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Working in
the country
Before leaving
You should take Turkish lessons, or improve
your level. The quality of job you would like to
have may depend on how well you speak the
language.
With a French or international company
If your employer is a French or international
company you don't have to worry about formalities.
Usually the administrative services deal with all
the formalities concerning the expatriate staff.
Unless you are the only representative of your
company in the country (sales representative, or in
charge of a liaising office ...), in this case you
will have to deal with the formalities
yourself.
Preparing for your departure and looking for a
job :
You can start searching for information by writing
to French associations established in the country,
economic expansion services, commercial services of
foreign banks in France and French banks
abroad.
The French consulate usually has a service dealing
with jobs and training, student grants and
reinsertion in France, and they can put you in
touch with local enterprises who are willing to
accept French personnel.
(See also in the Practical Guide for the
Expatriate).
The French Chamber of Commerce also offers
information about the job market, the most dynamic
sectors of the economy, and edits a bulletin for
French companies and local members. You could
publish a job application in this bulletin.
The Trade Commission in Turkey, or the CFCE in
Paris can furnish you with a list of French
companies established in Turkey.
Documents about the country are usually available
in the cultural service of the Turkish Embassy in
Paris.
You can however prepare your trip in a more precise
manner by making a personal appointment with the
Franco-Turkish Chamber of Commerce in order to
complete your information and get professional
advice.
While you are hunting for information you could
contact companies directly by sending a spontaneous
candidacy proposing your services.
The international departments of the Chambers of
Commerce and Industry often have information about
the country available. Directories and useful
dossiers from the country can be helpful in getting
information on sectors of activity and the local
economic life.
Where to find job offers :
In the French press (Le Monde, Le France Soir,
Figaro, Moniteur du Bâtiment,...) for French
companies sending people abroad.
In the
international press, in nearly all the bigger
dailies there exists a page or a selection of job
offers (The European, The Guardian, Vacature,
Coriere della Sera, The Geneva Tribunal ..)
Leading recruitment bureaus in Europe, and interim
companies sometimes offer international jobs.
There are several data banks specializing in job
offers abroad on Internet which are easily
accessible.
Writing your CV and covering letter :
Your dossier is a determining element towards being
recruited, it is the first step towards obtaining
an interview.
The CV should be very clear, typewritten,
detailled, preferably written in English and it
should be accompanied by a handwritten covering
letter. Certain countries do not accord much
importance to handwriting, but it is advisable to
write the letter by hand whichever country it is
addressed to.
If the company is French or the subsidiary of a
French company, the CV and the covering letter
should still be written in the language of the
country.
Don't forget to attach a recent photo, preferably
one where you are smiling.
Your CV should be detailled, and have the
addresses and phone numbers of ex-employers on it
so that the company can easily verify the main
points of your candidacy. This can save you from
sending a pile of photocopies and documents with
it. You can always present these documents later
during an interview if necessary.
If you are thinking of sending a false CV, you
should know that a study from the Florian Mantione
Institute shows that 45% of the employers check up
on CVs, that 34% of the candidates are eliminated
during this verification and that 60% of the
verifications are made with the previous
employer.
Whatever your reasons for 'adapting' your CV to
suit the ad, be warned that it won't help you
during the interview and could even cause you
prejudice.
The questions to ask yourself before an
expatriation :
What exactly is the job?
What is the length of the contract?
Is it for the whole family or with bachelor
conditions?
What kind of life will you have locally?
Have you thought about when you get back, how you
will manage financially to fit in again?
Do you have the necessaries qualities to be an
expatriate?
Qualities you need to succeed :
emotional stability (so you can react quickly
in any situation)
autonomy (you can make decisions on your own in any
circumstance)
being mobile and being available for your job,
being able to relocate quickly
being good at meeting people (don't forget that the
expatriate is also an ambassador for his country
whether in his professional or his social life.
being adaptable (you can easily adapt to different
cultures, climates and life styles. )
being able to accept and understand different
cultures and cultural differences
tolerance and respect of other people's way of life
and way of living should be a natural part of your
character.
Your family and recruiting :
Your partner should have the same ambitions as
you. It is often an important factor in choosing an
expatriate.
In fact some recruitment bureaus or big firms when
they are recruiting, specially for long term
projects, insist on having an interview with the
wife to check that there are no problems in the
couple which could get worse abroad and maybe
disturb the mission.
Companies often propose that the whole family goes
together so that a good family balance is kept.
During the recruiting :
Punctuality and precision are appreciated
everywhere. Be on time for your
appointments.
