What is better, in France there is an unemployment rate of less than 10% of the population (Statista), which contrasts markedly with the more than 15% of Spain. Furthermore, speaking French not only opens doors for you in France, but also in Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and even in your own home as a translator.
Knowing this, let’s see how many opportunities exist for French speakers and how to take advantage of them with a cover letter.
Opportunities for French speakers
According to the ABC newspaper, more than 55% of citizens between the ages of 18 and 64 speak a language other than Spanish. 14% of this group speaks French, which opens up numerous job opportunities. France, Belgium and Switzerland are countries that are very close to Spain, and to which moving is not very complicated.
In terms of salary, the following will catch your eye:
If you realize, the earnings are much more noticeable compared to the base salary in Spain, which barely exceeds 1,000 euros per month.
Obviously, not every candidate is a good fit for any company. First you must make a perfect application and for this a cover letter in French is a vital document.
Example of a cover letter in French
Email : [email protected]
Phone : +34 555 555 555 555
6484, Madrid, Spain
nightingale coffee
Nathe Beoalix
44 Rue de Paris, 49874, France
To Madrid, March 20, 2021
object: Emploi d’été as a server at Café Nightingale. Full seasons from June to September.
monsieur:
J’aimerais faire partie du Café Ruiseñor en tant que serveur cet été. I am characterized by my energy, as well as by initiative and motivation. Je cherche à acquérir de l’expérience dans le secteur de l’hôtellerie et de la restauration afin d’améliorer my diploma universitaire en tourisme. Je souhaite mettre à profit mes compétences en matière de service à la clientèle pour fournir un service efficace.
I have a good spirit of team, I learn vite and I have good communication skills. Pendant mon séjour au glacier Continental de Madrid, j’ai travaillé avec une equipe de 5 personnes et j’étais cargé de m’occuper des fournisseurs. I have competencies in the field of cash management, inventory and customer service. L’année de nière, j’avais a taux de satisfaction de 97% auprès des clients.
I have remarked that Café Ruiseñor is a serious teaching institution that accords beaucoup d’importance to the quality of its services. Partageant la même philosophie, je suis sûr que je peux contribuer à développer advantage votre entreprise.
If you are souhaitez, we can organize an entertainment online so that you can donner mes idées sur la manière d’améliorer votre service.
Sincerely you,
Carlos Alberto Alvarado
+34 555 555 555
With this cover letter, the candidate in question will have a very good chance of getting that summer job in France. What makes this document successful? Right now we will explain step by step what you should do.
How to write a top-notch cover letter in French
Although it may seem otherwise, writing a cover letter in French is quite simple. After all, the guidelines do not differ much from what you would do in Spanish. You just have to keep the serious, professional and tasteful tonejust like with any other document.
The structure is also the same, so you just have to adapt each of the sections to the language in question. Everything would be as follows:
Letter Heading Greetings Introduction Introduction Call to Action Farewell
How to structure your cover letter
You already know which are the most important sections in the document, but it is also important that you learn how to structure them. In fact, if you don’t use a good format, the letter may not serve its purpose. For this reason, take the following tips as a reference:
Use 1-inch margins on each side Use 1.5-point line spacing Leave a line between each paragraph Choose a professional, elegant, and easy-to-read font Use a font size of 10 to 12 points
By applying the complete guide that we have for you, in a short time the recruiter will give you a oui to your professional profile.
The heading of your letter: L’en-tête de votre lettre
Starting to write a cover letter in French is very simple: include your contact details . In turn, they must be accompanied by the data of the company in which you are applying. We are talking about a section that has to be short, clear and concisewithout taking up more space than it should.
This is where recruiters will know how to contact you and what is your address current. If you live in France or another French-speaking country, enter a phone number from the region as such. If you are still in your home country or have not traveled to your destination French-speaking country, remember to use the prefix (+34, +51, +55…).
The header should have the following:
Full name and surname Telephone number Email address Company name Name and surname of the recruiter Position of the recruiter Company address
Note: If possible, write the name of the recruiter, and not just “human resources”, as it gives a more personalized and professional tone to the document. Before sending the letter, try to find the relevant data.
