Go France! Apply for jobs which are in line with your qualifications

We are delighted to bring you “Go France”, the guide for international students looking to work in France!

Devised and compiled by Audencia’s Career Centre and Alumni team, with the support of the School's student reporters, “Go France” is a valuable resource for internationals considering a career in France after their studies. Starting with HR professionals’ top tips and debunking the myths and realities of the workplace, Go France also showcases the experiences of more than 20 international alumni who have aced the challenge of finding a job in France.

Each Friday for the coming weeks, we will share the insights of alumni who have made the journey. This week, discover what Anthony Acquatey-Mensah, FAM 17, has to say.


 

About Anthony

• Graduated from the FAM 17 programme
• Originally from Ghana
• Worked in France as Product Manager at NEOVIA, Vannes (2017-18)
• Currently working in Germany as Product Manager at BIOLYT, Berlin
• Native language: English
• Level of French: Intermediate
• Other degrees: MPhil. Food Science

 

Anthony's key advice

Apply for jobs which are in line with your qualifications, demonstrate a willingness to improve in your French language skills and you will find out that working in France is worthwhile!!
 

How it all started

During my studies back home in Ghana, I became a quality consultant for food. I then went into research before starting the FAM programme at Audencia. After Audencia, I was a marketing intern for 6 months at an animal nutrition company in Brittany. I stayed there for a further 6 months. Since July 2018 I have been working as a product manager at a tech company in Berlin, Germany, specialised in producing nutrition and medical devices.
 

Most memorable experience

The heated but constructive discussions we had in class as a group. My class was a unique mix of 20 individuals from 10 different countries. All of us had different academic backgrounds and this made these discussions so rich.
 

Myths & realities

Realities: France is a beautiful country to work in. Working in France exposes you to a different work culture where people work hard and yet have enough time for family, vacations and weekend activities.

Myths: That the French do not work as much as the other European countries. However, the French are one of the most hardworking people I have ever seen. I still remember all the gruelling long hours I had to sometimes spend with my colleagues at work on a project.
 

My biggest challenge

Even though I worked in English, lunchtime was hard because everyone spoke French. All the social activities were also in French. But this got better when my French improved.
 

Speaking French

I took some extra hours to learn French in a school each week, and I just immersed myself into speaking it with my French friends and work colleagues. I also frequently travelled by Blablacar and this helped improve a lot my French.