciting opportunities and growth in your career. If you’ve decided to take this monumental step, there are a few things you should keep in mind to ensure you have the best experience possible in La Ville Lumière.
Learn The Language
The chances are you have some level of basic French to be considering this move. However, without being able to speak fluent French, you may find that you’ll struggle to settle into your new role, especially when it comes to dealing with other professionals or members of the general public. Not only is it beneficial to you to know the language, but it’s also respectful to learn the local language when living in another country. Of course, the great thing about Paris being a hub of tourism is that it motivates many people, especially business owners, to speak some level of English. Despite that, your best bet is to learn the language.
Understand The Job Market
Whether you’re currently employed or not, it’s important to have a general understanding of the job market wherever you’re planning to live. This will help you to stay prepared in the event that you need to find a new role. The great thing about Paris is the variety of work available, from corporate powerhouses such as the cosmetic giant L’Oréal and worldwide tech heavyweights like Google and Microsoft, to small independent businesses in just about every industry you can imagine. It’s important to always be on the lookout for new opportunities, wherever you work, so keep an eye out and stay up to date on the world of work in Paris.
Find Suitable Accommodation
When we say suitable, we mean somewhere that is going to be beneficial to live in relation to your place of work. Although it’s important to note that this doesn’t mean you have to find an apartment adjacent to your office. When apartment hunting in Paris, you should look for easily accessible transport links nearby. A beautiful apartment is going to lose a lot of appeal if you have to walk 30 mins to the nearest metro station or useful bus stop.
Make sure you study these links and calculate the time it takes to get to work, if you even have to go to your office, of course. Even if you work remotely, transport links are incredibly important when living in a city like Paris, as walking isn’t entirely feasible and getting taxis can be very costly. Don’t go spending your income on expensive taxi rides every day as it can really start to drain your funds.
Get Accustomed To The Parisian Lifestyle
When moving to a new city, let alone a new country, it can be quite daunting fitting in. While you may be living there for work, you’ll still need to unwind and switch off after work to maintain a healthy mindset. It’s worthwhile finding some new local friends or meeting up with colleagues after work who can show you how to really get into the Parisian lifestyle. Finding local restaurants and bars away from the classic tourist destinations is a perfect way to truly experience this wonderful city, so embrace your sense of adventure.
