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Hi everyone!

I am going to Paris in this June with working holiday visa and I wonder if it will be at least possible to get a job in Paris for someone who speaks beginner-level French.

I speak three languges fluently, English, Korean and Chinese. Considering my language ability, I was looking for hostel jobs where most of customers are foreigners, but I am not sure since when I went to apply on the website, they only had two selections for fluency of French, which was intermediate and fluent. I study fashion merchandising so I would be pleased if I can get related jobs, but I am also very interested in getting jobs in hostels or hotels!

I would like to know if there will be any possibility for me to find a job in Paris!

Thanks!

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1

If you are in a french speaking environment every hour of every day, your level of language fluency will increase very rapidly; specially if you study it at the same time.

As for work, since you are interested with both fashion and hostel, go for both and take whatever comes first.

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2

It's admirable that you have that language capability, but in France if a candidate comes along with the right credentials who speaks at a minimum passable French, that person will get the job. Plus, if a French speaker who's resident in the EU comes along, an employer is going to gravitate toward him/her, as the paperwork is so much easier (and paperwork is a nightmare in France). Don't let it keep you from trying, though.

On what basis did you get the working holiday visa?

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3

Oh, I should addd that Paris is hardly the place to be in a French-speaking enviornment every hour of every day. You might well forget Paris and look to other places not so intensely tourist-oriented.

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4

It would be a crime not to work in Paris if you have the opportunity; specially in fashion. This would greatly help you once you return to your country.

If you want people not to speak to you in English, just take the habit to answer in Korean anytime someone try.I did that in Italy; everytime soemone try to speak english to me, I answered in french; it worked most of the time except with americans who simply continue in english, albeit louder.

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5

You might try one of the big department stores like Printemps or Galleries Lafaayette. I saw a young Chinese woman giving out perfume samples there. Her French was not especially good but the stores are interested in having staff who can speak to Asian tourists.

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6

For sure your best asset are you Asian speaking skills. This is an excellent advantage over the native french speakers.

That said social French is different from business french, so your paperwork, training materials, even the computer you will use will all be in French. So perhaps try an English language company operating in France. Burberry would be a good place to try.

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