Finding a job in Montpellier

From Vox Europ

As co-Ambassador of the Montpellier branch of InterNations, I often get messages from people wanting information about finding a job in Montpellier. They may have a French boyfriend, or have just finished their studies, or are seeking a new life in the sun.

I'm reticent about giving out this sort of information as
1) I'm not sure people want to hear the truth
2) The truth goes against the rose-tinted glasses outlook
3) I don't want to lull anyone into a false sense of security.

The truth is, and this the case for the whole of France, unemployment has reached epic proportions. Over 6 million people are  unemployed in all categories. Six million! It's a national scandal, but one we don't hear about on the news because the media only ever talk about the unemployed of category A (those with no paid activity) who number 'just' 3.5 million.

Furthermore, if you don't have a French qualification, you will have a hard (if not impossible) time finding a job, especially if you barely speak French.

So which sectors are recruiting? According to INSEE, eight million boomers will be retiring by 2020, so you'd think that this would liberate a whole lot of jobs seeing as this number represents 31% of the active population. Not all of the outgoing staff will be replaced though what with improvements in technology, business restructuring, and the rise of robots in the workplace.

The three main sectors that will be recruiting are:
1) in-home services (childcare, care of the elderly, cleaners, home maintenance) where it's expected there'll be 159,000 new jobs in the next twelve years. These are jobs paid at the minimum wage, but still require state diplomas.
2) computer engineers
3) sales, where it's expected there'll be nearly 300,000 jobs in the next few years. Friends in the business tell me that there is a high turnover of shop sales staff in the region because it's so difficult finding reliable, honest people...

According to one website, there'll also be jobs in the medical sector (mid-wives, nurses), teachers especially science profs (although good luck with getting a CAPES), and specialists in the building industry (bricklayers, roofers, tilers). Hotels continue to search for (qualified) cooks, waiters, and managers, while import-export companies require drivers, warehouse/logistics people.

Unemployment levels for Languedoc-Roussillon 2012, from Midi Libre

It's very positive to read about job possibilities in the future, but what of the here and now in Montpellier? Unemployment here has been steadily rising over the past few years and currently stands at 14%. The region of Languedoc Roussillon is number two for poverty and unemployment, just behind Reunion Island, which results in some mixed impressions of Montpellier by expat workers.

The economic crisis has led to more French people holidaying in France and, whereas the well-off go to the Cote d'Azur, the working classes come to Montpellier (Palavas, Carnon, etc) which means there is at least seasonal work here.

Some people manage to find jobs teaching English, some have technological skills they can use anywhere, others try to start a business in these tricky economic times. It's particularly difficult to start a business in Montpellier (so I've heard) because the business world here is very incestuous and you have to know the right people in order to get on.

So my response to those who ask for advice is to tell them that it's difficult to find a job in Montpellier, that unemployment is high, and there are lots of foreigners just like them looking for work. If they don't have a French qualification and can't speak much French, they'll have to look for low-paid work at best unless they have some personal contacts.

Easily the best way to get a job here is by word-of-mouth. How did I hear about my job? From a friend. How did two of my friends hear about (and get) a job? From me.

There are many websites devoted to starting a business in France if you really want to do that, e.g.:
http://www.startbusinessinfrance.com/
http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/france/starting-a-business
http://www.frenchentree.com/living-in-france/running-a-business/
http://www.startupoverseas.co.uk/starting-a-business-in-france

Plus http://www.survivefrance.com/ is a great resource for the Anglophone community in France where there are many entrepreneurs who have lots of experience, and are willing to help answer questions.

Is French Business Run on Theft?

That's a bit strong, you may think, but up and down the country people are being fleeced by companies including banks who ignore their legitimate requests to STOP DEBITING MY ACCOUNT.

A few years ago I had a run-in with Cegetel who over-debited my account for 18 months. I had sent Customer Service the necessary registered letter, but apparently to the wrong address - their 'Cancel my Account' address, as distinct from Customer Service, is always written in the smallest possible text in the hardest to find spot on their contract hidden down under 'Really Boring Legalese' and 'General BlahBlah' and I missed it.

