Comment Re:Working in France (Score 1) 476
I've been working in Strasbourg ( France ) for 6 months. I'll probably go to Paris for a new contract in the next weeks. IMHO the things that you need to consider:
1) You will make less money than in the US.
I'm coming from Quebec and I could have made much more money in the US. The cost of living is lower but if you're coming from the US you must be conscious that you're making financial "sacrifices".
2) You need to be functional in the language.
It's an american fiction that everybody is talking english. ( I have a very hard time to understand the "english" spoke by the frenchs and the "english" spoke by the germans. If you have a hard time understanding the peoples from England or Australia don't even think about it! )
3) Every country in the world is looking for IT peoples!
If they need you, they will find a way to get you there. ( And they really need you! ) At least that's my feeling. But I'm a SAP R/3 consultant so...
4) You will live a better life over there.
Cognac, foie gras, months of vacations, two hours for lunch ( with the wine and the digestive ) etc., etc., etc. Do I need to say more? But don't listen to me I'm biased. ( Don't forget that I choosed to work over there! )
5) This is NOT the US of A
You probably already know that but it's always good to remember that you can't bear arms, gasoline will cost ~$4/gallon, you don't talk about salary, socialism is GOOD, you will shake hands all the time etc., etc.
The easiest way for you is probably to find a compagny that will hire you to go work in europe. ( It worked for me! ) It will save you all the paperwork since they already done it a zillion time and you may have some fiscal advantages working that way. ( In my case it let you fall ( legally! ) betwwen two fiscal systems. You don't pay taxes in France and you don't eally pay taxes in Canada neither!
But as one of the earlier posters suggested the easiest way for you to get a taste of "europe" is probably to go for a couple of weeks in Quebec. ( North-eastern part of north america if you have some problems with your geography! )
If you need more information send me an email.
Louis-Frédéric Michaud
1) You will make less money than in the US.
I'm coming from Quebec and I could have made much more money in the US. The cost of living is lower but if you're coming from the US you must be conscious that you're making financial "sacrifices".
2) You need to be functional in the language.
It's an american fiction that everybody is talking english. ( I have a very hard time to understand the "english" spoke by the frenchs and the "english" spoke by the germans. If you have a hard time understanding the peoples from England or Australia don't even think about it! )
3) Every country in the world is looking for IT peoples!
If they need you, they will find a way to get you there. ( And they really need you! ) At least that's my feeling. But I'm a SAP R/3 consultant so...
4) You will live a better life over there.
Cognac, foie gras, months of vacations, two hours for lunch ( with the wine and the digestive ) etc., etc., etc. Do I need to say more? But don't listen to me I'm biased. ( Don't forget that I choosed to work over there! )
5) This is NOT the US of A
You probably already know that but it's always good to remember that you can't bear arms, gasoline will cost ~$4/gallon, you don't talk about salary, socialism is GOOD, you will shake hands all the time etc., etc.
The easiest way for you is probably to find a compagny that will hire you to go work in europe. ( It worked for me! ) It will save you all the paperwork since they already done it a zillion time and you may have some fiscal advantages working that way. ( In my case it let you fall ( legally! ) betwwen two fiscal systems. You don't pay taxes in France and you don't eally pay taxes in Canada neither!
But as one of the earlier posters suggested the easiest way for you to get a taste of "europe" is probably to go for a couple of weeks in Quebec. ( North-eastern part of north america if you have some problems with your geography! )
If you need more information send me an email.
Louis-Frédéric Michaud
