A recruitment agency or firm is a type of company whose goal is to help its clients recruit employees or help employees find recruiters.
Recruitment agencies in France can be generalists or they can specialize in recruitment for a particular field.
A recruitment firm works by looking for applications in their own databases, or in external databases, called CV Databases, generally hosted by job boards.
The main innovation comes from the new entirely “online” firms which make it possible to connect the recruitment needs of companies with a large community of recruiters (professional or occasional) at a lower cost.
The biggest problem with France’s job market is not a lack of jobs, but the lack of skills among workers.
With 200,000 vacant positions, jobs such as machine operators, butchers, carpenters, and computer engineers, this could mean good news for skilled expat workers.
Despite all of this, France’s unemployment rate is actually better than it has been in the past ten years.
Working in France
Living and working in the third-largest country in Europe has its perks as well as its challenges. Despite having the third-largest economy in the continent, it suffers unemployment issues.
Special sectors are lacking in the workforce like IT, health, and engineering. So finding a job in any of these sectors shouldn’t be that difficult.
Key players in the French economy include tourism, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, transportation, and technology.
The country is known for its luxury, fashion and cosmetics industries.
35 hours a week is standard in France. It was introduced with the aim of improving the standard of living. You also have the right to take 30 days (5 weeks) of paid leave in a 12-month and 11 public holiday period.
In 2017, the “Separation Rights” law was introduced, prohibiting companies with more than 50 employees from sending business emails and messages during off-hours.
In other words, in everything you do, you can expect to work in a clear formal environment. Moving on to why you are on this page, let us look at the top recruitment agencies in France.
The List of Top recruitment Agencies in France
France’s unemployment rate is actually better than it has been in the past ten years.
It has decreased to 9%. If you do manage to find a job in France, social security benefits will make it all worth the effort.
As a potential employee, these are some of the recruitment agencies you should consider. Recruiters can also consider these agencies to take care of their staffing needs.
1001 Talents
Founded in 2004, 1001 talents is a company specializing in recruitment in High Tech, industry, health, tourism, and BtoB services.
Location: 76 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris, France
Phone number: +33 1 42 70 34 12
Abaka
Abaka is a recruitment agency that offers recruitment, development and advice. They do executive search, sourcing, and headhunting.
Their areas of expertise include agrifood, banking and finance, industry and logistics, digital and IT, energy and engineering, social and solidarity economy, distribution and trade, communities and institutions, service and consulting, property development, and building.
It has four locations in France:
- Paris
- Rennes
- Nantes
- Vannes
Location: 140 bis rue de Rennes
75006 Paris
Phone number: 02 99 52 56 74
Website: abaka.fr
Acavi
ACAVI is a company specializing in Human Resources for companies in the Life Sciences, Chemistry, and Materials sectors. This firm has 2 offices in Paris and Lyon.
It is one of the best-specialized recruitment agencies in France.
- Location: 75, bd Haussmann F-75008 Paris
- Phone number: +33 (0)6 26 34 37 58
- Location: 3, rue Stella F-69002 Lyon
- Phone number: +33 (0)4 72 40 46 70
- Website: acavi.fr
Accetis
For more than 20 years. Accetis International responds to all human resources issues and relies on an integrated network of offices and subsidiaries around the world.
With its international experience, it is one of the leading recruitment firms in France.
It specializes in High Tech, health, tourism and many other sectors.
Location: 25 Rue Anatole France, 92300 Levallois-Perret, France
Phone number: +33 1 47 56 28 00
Accile
Accile, a media, web, and digital recruitment firm offer support services for CV recruitment and sourcing, HR support, and managerial and commercial training.
Constantly evolving since its creation in 2001, ACCILE is a recruitment and human resources development firm that loves challenges and is passionate about the issues of its clients. Its sectors include marketing, IT, and digital.
- Location: 55 Rue de la République, 69002 Lyon, France
- Phone number: +33 4 72 41 06 85
- Website: accile.com
ACL Partners
ACL Partners is a commercial recruitment firm that provides job offers in Marketing, Digital Communication, etc.
They give access to strategic information to guide your career. You can benefit from their expert monitoring of your markets, be accompanied throughout the recruitment process, your aspirations listened to, and your desires matched with that of companies you stand a chance with.
