3,039,000 recruitments are planned for 2023. This is the strong and important figure announced this Friday morning by Stéphane Ducatez, Deputy Managing Director in charge of networks at Pôle emploi, during the presentation of labor needs (BMO ). Even if there is a slight drop compared to last year – minus 7,000 hiring intentions -, we remain at high levels.
Three establishments out of 10 intend to recruit and, in 72% of cases, for long-term jobs (permanent or fixed-term contracts of six months or more). This dynamic is particularly driven by companies with fewer than 50 employees and especially even by those with fewer than 10 employees. The large groups, which hired a lot in 2022, are on the back foot this time around. But this presentation is also an opportunity to zoom in on professions in tension and employment pools.
The hotel and catering industry still at the forefront of recruitment
With some 29,900 recruitment projects, catering is by far the leading sector that will recruit this year. An increase of 8.3% compared to last year. Behind, the car repair trades follow with 4,000 projects (+ 10% versus 2022). But viticulture, picking, personal assistance, kitchen employees or maintenance workers also occupy the top of the ranking of the most sought-after professions. There are also road drivers, such as engineers or all research and development in computer science. Technological and manual trades are in high demand and the range of choices is very wide.
We also note that six recruitment intentions out of 10 are planned in services with in particular 38.3% (+ 1.8%) for services to individuals and 23.6% (-0.3%) for services to businesses. Trade is at 12.2% (-3.1%), industry at 9.3% (+ 0.8%), construction at 8.6% (-1.5%) and agriculture to 8.1% (-4.5%).
Big regional disparities
The Normandy region and Centre-Val-de-Loire are at the forefront of hiring intentions with a planned increase of more than 10%. Brittany, Occitanie, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes should experience a slight increase, between 0 and 4%.
Ile-de-France, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Pays de la Loire are more struggling for recruitment intentions with figures of -4 to 0%. The Hauts-de-France and the Grand Est are in the red with a fall of at least 4% for this year.
Recruitment still considered difficult
For employers, 61% of recruitments are considered difficult – compared to 50% in 2019 and 32.4% in… 2005 – and even 65% for the hotel and catering industry. “It’s a sector that hires a lot and has made great progress in recent years,” says Stéphane Ducatez. Even if the profession organizes itself to attract and improve working conditions as well as remuneration.
Among the trades in which it is the most difficult to find collaborators, we find roofers, boilermakers, but also the whole sector of personal assistance, pharmacists, doctors or nurses, without forgetting transport drivers in commmon. The reasons ? An insufficient number of candidates, unsuitable profiles or the working conditions offered. Remuneration and competition between companies are also singled out.