How to qualify the year 2022 for your practice?
Didier Perraudin: Fantastic. We recorded +30% turnover. But recruitment was more complicated in this context of a talent war. We received fewer unsolicited applications, so we conducted more headhunting. This pushes us to innovate to select talents outside of their CVs.
And 2023? What developments do you expect?
DP: Hard to say. In this anxiety-provoking climate, activity will undoubtedly slow down a little. The post-covid catch-up is in my opinion over. In volume, we therefore expect a slowdown because the number of positions linked to business growth will fall. In the wake of the tech giants who have set the tone in terms of employment, start-ups and scale-ups will be expensive. To this will be added the failures of companies which until then were holding on thanks to the State loans which they must now repay. Leaders want to be able to control their payroll and no longer pay salespeople who are moderately successful. Employers will keep the best and try to recruit even better salespeople.
Which sectors inspire you with confidence for recruitment in 2023?
DP: All sectors are looking for very good sales people. Only the unprofitable boxes will not recruit because investors will ask for an optimization of the forces present.
How will candidate and company expectations evolve in 2023?
DP: Candidates need to be taken care of during recruitment and onboarding. This is even more obvious among salespeople who demand a lot of training. However, it does not always respond quickly enough on the subject on the business side. The latter are still in a quantified performance approach. Those who will win the talent war are those who will know how to listen to the project, the drivers and the feelings of the candidates. On the subject, managers still have a lot of progress to make. In principle, one joins a company for a project and one leaves it because of a manager. Salespeople are even more sensitive than others to these management issues.
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What notable changes in recruitment processes in 2023?
DP: We need to be able to take into account previously ignored data. By running AI-based tests, we now assess candidates’ temperament and soft skills more closely. This allows us to identify candidates whose personality and potential do not necessarily show on a CV.
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More open to senior candidates?
DP: Structurally, the employment of seniors is complicated in France. At the firm, we are not magicians either, but things will change. The image of the more dynamic and progressive young person is not true. Generation Z is less committed to work. For them, the value of work is relative. This is not the case for people over 50. As a result, young people sometimes disappoint.
More openings for executives who want to change sectors?
DP: For salespeople, inter-sector gateways are entirely possible. On very technical sales cycles, this is a little less true.
Looking back, has the health crisis changed the skills required of executives?
DP: With the development of telecommuting, employers check the ability of candidates to know how to work alone, away from the rest of the team. For me, a full remote sales force is heresy. Sales teams need to see each other to work well together.
What questions are candidates asking that they weren’t asking before?
DP: They no longer have any embarrassment about asking us about material benefits and the level of remuneration because the market is favorable to them. They clearly display their selection criteria. They also obviously mention questions of flexibility at work.
Do you have a favorite question for candidates that you haven’t asked before?
DP: I am interested in the candidate’s projects and drivers. Better to recruit a candidate for whom this is the job of his dreams even if his previous experience does not necessarily plead in his favor. Indeed, he will undoubtedly be more committed in the long term than another candidate who would be just in phase with the expectations of the position.
What better strategy to achieve a wage gap in 2023? stay ? leave ? to come back ? form ?
DP: Evolve! Candidates who change company every two years miss out on certain levels, in my opinion. So of course, they take +10% salary each time, but in the long term this strategy is not sustainable. To make a salary gap it is better to evolve internally towards management or executive positions. In short, focus on the opportunities offered by the social ladder.
Uptoo in numbers
- 2500 recruitments in 2022
- 90 consultants
- 2022 turnover: 30 million euros
