Go France! If you run into challenges or failures, just get back up and try again
- Career Center
- Le 7 décembre 2022
Audencia's Career Center and Alumni teams are delighted to to bring you “Go France!”, the guide to working in France.
Following the success of the first guide in 2019, this new updated edition revisits advice from HR professionals, input from intercultural experts and shares yet more experiences of working in France for internationals. Alumni say they choose France for its corporate culture and impact-driven working environment but also for its croissants!“Go France!” is a valuable resource for students staying in France after their studies at Audencia.
This week, discover what Joelle Wong from Canada has to say.
About Joelle:
- GRADUATED FROM THE MSC FAM PROGRAMME IN 2017
- FROM CANADA
- CURRENT POSITION PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST – RAW MATERIALS BAKERY AT MONDELEZ INTERNATIONAL IN PARIS
- NATIVE LANGUAGE ENGLISH
- DAILY WORKING LANGUAGES FRENCH, ENGLISH AND SPANISH
- OTHER LANGUAGES SPOKEN CANTONESE
- FRENCH LEVEL EXPERT (C2)
- LIVING IN FRANCE SINCE 2016
Joelle's key message: “If you run into challenges or failures, just get back up and try again. It is absolutely worth it!"
My biggest challenge
All admin and paperwork, especially to sort out student and work visa applications. The processes are not clear especially since the documents required are not the same depending on where you live. I had to ask for a lot of help from other foreign friends to get things right. Finding an apartment was also a big challenge.
Myths & realities
REALITY Almost everyone takes vacation in August (big shocker for me!) The French can also be very direct. They are not afraid to say no and push back on tasks they claim to not be responsible for.
My advice & top tips
Take the time to get to know your classmates and build connections. You never know what you can learn from others and networking can also get you far after you graduate and keep in touch. If you don’t know French yet, try to learn it as soon as possible.
Quirky & cultural
A strong appreciation for work-life balance since there is a lot of paid leave (at least five weeks paid vacation). France is also filled with beautiful and diverse landscapes (water, mountains, rivers). There is so much to visit and these places are very accessible by car or by train.
And finally
Be prepared for the paperwork. Check out the processes beforehand to find out when and where you must go to renew your visas. Do things in ADVANCE because getting the required documents can take time. It is really helpful to ask other foreign students who may have already gone through the process because it is hard to find that kind of information on the internet.
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Go Netherlands! Get your rainproof gear ready and you’ll be all set to go! :)
Audencia's Career Center and Alumni teams are delighted to to bring you “Go Netherlands!”, the guide to working in the Netherlands. Following the success of the guide to working in France for internationals, this new edition focuses on a country that is a destination of choice for Audencians. Members of its thriving community of students and alumni say they choose the Netherlands for its economic stability, work-hard-play-hard lifestyle, multiculturalism and for being a country where English is often the working language. “Go Netherlands!” is a valuable resource for students considering a career in the Netherlands after their studies. Starting with HR professionals’ top tips and debunking the myths and realities of the workplace, Go Netherlands! also showcases the experiences of more than 20 alumni who have aced the challenge of finding a job and settling in the Netherlands. This week, discover what Wenwen Zhao from China has to say. About Wenwen: Graduated from the Grande Ecole Master in Management programme in 2014 Currently working as: Account Manager at Wieden + Kennedy in Amsterdam Native language: Chinese Other languages spoken: English, French Level of Dutch: beginner Been living in the Netherlands: for 2 years Wenwen's key message: “Get your rainproof gear ready and you’ll be all set to go! :)" My biggest challenge The famous work-life balance is better here than Shanghai but not quite as balanced as I was expecting; maybe that’s because of the nature of an advertising agency. I’m working in a native English-speaking environment with a majority of Brits and Americans. Although I am a fluent English speaker there is an almost imperceptible language/culture barrier that can sometimes have an impact, especially in advertising context, where the craft of language plays a big role. My advice & top tips You can live in Rotterdam but work in Amsterdam, so convenience is not a luxury here. You have to be tolerant with the weather, sometimes it’s just rain and grey skies followed by more rain! Just like in any big city, house hunting is a battle; check out funda.nl Quirky & cultural The Netherlands has a very expat-friendly environment. The Dutch are very friendly and welcoming, and they don’t get offended if you only speak English. People who are on the end of Dutch customer service lines are lovely; they even tell you their dog's name! And finally Try cycling in the dark when it’s raining and windy! It’s very uncomfortable, but it makes you strong. Read your copy of "Go Netherlands" here