Of course, no one wrote to me to tell me my mistake - you're supposed to know, or follow up just in case - or indeed pass my letter on to the right office. That would be way too helpful and probably not in anyone's job description. No, it just went in the bin. I was in the midst of a divorce at the time and my mind was not on following up contract cancellations.

When I did realise what was going on, I spent hours on the phone several time getting through to be told to write to the proper office as they had no record of my request, not even a note on my file in the computer. No one picked up on the fact that there had been no activity on the account for 18 months, they basically told me to suck it up and follow the correct procedure this time. No reimbursing of the excess, natch, not even the slightest 'geste commercial'.

A friend of mine has been trying to get her bank to stop debiting her account for a telephone that was cancelled two years ago. Cancelling a direct debit has to come from the debiting company, the bank won't stop it even though it's your money. If the company has received the registered letter and does not cancel the direct debit, in my book that's theft.

I read another blog recently where someone is battling with SFR who keep 'losing' the registered letters and, naturally, keep debiting the account. Her daughter has left the country to study abroad, a legitimate reason for cancelling an mobile phone account, and yet SFR have been wilfully 'not receiving' registered letters and ignoring all communication (whilst continuing to debit the account, natch). Another where the electricity company mis-estimates consumption by, sometimes, hundreds of euros. In fact, the blogosphere is full of irate customers who are being fleeced of their hard-earned euros by incompetent companies.

Are these companies run incompetently on purpose? or is it part of policy to drag out cancellations for months pretending to lose letters and other documents whilst continuing to debit bank accounts? Is that famous gallic shrug, so beloved of romantic lefties, being incorporated into business management to explain error upon error by arrogant jobsworths?

Maybe this is an example of French business management, perhaps taught on MBA courses and in other business schools - do nothing, deny, do nothing, deny, do nothing, deny, meanwhile feed the money markets with all those ill-gotten gains so even if you have to reimburse what's owed, it ain't been for nuffin'!

How can a company deny receiving a registered letter for which they have signed? Yet they do, every day, countless times a day, incurring huge sums in expensive registered letters to hapless customers. And it's not just one company either. It's a recurring problem right across French business. It's impossible to get things done correctly without following everything up - no one will call you back. It's frankly a wonder that French businesses manage to stay in business at all, and raises a huge question over the degree of competition that exists. One would hazard that 'not much' is the answer seeing how they all have similarly atrocious levels of customer service.

If any one company managed to get their act together over service, I'm quite sure that customers would beat a path to their door.

They are reaping huge profits, these companies, and how? by wilful and persistent denial of customers' rights in cancelling contracts and thieving from their bank accounts through direct debits. Taking money from someone without their permission is theft.

Do we have a choice in how we pay for certain services such as mobile phone accounts? No, they all insist on direct debits or refuse to open an account. The only other option is to use the more expensive pay-as-you-go cards.

Basically they have us by the short and curlies, and then when you try to get out, they don't let you! All you get, as a friend of mine put it, is a face full of shrugging under-worked French shoulders. Monty Python had them sussed. Sit back and enjoy 'Les Francais' from 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'.

Diner des Cons

I don't think it would be an understatement to say that the French do not have a very commercial attitude, even if they work in the service industry. Remember the Just Smile campaign to persuade shopkeepers and waiters that a smile rather than a scowl brings more business?

You would think that those in the entertainment industry would be a little more commercially-minded because if clients are not entertained they don't return and that means loss of business. You would also think that positive feedback from clients would be welcomed in the spirit it was intended, to improve future events. In the case of one company here, it's greeted with as much enthusiasm as a rude letter of complaint.

Take this response to a letter of positive feedback on a disasterous evening, complete with mistaken identity:
Bonjour,
Je me souviens bien de vous, enfin de Mr X, l'homme enivré qui réclamait à boire au bar toute la soirée ! C'est ça, je ne me trompe pas ? Celui qui voulait régler ces verres par cartes bleus !?
Nous prenons avec respect vos commentaires... Merci de votre aide !
This clubbing evening had cost 65€ each including dinner of 2 dishes. Entrance without dinner cost 35€ so they had 30€ to spend on the dinner - 2 dishes. What did they offer for this by no means measly sum? Unimaginative salad, meat that was cold with rostis that you buy in Lidl, or salmon that was also (unintentionally) cold, tasted and had the texture of cardboard, with an entrée of transparent beef carpaccio. A menu supposedly 'haut de gamme'.

