Why is your company experiencing recruitment difficulties? Solutions to reverse the trend

Published: March 14, 2025

In an ever-changing economic market and with competition between companies tougher than ever, recruitment is no longer without its challenges! Human resources departments need to strike the right balance between the skills available and the requirements of job vacancies.

Many sectors are facing a shortage of skilled talent, a phenomenon that has become more pronounced since the Covid-19 crisis. The job market has changed profoundly, and candidates' expectations have evolved, particularly with regard to flexibility.

Where does this situation come from? How can companies adapt their recruitment strategies to attract and retain employees in a constantly changing professional landscape? Here are some answers. 🧑‍🏫

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Some figures on recruitment difficulties in France

The French job market is going through a turbulent period, and the figures speak for themselves. In 2023, 61% of recruitment projects were judged to be complicated by employers, compared with 58% in 2022 (source: BMO Pôle emploi survey via MakeMyCV). A chilling figure.

This upward trend underlines the difficulties companies are experiencing in attracting qualified talent.

Analysis of sectors under pressure

Some sectors are particularly hard hit by these recruitment difficulties. Despite the creation of 78,000 salaried jobs in the twelve months to August 2024, temporary work activity fell by 6.2%, with a loss of around 48,700 positions (source: Le Monde).

We can deduce from this that companies now prefer permanent contracts and are reducing their recourse to temporary work, sometimes deemed too costly.

Which sectors are most affected?

Unsurprisingly, the hotel and catering sectors are among those most affected. In the fourth quarter of 2022, 75% of companies reported recruitment difficulties (source: Dares). This is due to working conditions, perceived as restrictive, and the marked seasonal nature of the industry.

During the health crisis, the hotel and catering sector was particularly hard hit. Between February 2020 and February 2021, the workforce fell from 1,309,000 to 1,072,000, a reduction of around 230,000 employees (source: Dish).

Many bars, restaurants and hotels were forced to close for several months between 2020 and 2021. Deprived of jobs, employees and extras were able to reorient themselves and take up employment in another field offering more stimulating working conditions.

Executive employment: constantly rising demand

Executive recruitment in France remains buoyant, with 340,000 new hires forecast for 2024, up 2% on 2023. This liveliness is driven by the IT, engineering-R&D and legal and accounting services sectors, which are undergoing rapid digital and environmental transformation (source: APEC).

However, 60% of companies report difficulties in hiring executives. This is not only due to a shortage of talent, but also to the rapid evolution of the skills required. The average time to fill an executive position is 12 weeks, and as much as 15 weeks in industry (source: APEC).

What are the most common problems facing recruiters?

Problem 1: Changing candidate expectations

Candidate expectations have changed considerably in recent years. The changes are not homogeneous across sectors, but certain trends are emerging.

Applicants are demanding greater flexibility and more meaningful work. Young people are looking for companies whose values resonate with their convictions. Before making a commitment, they evaluate the company's image and its involvement in the local community, its social and environmental responsibility (SER), its stance on current issues, etc.

Professional development and opportunities for advancement remain priorities for many candidates. This can involve continuous learning and mentoring programs.

🧘 In addition, well-being at work is becoming more important every year. To enhance the experience of its employees, a company can, for example, opt for modern, purpose-designed production sites and offices.

Problem 2: skills mismatch

Recruiters are also confronted with a mismatch between candidates' skills and their company's needs- the so-called " skill gap".

Despite the widespread use of work-study programs and professional training courses, many applicants have outdated skills. They don't master certain tools, particularly IT tools, which are essential in their sector of activity. A comprehensive, well-designed training program should, however, solve this problem.

Problem 3: Unattractive working conditions

To remedy unattractive working conditions, companies need to take a proactive approach and improve their infrastructure, development prospects, variety of projects on offer, etc.

Today's generation places increasing importance on work-life balance. This can be a very effective way of attracting new talent:

flexible working hours,
disconnection policies,
and wellness support programs.

Problem 4: Competition between companies

French and international companies compete not only to win market share, but also to attract the best talent. To succeed, they need to continually improve their employer image and offer more attractive remuneration packages and varied incentives. In addition to salary and bonuses, the prospect of a good work/life balance and a pleasant working environment can do wonders to attract and retain employees.

Consequences for companies

Impact on productivity and growth

Recruitment difficulties have a direct impact on company productivity. Insufficient staff means a heavier work load for the remaining employees, which in turn undermines operational efficiency and innovation.