- Location: 44/46 Rue de la Bienfaisance, 75008 Paris, France
- Website: aclpartners.fr
Agora
Since its creation almost 40 years ago, Agora Search has always cultivated circularity, the diversity of inspirations and models, and the sharing of experience and efficiency.
With its network and international experience, it is one of the best firms and recruitment agencies in France.
Their specialties include High Tech, Industry, tourism, and others.
- Location: 18 Rue Volney 75002 Paris
- Phone number: 01 53 30 78 78
- Website: agorasearch.com
Alphea Consulting
With more than 200 recruitments per year from brands in the housing, furnishing, and fitted kitchen sectors, they are fully aware of the expectations of companies.
It is one of the best recruitment offices in France.
- Location: 4 rue Georges Auric
- 26000 VALENCIA
- Phone number: 0671550718
- Website: alphea-conseil.fr
Approach People Recruitment
Approach People Recruitment is a renowned recruitment agency. With more than 20 years of experience, its international presence and its knowledge of the main European employment markets have come to be respected.
It operates in other countries like Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
Its industries are Digital IT, Sales, Marketing, Business Support, Management, Finance, Engineering, and more.
- Phone number: +33 1 73 44 31 30
- Website: approachpeople.com
Baten Borch
Batenborch combines quality and speed. They look out for the best candidates, high performers with ad hoc skills, capable of working in a team in any organization.
They recruit candidates with credentials in High Tech, management, industry, health, tourism, and other sectors.
- Phone number: +33 1 56 26 59 60
- Email: info@batenborch.fr
- Website: batenborch.com
Business Activ
Created by recruitment professionals in 2008, Business Activ has established itself as a benchmark in the IT employment sector, particularly in the search for high IT potential.
With many years of experience in the IT employment sector, they know and approach the most interesting profiles.
Location: Le pré Carron II, 59 chemin du Moulin Carron, 69570 Dardilly, France
- Phone number: +33472191916
- Website: business-activ.fr
Cabinet Walter
Organized to handle more than a hundred assignments per year, they are particularly specialized in recruiting General Management positions, senior executives, sales representatives with a specific profile, or even experts in their specific fields.
They are seen in the high tech, tourism, and health sectors among others.
- Location: 21 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France
- Phone number: +33156036524
- Website: cabinet-walter.com
CCLD Recruitment
CCLD Recruitment is a commercial recruitment firm that provides you with job offers in the sectors of trade and distribution, industry, accounting and finance, support functions, IT/Digital, and franchising and entrepreneurship.
- Location: 200 Av. Jean Jaurès, 69007 Lyon, France
- Phone number: +33811369440
- Website: ccld.com
Vollekindt Recruitment
Founded in 1995 by Patrick Vollekindt, the firm specializes in the agri-food industry, consumer products, food distribution and upstream, industry, and agro-supply trading.
- Location: 6 Rue Hersart de la Villemarque, 35000 Rennes, France
- Phone number: +33299304646
- Website: vollekindt-recrutement.fr
Elitis Search
With an experience of over 18 years, Elitis is one of the best recruitment firms in France.
Their clients come from very different sectors and company sizes from the CAC 40 to La Start-Up.
- Location: 20 Rue d’Armenonville, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
- Phone number: +33153201970
- Website: elitis.com
Cabinet de recrutement ERIVA RH
Founded in 2007 by Joël VASSAL, ERIVA RH is an independent firm based in Saint-Etienne whose vocation is to offer a global range of Human Resources services to SMEs, ETIs, Groups, Associations, and Institutions.
They specialize in General Management, Management, Commercial Function, Marketing, Administration, Finance, IT, and Production.
- Location: 10 Rue du Plt des Glières, 42000 Saint-Étienne, France
- Phone number: +33477202626
- Website: eriva-rh.com
Finance Recruitment
A recruitment and temporary work firm (interim and transition assignments) exclusively serving the professions of Accounting, Management Control, Chartered Accountants, Statutory Auditors, and Payroll.
- Location: 46, Place Charles de Gaulle
- Building Lancel
- 59800 Lille
- Phone number: 0320550434
- Website: finance-recrutement.fr
Guarani
With its 8 offices in France and nearly 9 years of experience in the field of IT and engineering, Guarani is one of the best recruitment agencies in France, when it comes to IT.
They are a team made up of experienced entrepreneurs, full of ideas and energy, who for eight years have been supporting companies in their digital service needs.