The wine, which had been advertised as included in the price of the dinner, turned out not to be, and final insult, was considered an 'oublie de négotiation' which was made up for with a 'cocktail de rattrapage' of orange nectar and water. Oh, and they were very proud of offering 4 'coupes de champagne' at a thimbleful per coupe.

The loos were smelly, with bald towels, and there was one ladies' for 150 women. Offering a mediocre meal at a non-mediocre price plus inaccurate advertising over the wine, plus a general air of taking the piss and making a fast cash buck is not the way to create a returning clientele.

The letter of positive feedback made several suggestions on how to improve the evening for next time, like employing a better caterer, getting in a local winemaker, honouring their commitments, making the ambiance more convivial with lights and decent music. The DJ was a tosser, apparently. Certainly no David Guetta anyway. It suggested the organisers visit other clubs of that type, including in the UK, to see the sort of competition they're up against.

The response from the organisers, who mistook Mr X for someone else as he couldn't actually drink because he was driving, shows a complete lack of respect for the client. Furthermore, by making everyone pay in cash and not accepting credit cards for the exorbitant bar prices, this suggests more than dodgy dealings for this 'association' which, by the 1901 association regulations, is not allowed to make a profit. Yeah right...

After a further mail which expressed frustration at their lack of commercialism, this is the answer they got back:

je peux mettre tous les temoignages que vous souhaitez, no problemo, attendez vous a une reponse adaquat, la mettrez vous ?...

Bref, on va pas épiloguer sur notre réaction pas du tout auto-satisfaisante, nous vous avons lu avec attention, vous ne l'avez pas fait de votre coté (si si Mr été bien saoul ou semblait vraiment l'être, pour temoins, tous notre staff...). Vous ne semblez pas bien comprendre le français écrit, nous pouvons vous l'écrire en anglais, sachez que je le parle et l'écrit couramment (ironie gratuite que nous vous renvoyons...)

Restons en là svp ! Nous acceptons les critiques, et ne prendrons dans vos messages que le constructif, pas les caprices d'enfants gatés que vous semblez être ....

Sur ce, nous stoppons là cette conversation sterile et vous souhaitons bon courage dans votre monde qui semble bien éloigné du notre.......

It finished by an invitation from my friends for these tossers to attend a 'Diner des Cons' seeing as they had already qualified and were being considered hot favourites to win, and guess what, the organisers only went and accepted!!! We almost fell off our chairs laughing and continued chortling all day.

Heureusement que la ricicule ne tue pas.

Liberty, Fraternity, Reactionary

It is no small wonder that the brightest most dynamic of French youth is leaving France to set up businesses elsewhere when you read about the protectionist practices combatting the development of internet e-commerce.

A number of business secteurs are resisting the rise of e-commerce, according to Le Figaro. These include alcohol, tabacco, gambling, medication, perfume, cosmetics and produits de luxe. Among the spurious reasons cited are regulations linked to health, and consumer protection. The main reason, however, seems to be lobbying by professionals who do not wish the inconvenience of e-commerce competition.

Brussels has waded into the battle ordering France to authorise the online sale of glasses and contact lenses. Glasses in France cost an absolute fortune. Opticians have decided amongst themselves to maintain a certain level, to the extent they can offer a second even third pair for a mere extra euro. Profit margins are obscenely high and it costs the Secu and mutuelle insurance companies just as much in reimbursements.

You would think the insurance lobbies and Secu would be backing lower prices and internet sales. French law stipulates that the sale of health products online is illegal. Brussels ordered France to change the law back in 2008, and since then it's all a bit of a legal mess.

Since internet suppliers of optical equipment cannot be based in France, they set up business in Germany or elsewhere in the EU. According to French law, if the regulations are followed, clients should be able to be reimbursed by the Secu for glasses bought anywhere in the EU. Some mutuelles are apparently refusing to reimburse the top-up but this is against the law.

The main problem is that by maintaining a false set of protected circumstances, France is putting off the inevitable, but also preventing French start-ups from developing an e-commerce and creating jobs. Meanwhile, foreign start-ups are doing just that, and will be there ready when the protectionist wall finally comes tumbling down.