Effects on corporate reputation

Public perception of a company depends in part on its ability to recruit talent. A degraded reputation can deter potential candidates and limit opportunities for collaboration with other companies or partners. 🙅

Healthy competition between employees have positive consequences. Challenge is fertile ground for new ideas.

Come on, we're not leaving you like this! Here are some solutions to counter these recurring HR problems. ✅

How to overcome recruitment difficulties?

Solution 1: strengthen your employer brand

Employer branding has become a key factor of attractiveness. Candidates are no longer just looking for a competitive salary, but also a stimulating working environment, values aligned with their own, and a real work-life balance.

👉 How can this be improved?

Focus on transparency. Broadcasting employee testimonials and recruitment events makes a company seem more human. Candidates might want to join a close-knit team where each individual is invited to find his or her place.
Promote social and environmental commitments. Many candidates prefer companies committed to CSR initiatives, which is why it's important to communicate about your actions in favor of sustainable development or diversity.
Develop consistent communication across multiple channels. An attractive career site, positive reviews on Glassdoor and LinkedIn, and a strong presence on social networks can reinforce the positive perception of the company.

📌 L'Oréal has banked on a strong employer branding strategy, highlighting its commitments to gender equality, well-being at work and cultural diversity. The result? The company regularly ranks among the preferred employers of young graduates and international talent.

Solution 2: Adapt work offers

Flexibility is the key to success. Telecommuting, flexible working hours and four-day weeks are among the criteria most in demand by talented employees. By implementing these, a company has every chance of setting itself apart from its competitors, many of whom prefer to maintain a more traditional organization.

Competitive benefits can also make all the difference, whether it's extra time off, transport costs or a training budget. They make new recruits feel that they count for the company. However, these "little extras" do not replace salaries. Constant monitoring of remuneration levels elsewhere remains essential.

📌 In response to recruitment difficulties in the IT sector, some companies like Doctolib or Alan are offering a hybrid or even 100% telecommuting working policy, in order to attract developers and engineers who are rare on the French market.

Solution 3: Invest in training and sandwich courses

Companies sometimes find it hard to recruit because candidates lack the right skills. Rather than waiting for the "perfect" profile, invest in training to create a talent pool tailored to the company's needs.

After hiring, an in-house training program can help novices get to grips with their work tools. For example, they can learn how to use a particular piece of software or equipment not often seen in schools.

Before hiring, it's in the company's interest to encourage work-study programs and internships. By taking on young people, they can anticipate future needs and retain talent right from the start.

In mid-career, it's time to focus on professional retraining . Recruiting profiles from other sectors and offering them appropriate training can prove effective in overcoming the shortage of skilled workers.

📌 The Michelin Group has set up a training program to transform some of its production operators into specialized technicians. This initiative enabled them to reduce their reliance on external recruitment and enhance the value of in-house skills.

Solution 4: use the right recruitment tools

In a tight job market, recruitment can no longer be limited to posting vacancies on a job board in the hope that talent will come knocking. ☝️ Companies need to equip themselves with the right recruitment tools to optimize every stage of the process.

ATS: an indispensable ally for managing applications

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can :

automate CV sorting,
organize interviews,
and centralize all interactions between human resources and candidates.

It's a great tool for saving time and ensuring smooth follow-up of applications.

Artificial intelligence for better talent sourcing

Capable of analyzing millions of profiles in record time, AI is revolutionizing recruitment by helping companies find the rare pearl more quickly. Software can also assess candidates' compatibility with a position, or even write optimized job descriptions.

Some tools go even further, offering chatbots to interact with candidates and provide instant answers.

📌 LinkedIn Recruiter and HireVue use AI to suggest qualified profiles based on a company's needs.

Tests and assessments to better predict performance

The CV is no longer enough to assess a candidate. More and more companies are using skills tests, behavioral assessments and situational simulations to ensure that the profile matches their expectations.

Programmatic recruitment to target the right profiles

Rather than waiting for unsolicited applications, programmatic recruitment uses algorithms to broadcast personalized ads on websites, social networks and specialized platforms. The result? More precise targeting and better candidate conversion.

Why adopt these tools?

Time savings: AI helps automate time-consuming tasks (sorting CVs, tracking candidates, scheduling interviews) so that human resources can focus on other projects.
Improved quality of recruitment: thanks to more precise assessment tools, companies have a better chance of finding a candidate who is a perfect match for the position to be filled.
Improved experience for all: on the other side of the fence, candidates generally appreciate the rapid interactions offered by AI. They can apply in just a few minutes.

💡 To remember: Companies that integrate these technologies into their recruitment process significantly increase their ability to recruit interesting profiles.