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Go Netherlands! JD.com relies on a very international team
Henry Zhang EU Regional HR Director, JD.com - Amsterdam Henry is a passionate HR professional specialised in strategic HR management with more than 10 years of experience in large international groups. Henry shares some first-hand advice about the job market in the Netherlands. JD.com is a Chinese e-commerce company, with headquarters in Beijing and offices in Amsterdam and Paris among other countries. It is one of the two massive online retailers in China by transaction volume and revenue, a member of the Fortune Global 500. The work culture JD.com Amsterdam relies on a very international team. The corporate values are influenced by this diversity with, on the one hand, the Chinese culture of the group, while on the other, the harmonious integration of certain Dutch traits. We see our customers as part of the family; therefore integrity, honesty, respect and trust make up our core values. We place great importance on building reliable, long-standing relationships for the long term. At the same time, we also value a “can-do attitude” with an openness to collaboration and the sharing of knowledge and experience. My advice & top tips A good piece of advice for international students wanting to work in the Netherlands is to apply to the Dutch subsidiary of the big companies from your country. When preparing your job hunt, remember that in Europe, LinkedIn is a very useful and popular tool. And make sure you investigate the official websites of the companies you are planning to apply/interview for. And remember, there are no better candidates, everyone is unique. Good luck you are the future! Myths & realities Although English is the working language in many cases, in my experience I would recommend trying to learn some Dutch. It will help you to find a job quickly and navigate the cultural codes. Read your copy of "Go Netherlands" here
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Go Netherlands! Get your rainproof gear ready and you’ll be all set to go! :)
Audencia's Career Center and Alumni teams are delighted to to bring you “Go Netherlands!”, the guide to working in the Netherlands. Following the success of the guide to working in France for internationals, this new edition focuses on a country that is a destination of choice for Audencians. Members of its thriving community of students and alumni say they choose the Netherlands for its economic stability, work-hard-play-hard lifestyle, multiculturalism and for being a country where English is often the working language. “Go Netherlands!” is a valuable resource for students considering a career in the Netherlands after their studies. Starting with HR professionals’ top tips and debunking the myths and realities of the workplace, Go Netherlands! also showcases the experiences of more than 20 alumni who have aced the challenge of finding a job and settling in the Netherlands. This week, discover what Wenwen Zhao from China has to say. About Wenwen: Graduated from the Grande Ecole Master in Management programme in 2014 Currently working as: Account Manager at Wieden + Kennedy in Amsterdam Native language: Chinese Other languages spoken: English, French Level of Dutch: beginner Been living in the Netherlands: for 2 years Wenwen's key message: “Get your rainproof gear ready and you’ll be all set to go! :)" My biggest challenge The famous work-life balance is better here than Shanghai but not quite as balanced as I was expecting; maybe that’s because of the nature of an advertising agency. I’m working in a native English-speaking environment with a majority of Brits and Americans. Although I am a fluent English speaker there is an almost imperceptible language/culture barrier that can sometimes have an impact, especially in advertising context, where the craft of language plays a big role. My advice & top tips You can live in Rotterdam but work in Amsterdam, so convenience is not a luxury here. You have to be tolerant with the weather, sometimes it’s just rain and grey skies followed by more rain! Just like in any big city, house hunting is a battle; check out funda.nl Quirky & cultural The Netherlands has a very expat-friendly environment. The Dutch are very friendly and welcoming, and they don’t get offended if you only speak English. People who are on the end of Dutch customer service lines are lovely; they even tell you their dog's name! And finally Try cycling in the dark when it’s raining and windy! It’s very uncomfortable, but it makes you strong. Read your copy of "Go Netherlands" here
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Go Netherlands! JD.com relies on a very international team
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