It's a short-sighted blinkered approach that will hurt that much more when the day comes to expose the highstreet to glaring floodlights of online competition. It's what's known as entrer dans l'avenir à reculons as one Figaro reader put it (going into the future backwards). It's particularly unfair on young businessmen and women whose hands are tied while those in comfy positions thwart their every attempt to share the cake. Maybe the young are expected to know their place and stick to odd job auto-entrepreneur petit boulots until the fat cats hit retirement.

Toc Toc

I have some advice for French bosses in charge of a disintegrating company - take a cool box of sarnies to work because the chances are you'll get taken hostage by angry marauding employees.

It seems quite incredible to imagine that anyone would think this could have a positive outcome. Flouting the law, you would think, would result in a call to the cops to deal with this public disorder, but we are in France, and if you remember, the cops rarely intervene in shows of union unrest. Think about all those petrol refineries that are blocked when lorry drivers go on strike, thus crippling the country. They should send the cops in to unblock the roads, but we are left to sit at home or cycle, and starve, because no one wants to call in the heavy mob to remove a bunch of lawbreakers.

There have been at least 3 cases of trapped bosses recently. Companies which fold have to set up a 'plan social' which aims to help those lose their jobs get the best financial compensation possible, and help with finding another job. Sometimes they don't go far enough, and that's when employees get so angry that talks break down and they lock the bosses in their offices.

Ségolène Royal, France's current chief agente provocateur finds this all simply splendid and is encouraging workers to take the law into their own hands like mad, while reminding them that this is actually illegal. What would we do without her rallying of the troops? The PS boss, Mme Aubry actually backed her up! Well, France is a Communist country, so I suppose it's to be expected.

Sarko has finally decided that enough is enough, however, and that this state of affairs cannot continue. I'm not sure what he's going to do about it though. He says, rightly, that taking a boss, even a bad boss, hostage, is unacceptable and unlawful and just aggravates an already dire situation.

So, will he send in the gendarmes? And will he take action the next time lorry drivers block the petrol refineries?

Enquiring minds wish to know...

Ideas Wanted

I was watching the Apprentice last night. It's compulsive viewing because the candidates are mostly awful, and as time goes on, might prove to be all awful. Some have not yet stuck their head above the parapet so have avoided the wrath of Sir Alan, although I'm sure he's looking carefully at how each one does all the time.

I was thinking about next week's task. Apparently each team will be given £200 and told to go out and make some money. Sir Alan tells them it's more than he had, but he did start out 40 years ago. He also had more than a couple of days to get started.

Thinking about it, it's incredibly difficult coming up with a money-making venture. If it was easy, of course, everyone would be doing it. You have to consider elfansafety so any food idea is out. Services are difficult to sell without doing a lot of PR work to build up clients over time, and that's something they don't have. They also have very little time to actually invent something, make it and sell it; no business offices or transport.

If they were in France, they could try to set up a car-washing service in supermarket carparks. Although I've seen young men doing that at Sainsbury's, I've never seen it outside Carrefour. Likewise, they could try to set up a nappy-cleaning business, visiting maternity wards to convince young mothers of the ecological benefits of using the provided cotton nappies. There again, though, it would take a while before the service became known. Word-of-mouth works well, but not at the speed of light!

There are already lots of small businesses in the UK that provide specialist services which makes it tricky for anyone wanting to start out. In France it's much easier on the ideas front, but must be more difficult administratively. If it were easier, surely there would be more small businesses.

I remember trying to make some pocket money back in 1992 by making shopping bags out of waxed provincial print cotton. I could make them well enough although the waxed cotton was hell to sew even with a sewing machine, but selling them was another problem altogether. I went to business start-up meetings and realised that either I was deadly serious and wanted to have a proper business, or there was no point; the charges were astronomical and the paperwork had to be seen to be believed.

In the end, I left them in a shop in Aigues Mortes where they sat in a dusty corner, from where I retrieved all of them at the end of the season. If only Ebay had existed then!

I have not come up with any ideas for the Apprentice groups, so I will be watching with interest to see what they decide is good a business project.

Any ideas as to what you would do?