Examples for your headline in French
Email : [email protected]
Telephone : +34 555 555 555 555
1644, Vigo, 199, Spain
Hotel de Paris
Jemmuel Boutox
56, Menchaeur, 4999, Paris
To Madrid, May 30, 2021
Federico Gonzalez Gutierrez
Email : [email protected]
Telephone : +33 555 555 555 555
54HXQ, rue Royale, Paris
Paris & Associates
Kiliam Jouper
499, main street, Paris
As you can see, two simple headers with essential contact information. Remember that you must align the company data to the right of the sheet.
The greeting in your cover letter in French: Les salutations
Education is a key aspect in any document, much more in a cover letter. You must show yourself as a kind person, but at the same time sober. Maybe in Spanish you use a looser style, but in French, less is better.
You should only use one short phrase that serves to begin the letter and move to the body of the document. Another aspect that you should avoid is placing the name or surname of the recruiter, since it is considered rude. Also, you’ve already mentioned it in the header, so it would be filler information.
In view of this, how to make a successful greeting?
Look at these examples:
👍 madam,
🛑 Mademoiselle Loise Chantaeur,
Suggested Phrases
Madame
monsieur
Madame the Directive
Messieurs
Sobriety is what should distinguish the greeting, always going direct and to the point.
Phrases to avoid
Words that are very fancy or flattering are not appropriate because they are considered informal and in bad taste. Avoid writing the following:
They are phrases that look very good in Spanish, but not in France. Although the standard may vary from country to country, it is It is preferable that you keep the professional tone in any of your cover letter templates in French.
The introduction: L’introduction
The first impression is eternal, both in person and on a document. Therefore, the first line of your cover letter in French has to be attractive, professional and elegant. You must hook the recruiter from that moment if you want him to read the rest of the document.
What do you need to make a successful introduction? do not complicate and keep it simple. You just have to explain why you have written the letter, indicate the position you are interested in and focus on the importance of your application.
To make it easier to understand, look at the following examples:
CORRECT
I am comptable with more than 5 years of experience. J’ai pris connaissance de l’offre d’emploi du cabinet d’avocats Jeumex & Asociados, et je pense que mes connaissances et mes compétences sont tout à fait adaptées à l’offre d’emploi. J’ai des compétences en matière de service à la clientèle, acquires lors de mon passage à la banque Santander à Madrid au cours des 3 des nières années.
In very few lines this candidate describes her profession, experience and the reason for the letter. She gets to the point every time, which is a quality highly valued by recruiters.
The opposite occurs with the following example:
INCORRECT
Je suis un professionnel avec des années d’expérience qui a acquis beaucoup de connaissances dans le secteur bancaire. Je voudrais vous parler parce que j’ai vu une offerre d’emploi qui m’interesse. I thought that my profile et mes compétences are susceptible to your interest.
An unconvincing presentation that does not provide any quantifiable data. It’s the same candidate, but with a very different approach to the introduction.
Define why you are the ideal candidate
In this section, spend about two paragraphs summarizing your story. trajectory, experience, skills and aptitudes.
The goal is for you to show the recruiter that you are an applicant who not only meets, but exceeds expectations. With the first paragraphs you have captured the interest, so it is time to completely trap the HR manager .
But of course, you should not simply give information, but strong arguments that you have what it takesor for the job. Talk about soft and hard skills, quantifiable achievements, and use keywords. In this sense, action verbs add a lot of appeal to your document.
tips: Analyze the job offer to identify the keywords and skills requested for the vacancy. Then focus your cover letter so that it best suits the required profile.
correct example
CORRECT
J’ai également des compétences connexes dans le domaine administratif, notamment dans le traitement des dépôts et des prêts. I have experience in sales, customer service and advertising. L’année dernière, j’ai increased les réservations de cambres de 15% au sein de l’hôtel.
Only two paragraphs, but quite a few arguments that make this candidate an excellent choice. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to make this section attractive, so you should avoid the following:
wrong example
INCORRECT
J’ai beaucoup d’expérience acquise dans de nombreux hôtels tout au long de ma carrière. J’ai beaucoup de connaissances et de compétences, ainsi que des qualités pour developper ma profession….