OK, I admit, its been a long time between blogs. Apologies.
Its funny how time just slips away from you even when you’re not working. Lots of people have asked me what I do all day, especially now that I’m not going to french classes at Alliance Francaise every morning.
But looking for work is actually a full time job. As is familiarising yourself with the city and trying to make friends. OK, its a pretty comfy “job”, but still, it does get busy…..
And I have been blogging, just in my notebook, rather than on my blog page (naughty…..).
So, what HAVE I been doing?
Looking for a job!
My job-search strategy is to develop and use networks rather than send my CV out to every last recruitment agency and law firm in Paris. Every foreigner here says it doesnt work and now that the international law firms are sending ex-pats home and asking people to take sabbaticals, I know that my CV will literally end up cold and dusty in a grey HR folder. “cough”.
So instead, I’m joining groups! Like European Professional Women’s Network, Australian Business In Europe, Advance, Women’s Investment Group, Ex-Pats-Paris, Intonations and Meetup. OK, some of these have a dual-purpose of helping to find friends, but the more friends you have the more people you have looking out for jobs for you!
I’m also following up any leads. These are either contacts for actual jobs, people who know the industry or people who know about ways I can work in Paris legally without getting sponsored (which is pretty tricky given the current financial crisis). This has meant more coffees, lunches, afterwork drinks and strolls in the park than I care to remember! Yes, they are coffees and glasses of Cote du Rhone in quaint cafes and bars in Paris - boo hoo poor me – but they are still “work” related nonetheless. And they take up time!
And surprisingly, the job search process has actually been quite an emotional one for me. For lots of reasons. And thats taken a lot of time mentally and emotionally to deal with, consciously and subconsciously. There’s a whole blog on that one….
Getting to know my city and my “quartier” (suburb)!
The only way to get to know your city and your suburb is to hang out it in. Yes, sometimes that means finding a cafe, sitting in it, drinking more coffee than is recommended and watching the world go by. Sometimes this will take several hours. Its not a luxury, its research. Its acclimatising. Reducing culture shock. How can you understand the daily, living culture of Paris by staring at the Mona Lisa in the Louvre? No one can say they know Paris unless they’ve spent a good portion of their life sitting in a cafe. Its their culture, I’m just trying to fit in….. 
Anyway, I’ve got at least 3 more blog posts sitting in draft or in my notebook, so I promise that I’ll get them finished and out asap!
Are you happy now Adam and Andrew? Huh?
delighted!