Be well
dressed for your interview, whatever kind of job
you are trying for. Your appearance will weigh with
the interviewer.
First
interviews are often very short but can last
several hours if your candidacy is interesting,
depending on the post offered, and if you have to
do any psychotechnical (graphological analysis) or
aptitude tests.
Be careful
not to appear pretentious about your know-how and
don't exaggerate your professional
competence.
Don't forget
that nowadays the job market is a chronic problem
nearly all over the world, so take an interview
appointment seriously, jobs are not easy to come
by.
Emphasize
your real competence, your ease of adaption, your
mobility, your ability to work in a team, your
readiness to pool your experience.
The company and the expatriate :
A lot of countries abroad like to have, and to
show that they have, expatriates on their
staff.
International personnel often bring in experience
and knowledge which can be very advantageous for a
company.
Salaries - Salary requirements :
If the candidate doesn't know the prospective
country, it isn't always easy to negotiate a
salary, especially if the amount has already been
mentionned on the ad.
However, there is nothing to stop you from showing
your previous salary and from discussing the salary
offered. The recruiting agent or the employer may
appreciate knowing what for you is the minimum.
The standard of living that you find abroad is not
always similar to the one you know in your own
country and sometimes if the salary is much higher
you will find that the cost of living is also.
This is one of the reasons, and there are several,
including social security conditions, why it is
better to go abroad with a French company.
French companies sending people overseas budget for
differences in the cost of living. They can
reassure the expatriate that his purchasing power
will at least be the same as in France.
The 'basic French salary' can be paid either in
France or abroad, it is usually a choice, and an
allowance is paid for living expenses
(accomodation, food,...) This compensation is based
on the cost of living in the country.
Taxes
(see the page in the expatriate guide)
If you are employed locally you will have to pay
taxes in the country.
If you have an international contract your salary
can be negotiated free of taxes.
In some countries income tax is deducted at source
by the company.
Accomodation - company car - other fringe
benefits :
It is nearly impossible to negotiate for a company
house if you are employed locally. Getting a car
depends on your job and your level in the
company.
In a local company it will be very difficult to
negotiate a paid return ticket to France every
year.
There again, if you are an expatriate working for a
French company you will get fringe benefits, a
house, car, travel allowance, return flights to
France ...
Usually international contracts give 15 days leave
in France every 3 months.
Working conditions :
These are the local ones with all the attenuating
advantages and disadvantages if you are working for
a local company.
The expatriate is often considered as an immigrant
and has to deal himself with the local
formalities.
On the administrative side the expatriate does not
have to worry about the formalities concerning the
police, customs, immigration, income tax, visa or
consular declaration. French or European companies
abroad always have an administrative department
which completes all the formalities for its
personnel and deals with any problems which could
arise.
Foreign companies remain subject to the laws of the
country in which they are working.
Attitude towards the foreign investor :
All foreign investment, as well as all transfer of
technologies should be the object of an
authorization from the General Direction of Foreign
Capital of the Under-secretary of the State
Treasury. There is no sector-related restriction.
All the sectors are open to foreign capital and the
administrative steps are fairly easy. The foreign
investor can choose between an agency, creating a
subsidiary in the form of a SA or a Ltd company, or
take shares in a Turkish company which already
exists. The amount invested cannot be less than
50,000 dollars. There is no limit to the percentage
of foreign shareholding.
Import - export
It is strongly advisable to work with a letter
of credit when you first start business with a new
client. It is preferable to work through a foreign
bank or a major Turkish bank, but Turkish companies
usually want to work with their own bank. Letters
of credit, realizable by acceptance are the most
used. However, this type of payment is expensive,
so payment against documents or against merchandise
is often prefered. It nevertheless involves more
risk for the exporter, and this kind of payment is
recommended once a business relationship has been
well established.
Formalities
Payment on delivery is not done in Turkey. Your
identity card is sufficient for a stay of up to
three months. Longer than that you will need to get
a residents permit from one of the central police
stations or the Office for Foreigners.
If you drive to Turkey you will need to have a
valid passport with you.
A visa is not necessary.
In the east of the country : entry to certain zones
of Turkey which are not tourist zones and which are
controlled by the army, are forbidden.
Health
The products are imported for 80% of the
country's health needs, making this a centre of
international competition. The health system is run
by the State, so the main equipment buyers are
hospitals.
Vaccinations : nothing is obligatory
It is advisable to drink bottled water, checking
that the caps are sealed.
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