Yellow Papers / Talent attraction and selection in France

We decided to write this short article as more and more of our clients are showing interest in finding talent in the French market. It is not for nothing that it is the second largest export market after Germany.  

Each company's relationship with the neighbouring country is very different. Some are starting a commercial development for the first time, others have been in the country for years with established commercial subsidiaries or with their own sales representatives in Home Office mode or multi-portfolio agents, and in other cases, there are even companies in our environment that also have a logistics and/or production centre.  

This article does not intend to talk about the benefits of the French market, nor the opportunities it offers or its barriers to entry. If you have decided, from the company's strategy, to approach this market, or if you are already there, you will surely find it increasingly difficult to find the talent you need.  

This article is only intended to help you approach the search for talent in France, based on our own experience in the country. In this regard, it is worth noting that we have been recruiting in France for more than 8 years for Basque companies of all kinds, and we also have our own office and team of native speakers. 

Below, and in outline, we give you some key points to bear in mind:  

IN RELATION TO THE OFFER....  

1. Have the job description, objectives, expectations, conditions and detailed information about the company and the plan in France. French professionals who are likely to show interest ask for this information even before going forward with the interview.  

2. The offer has to include aspects that are not so common here, such as company car or the payment of 50% of the mutual insurance by the company, among other issues.  

3. For qualified positions, in many cases you will be asked to have a Cadre contract, which here would be "directivo/a", although you do not necessarily have to be a manager or have people in charge. A university-educated professional with experience will ask for it, whether for commercial, technical or other positions of this professional level.  It has more to do with cultural aspects of someone who has "important responsibilities in the company" as well as bringing some advantages in relation to social security, pension, etc.  

4. Bear in mind that, in many cases, your offer will be Home Office, as you will not have a structure in the country or it will be far from the professional's area of activity. In these cases, you are competing with companies that do have a location and this is valued.  
 
IN RELATION TO THE SEARCH AND ATTRACTION OF CANDIDATES .... 

1. Your company may be known here, but probably not in France. It is important to have a website with a good image and an option to view it in French (it will be the first thing they will look at), as well as company presentations in French to explain the project.  

2. When it comes to publicising the offer, it should have detailed information and be published on digital platforms. In many cases, and depending on the type of professional profile we are looking for, some platforms will be more suitable than others. However, given the talent shortage, do not rule out having to search directly through platforms such as LinkedIn.  

3. When you identify someone who matches your professional requirements and shows interest, it is very likely that they will ask you in advance of any meeting or interview for a job description and information about the company. Don't take this as a negative and only send information about the job and the generic company that you feel comfortable with.  

IN RELATION TO THE INTERVIEW.... 

1. If after the previous step, the professional is at the interview, we have won 50% of the interview because he/she will have studied the position and the company and will come because it is of interest to him/her.  

2. It is important to start the interviews on time and to set aside enough time for the candidate to feel that he/she is important (this is not only applicable to France but to all countries).  

3. In addition to identifying the candidate's personal profile to see if he/she fits in with us, as well as his/her skills, experience and knowledge, it is key to know his/her motivations and expectations. Bear in mind that he/she will probably work physically far away and that creating links is more complicated, as well as the fact that he/she is likely to receive more offers from other companies in the future. In the interview, it is a good way to find out what makes them tick and to check whether what we are offering really suits them.  

4. It is key that, after the first contact, no more than two weeks go by before the interviews are conducted and a decision is made. Good professionals "fly" nowadays and are probably also in other selection processes. Maintaining contact with candidates throughout the process is a must.  

IN RELATION TO THE NEGOTIATION AND SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT... 

1. Remember that we will have discussed the conditions from the outset, so these should not vary from the start.  

2. Candidates in France will look at every working condition in detail and may ask you a lot of questions. Do not interpret this as a negative thing.   

3. It is quite possible that they will go back to the Plan de France, what is expected of them, the objectives they have to achieve or the mission they have to accomplish.  

4. In relation to salary conditions, they will always want to improve the conditions they already have. On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that in France the cost of each professional is higher. The average salary in France is close to €40k, whereas in Spain it is around €26k gross/year.  

Finally, it should be noted that, once this person joins, and taking into account the distance and the cultural change, it is essential to make additional efforts and establish specific strategies to build loyalty and generate a sense of belonging. If we leave him or her aside or do not follow up sufficiently because he or she eats us up on a daily basis, this person will probably end up looking for another professional opportunity, and believe us, he or she will not be short of them.  

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