OFF THE RECORD: How to (almost) get an IT job in France - I was on my way to France. My buddy was on his way to Vegas. Then we woke up.

By Anonymous

I work for a small consulting company I'll call "FactorE." We specialize in designing computer control systems to monitor and regulate factory operations. Last year we signed a new client, a European metallurgical consortium that was building twin factories -- one in Toulouse, in the south of France, and one in the desert outside Las Vegas. Along with a French colleague, "Jean-Luc," I was assigned to implement all needed computer systems.

It was a dream assignment. Jean-Luc and I had worked together several times; we were friends as well as colleagues. Between us we had years of experience in a variety of computer systems used in manufacturing, …