# Recruitment in France: difficulties and local initiatives > In early November 2026, recruiters face the expectations of Generation Z, against a backdrop where school and university blockades complicate the situation. On November 4, a thirty-something seeking an apprenticeship or job in accounting gave up after six months of applications and more than 1,093 submissions. On the same days, recruitment forums and promotional events were organized in agribusiness in Laon, Troyes, and Saône-et-Loire, as well as in industry in the Hautes-Pyrénées, Lillebonne, Château-Thierry, and Davézieux. A YouGov study for Indeed indicates that a bad hire can cost up to one year's salary, and a business owner denounces competition from France Travail in hiring. From November 10, the reduction of hiring subsidies makes it harder to secure an apprenticeship contract, while industrial and agribusiness sectors remain in search of talent. **In brief**: Ongoing story bringing together 23 events nationwide, followed from 25 October 2026 to 11 November 2026. 24 articles from 18 sources (economy, social, society); last updated on 11 November 2026 at 12:02. - Status: ongoing - Category: Economy, Social, Society - Place: Nationwide - First detected: 25 October 2026 at 10:56 - Updated: 11 November 2026 at 12:02 - Web page: https://acturadar.com/en/stories/110-recruitment-in-france-difficulties-and-local-initiatives ## Coverage angles The three sides cover the same employment issue but from different angles: the left highlights job destructions and pressure on employees, the centre prioritizes local recruitment initiatives and matching difficulties, and the right emphasizes the paradox of unfilled posts and candidate behaviour. **Common ground** - Director General of France Travail, Thibaut Guilluy, notes that 44% of companies face significant recruitment difficulties despite rising unemployment - The agribusiness sector sees recruitment needs and initiatives to promote careers - Local recruitment actions (forums, job dating, trade fairs) are organized in various regions **Differences** - The left highlights the 3,000 jobs threatened by agribusiness restructuring, an angle absent from provided right-wing articles - The right insists on the behaviour of younger generations and candidates as a barrier to recruitment, an angle not picked up by the left - The centre details territorial recruitment initiatives, while the left focuses on job cuts ## Timeline (23 events) ### 25 October 2026 — [Chômage à 8,3 % : 200 000 à 300 000 emplois resteraient non pourvus en France](https://acturadar.com/en/events/154-chomage-a-8-3-200-000-a-300-000-emplois-resteraient-non-pourvus-en-france.md) Le directeur général de France Travail indique que 44 % des entreprises rencontrent des difficultés de recrutement alors que le taux de chômage atteint 8,3 %. Les jeunes sont particulièrement touchés par la remontée du chômage, liée notamment à des problèmes d'orientation. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 26 October 2026 — [Ministry calls on employers to recruit apprentices without contracts](https://acturadar.com/en/events/906-ministry-calls-on-employers-to-recruit-apprentices-without-contracts.md) Many people enrolled in apprenticeships have not yet found a contract. The ministry in charge of apprenticeships is calling on employers to mobilize to take them in. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 26 October 2026 — [At least 3,000 jobs threatened in the food processing industry](https://acturadar.com/en/events/902-at-least-3-000-jobs-threatened-in-the-food-processing-industry.md) France's food processing industry is experiencing a wave of restructuring that threatens at least 3,000 jobs, with the Fnaf-CGT fearing a worsening due to the inflation crisis. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 27 October 2026 — [Le directeur général de France Travail souligne les difficultés de recrutement des entreprises](https://acturadar.com/en/events/1690-le-directeur-general-de-france-travail-souligne-les-difficultes-de-recrutement.md) Dans un entretien, Thibaut Guilluy note que 44 % des entreprises rencontrent d'importantes difficultés de recrutement malgré la hausse du chômage. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 28 October 2026 — [Recrutement : SIM Agences d'emploi adapte ses entretiens d'embauche](https://acturadar.com/en/events/3363-recrutement-sim-agences-d-emploi-adapte-ses-entretiens-d-embauche.md) Le directeur exécutif de SIM Agences d'emploi explique comment son réseau adapte les entretiens d'embauche, les demandeurs d'emploi se déplaçant de moins en moins en agence. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 29 October 2026 — [AI accentuates decline in youth hiring in France](https://acturadar.com/en/events/3444-ai-accentuates-decline-in-youth-hiring-in-france.md) Two surveys by ANDRH and the Bank of France point to a decline in junior recruitment and a transformation of tasks linked to the rollout of AI. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 30 October 2026 — [Public transport jobs must recruit 100,000 people by 2030](https://acturadar.com/en/events/4838-public-transport-jobs-must-recruit-100-000-people-by-2030.md) The public transport sector struggles to attract young people although it will need 100,000 recruits by 2030. The sector remains low on career aspirations despite its communication efforts. 2 sources, 2 articles · Nationwide ### 1 November 2026 — [Direct recruitment in the agrifood sector in Cambrai](https://acturadar.com/en/events/6213-direct-recruitment-in-the-agrifood-sector-in-cambrai.md) Agrifood giants are organizing direct recruitment at Cambrai town hall. 1 sources, 1 articles · Cambrai — Nord ### 2 November 2026 — [Recruiters facing Generation Z's expectations](https://acturadar.com/en/events/6797-recruiters-facing-generation-z-s-expectations.md) Employers are struggling to recruit young graduates deemed disengaged, while blockades of high schools and universities complicate the situation. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 4 November 2026 — [After 1,093 applications, a thirtysomething gives up on finding a work-study program](https://acturadar.com/en/events/8993-after-1-093-applications-a-thirtysomething-gives-up-on-finding-a-work-study.md) Nans, 39, looking for a work-study program or a job in accounting, gives up after six months of efforts and more than a thousand applications. 1 sources, 1 articles · Not located ### 4 November 2026 — [A forum to recruit in the agrifood sector in the Laon area](https://acturadar.com/en/events/8987-a-forum-to-recruit-in-the-agrifood-sector-in-the-laon-area.md) A forum was organized to showcase agrifood careers and meet recruiters in the sector in the Aisne department. 1 sources, 1 articles · Laon — Aisne ### 4 November 2026 — [First "Operation Pyrenees" job fair: 350 openings in industry and defense](https://acturadar.com/en/events/9844-first-operation-pyrenees-job-fair-350-openings-in-industry-and-defense.md) From November 17 to 19, an upcoming job fair aims to bring together candidates, industry and the armed forces around 350 recruitment needs in the Hautes-Pyrénées. 1 sources, 1 articles · Hautes-Pyrénées ### 4 November 2026 — [Troyes: promotion campaign for food industry jobs](https://acturadar.com/en/events/9817-troyes-promotion-campaign-for-food-industry-jobs.md) The Grand Est food industry sector, which includes nearly 1,800 companies and more than 33,000 jobs, is organizing a promotional event on Saturday in Troyes aimed at middle school and high school students. 1 sources, 1 articles · Troyes — Aube ### 5 November 2026 — [Lillebonne: A job dating for industry on November 19](https://acturadar.com/en/events/10025-lillebonne-a-job-dating-for-industry-on-november-19.md) A new Industry Job Dating is organized on November 19, 2026 at the Maison des compétences in Lillebonne, in the Caux Seine agglo area. 1 sources, 1 articles · Lillebonne — Seine-Maritime ### 5 November 2026 — [Château-Thierry: launch of industry month with Générations Emploi Futur](https://acturadar.com/en/events/10385-chateau-thierry-launch-of-industry-month-with-generations-emploi-futur.md) In Château-Thierry, the Générations Emploi Futur operation launched industry month, bringing together participants aged 16 to 25 and over 50 around industrial employment. 1 sources, 1 articles · Château-Thierry — Aisne ### 6 November 2026 — ["Forindustrie": 4,000 participants in the Grand Challenge for industrial careers](https://acturadar.com/en/events/11637-forindustrie-4-000-participants-in-the-grand-challenge-for-industrial-careers.md) From November 16 to December 4, the national "Forindustrie" Grand Challenge introduces students and job seekers to industrial careers, with 171 teams involved in the Grand Est region. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 7 November 2026 — [The food processing charcuterie sector innovates amid recruitment difficulties](https://acturadar.com/en/events/12609-the-food-processing-charcuterie-sector-innovates-amid-recruitment-difficulties.md) As part of the agri-food employment week, a focus on the charcuterie sector in Alsace, which is facing significant recruitment needs. 1 sources, 1 articles · Alsace — Bas-Rhin ### 7 November 2026 — [Recruitment: a bad hire can cost up to one year's salary](https://acturadar.com/en/events/12643-recruitment-a-bad-hire-can-cost-up-to-one-year-s-salary.md) According to a YouGov study for Indeed, a bad hire can be very costly for companies, costing up to the equivalent of one year's salary, and recruitment is still too focused on diplomas rather than skills. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 8 November 2026 — [Davézieux: companies recruiting during Industry Week](https://acturadar.com/en/events/13481-davezieux-companies-recruiting-during-industry-week.md) As part of Industry Week, companies in the Davézieux area are highlighting their recruitment needs in the region. 1 sources, 1 articles · Davézieux — Ardèche ### 9 November 2026 — [Un chef d'entreprise dénonce la concurrence de France Travail à l'embauche](https://acturadar.com/en/events/13995-un-chef-d-entreprise-denonce-la-concurrence-de-france-travail-a-l-embauche.md) Un auditeur chef d'entreprise affirme être en concurrence avec France Travail lorsqu'il cherche à recruter, dans un contexte de débat sur la hausse du Smic. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide ### 10 November 2026 — [L'agroalimentaire recrute lors de la Semaine nationale de l'emploi](https://acturadar.com/en/events/15170-l-agroalimentaire-recrute-lors-de-la-semaine-nationale-de-l-emploi.md) À l'occasion de la 6e Semaine nationale de l'emploi agroalimentaire, l'entreprise Daunat en Saône-et-Loire met en avant les postes à pourvoir dans un secteur en difficulté de recrutement. 1 sources, 1 articles · Saône-et-Loire ### 10 November 2026 — [Alternance : trouver un contrat d'apprentissage devient plus difficile](https://acturadar.com/en/events/16062-alternance-trouver-un-contrat-d-apprentissage-devient-plus-difficile.md) Après la décision de l'État de réduire les aides à l'embauche, décrocher un contrat d'alternance devient plus difficile, alors que près de 50 000 étudiants en ont bénéficié en 2025 en Pays de la Loire. 1 sources, 1 articles · Not located ### 11 November 2026 — [Une filière industrielle en quête de talents](https://acturadar.com/en/events/16377-une-filiere-industrielle-en-quete-de-talents.md) Reportage sur une filière industrielle française confrontée à des difficultés de recrutement et aux initiatives mises en place pour attirer des candidats. 1 sources, 1 articles · Nationwide --- Cite as: Acturadar, “Recruitment in France: difficulties and local initiatives”, https://acturadar.com/en/stories/110-recruitment-in-france-difficulties-and-local-initiatives Methodology: https://acturadar.com/en/methodology