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I would love to go to France. I'm in US right now, 1 semester left for degree and have interned at a respectable company. I wonder if they're looking for expe

I would love to go to France. I'm in US right now, 1 semester left for degree and have interned at a respectable company. I wonder if they're looking for experienced engineers over fresh ones. I've read so much that work life and culture is so much better in France, so heres hoping...

pyrale 10y ago
> I've read so much that work life and culture is so much better in France, so heres hoping... Yes and no. There's certainly room for a healthy work-life balance, but don't believe that you're guaranteed to get an interesting job AND great work-life balance. You can find it, but it's not 100% of the market.
- intralizee 10y ago
  I would love more details but don't know how to PM on here. My email is my username @ iCloud . com
  - kaybe 10y ago
    There is no PM here. If you want to be contactable, put some way in your profile.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
dv_dt 10y ago
SMH, I'm thinking there a number of mid to late career senior US engineers wondering what opportunities there might be in Europe these days...
- delphinius81 10y ago
  Absolutely! I feel like once you get out of your 20s, finding the right work-life balance and general quality of life becomes more important. You can also better appreciate cost of living - gross salary isn't as important as what you have left over after you pay all your bills. Once kids come into the picture, the big expenses in the US like child-care, school, and coverage for your family on your health insurance plan takes a huge chunk out of your salary anyway. It's not a tax like in many European countries, but it's not money going into your savings either.
chrisper 10y ago
You know, a lot of CS people in the US seem to really love the US and say stuff like "it sucks not to be in the US." They usually mention how they can afford everything since they make so much money and how they prefer to work 600 hours a week instead of having forced days off and that health care through Employer is so much better than through government. Admittedly, this was on Reddit, which is just a huge echo chamber, which led me to stop using it. However, I wonder how your point of view on this subject is?
- intralizee 10y ago
  I believe a lot of tech people are the type that prefer a computer as everything around them is madness in disguise. A lot of people I know over time build mental walls that resemble what the US culture respects and pushes on everyone. Work is #1 and money is everything. I see people that never use their vacation days and feel bad when they do! I believe if there was more focus on philosophy teachings in the US, things would be different and maybe more healthy individuals would exist. I think it's easier in the US to fall into a unhealthy pattern of life and not realize it. Some people are dumb founded by the notion or just don't think about it as they don't see alternative options available. I've had luck of working with many older engineers that advise if they had done things differently in life...
  - chrisper 10y ago
    >don't see alternative options available Yes. This is how I feel when reading those comments as well. I am from Europe, but living in the US at the moment, but will be moving back soon again. Obviously, people who never experienced an alternative cannot really see how what they have now might be bad. Having been in both Europe and the US I can easily compare both lifestyles and conclude that Europe is more suited for me, even if it means that I will not own a 5 bedroom house with 6 TVs.
  - CalRobert 10y ago
    When I worked in tech in the US, I got three or four weeks off. This was considered an incredible degree of largess on the part of my employers. Unfortunately, though, my partner generally got only a week off per year (she works in museums, a tough industry). In Europe we both get a month off every year by law, which means we can both enjoy it. My salary is lower, but hers is higher. In general, we find we have more fun this way.
CalRobert 10y ago
Not France, but if you're looking for work-life balance and about to graduate, maybe check out the working holiday visa in Ireland. You can show up with the right to work, instead of having to convince someone to hire you while living abroad. If interested, I would suggest doing your research quickly since the program has been watered down on the US side and I would expect some tit for tat as time goes on.

pyrale 10y ago

> I've read so much that work life and culture is so much better in France, so heres hoping... Yes and no. There's certainly room for a healthy work-life balance, but don't believe that you're guaranteed to get an interesting job AND great work-life balance. You can find it, but it's not 100% of the market.

intralizee 10y ago
I would love more details but don't know how to PM on here. My email is my username @ iCloud . com
- kaybe 10y ago
  There is no PM here. If you want to be contactable, put some way in your profile.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

dv_dt 10y ago

SMH, I'm thinking there a number of mid to late career senior US engineers wondering what opportunities there might be in Europe these days...

delphinius81 10y ago
Absolutely! I feel like once you get out of your 20s, finding the right work-life balance and general quality of life becomes more important. You can also better appreciate cost of living - gross salary isn't as important as what you have left over after you pay all your bills. Once kids come into the picture, the big expenses in the US like child-care, school, and coverage for your family on your health insurance plan takes a huge chunk out of your salary anyway. It's not a tax like in many European countries, but it's not money going into your savings either.

chrisper 10y ago

You know, a lot of CS people in the US seem to really love the US and say stuff like "it sucks not to be in the US." They usually mention how they can afford everything since they make so much money and how they prefer to work 600 hours a week instead of having forced days off and that health care through Employer is so much better than through government. Admittedly, this was on Reddit, which is just a huge echo chamber, which led me to stop using it. However, I wonder how your point of view on this subject is?

intralizee 10y ago
I believe a lot of tech people are the type that prefer a computer as everything around them is madness in disguise. A lot of people I know over time build mental walls that resemble what the US culture respects and pushes on everyone. Work is #1 and money is everything. I see people that never use their vacation days and feel bad when they do! I believe if there was more focus on philosophy teachings in the US, things would be different and maybe more healthy individuals would exist. I think it's easier in the US to fall into a unhealthy pattern of life and not realize it. Some people are dumb founded by the notion or just don't think about it as they don't see alternative options available. I've had luck of working with many older engineers that advise if they had done things differently in life...
- chrisper 10y ago
  >don't see alternative options available Yes. This is how I feel when reading those comments as well. I am from Europe, but living in the US at the moment, but will be moving back soon again. Obviously, people who never experienced an alternative cannot really see how what they have now might be bad. Having been in both Europe and the US I can easily compare both lifestyles and conclude that Europe is more suited for me, even if it means that I will not own a 5 bedroom house with 6 TVs.
- CalRobert 10y ago
  When I worked in tech in the US, I got three or four weeks off. This was considered an incredible degree of largess on the part of my employers. Unfortunately, though, my partner generally got only a week off per year (she works in museums, a tough industry). In Europe we both get a month off every year by law, which means we can both enjoy it. My salary is lower, but hers is higher. In general, we find we have more fun this way.

CalRobert 10y ago

Not France, but if you're looking for work-life balance and about to graduate, maybe check out the working holiday visa in Ireland. You can show up with the right to work, instead of having to convince someone to hire you while living abroad. If interested, I would suggest doing your research quickly since the program has been watered down on the US side and I would expect some tit for tat as time goes on.