- Location: 7 Quai Jean Moulin
- 69001 LYON
- Phone number: 04 72 27 23 00
- Website: guarani.fr
H&D Conseil
HD Conseil is a fairly recent recruitment office in France in the field of recruitment and Coaching.
They operate in the areas of recruitment, consulting, and coaching.
- Location: Rue Saulnier 75009 Paris
- Email: contact@hdconseil.com
- Website: hdconseil.com
ImpactUp
With 20 years of experience in the recruitment and management of sales and marketing teams, Pascal Larue created his recruitment and sales outsourcing firm in 2005.
They have accompanied large companies and SMEs in the context of recruitment and consulting missions.
They are specialists in commercial and marketing functions.
- Location: Wework building,
- 64-66 rue des Archives,
- 75003 PARIS
- Phone number: +33(0) 1 87 44 47 17
- Website: impactup.com
Kenseo Human Resources
With 17 years of professional experience in several fields, Kenseo is one of the top recruitment agencies in France.
At Kenseo, professionals work in synergy to bring more added value to candidates and customers.
Their attitude and functioning are resolutely collaborative between the firm’s experts as well as with their candidate and client partners.
Their sectors include High Tech, BtoB Services, Industry, Health, and Tourism.
- Location: 54 Cr Lafayette, 69003 Lyon, France
- Phone number: +33478651414
- Website: kenseo.fr
Labeille Conseil
Since its creation in 1993, the firm Labeille Conseil has acted for the benefit of people and companies.
It has recognized know-how in recruiting and evaluating executives and managers, as well as proven effectiveness in management consulting and team support.
Their specialties include high tech, BtoB services, management, human resources, hospitality, distribution, and E-commerce.
- Location: 34, Boulevard Henri IV 75004 Paris
- Phone number: + 33 (0)1 44 54 26 26
- Website: labeille-conseil.fr
Lincoln Group
Lincoln, created in 1992, is an international and independent human resources consulting firm.
It is one of the best recruitment agencies in France and internationally.
They specialize in financial services, private equity, consulting, legal, tax and compliance, real estate, healthcare and life sciences, technologies, industrial, and consumer and retail services.
Website: lincoln-group.fr/accueil/
Maesina International Research
Maesina is a recruitment and assessment agency for executives and managers, they have specialized for more than 40 years in marketing, sales, and digital functions.
- Location: 70, rue de Villiers
- 92300 Levallois-Perret
- Phone number: +33141437000
- Email: maesina@maesina.com
- Website: maesina.com
NK International Consultancy
NK conseil international is a recruitment firm specializing in senior executives and atypical profiles and proceeds exclusively by direct approach. They specialize in most top sectors.
Website: nkconseil.com
Orma Consulting
Created in 1993, the firm has been supporting for more than 25 years a diversified clientele made up of local authorities, institutional bodies, large companies in the private or public sector, SMEs/SMIs, within varied and evolving environments on the national territory.
Its sectors of activity include but are not limited to high tech, management, human resources, finance, etc.
- Location: Cap Sud Business Center
- 345 rue Pierre Seghers, 84000 AVIGNON
- Phone number: +33490870600
- Website: orma-conseil.com
CAP Recruitment
Specialist in the fields of ICT and telecommunications, and with nearly 22 years of experience in the field, this company is one of the top recruitment agencies in France.
They specialize in IT, telecom, and ICT.
- Location: 8 rue des Fabres
- 13001 Marseille
- Phone number: +33825892560
- Website: pac.jobs
Progress Associates
Progress is one of the leaders in France for the search for executives and directors by direct approach.
Created more than 30 years ago, this network is present in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas and has 52 offices in 34 countries.
It is one of the 10 largest direct approach recruitment consulting networks in the world.
They specialize in finance, management, human resources, telecommunications, and distribution.
- Location: 2, rue de la Paix
- 75002 Paris, France
- Phone number: +33 (0)1 53 45 16 45
- Website: progress-associes.com
RH Partners
At RH Partners, for more than 30 years, they have been creating the conditions for the commitment and performance of the women and men of the company.
They operate across several sectors with around 35 locations.
Website: rh-partners.com
Winch Expert
Their network of experts accompanies you at each key moment of your journey and your challenges in the HR transformation process of tomorrow.
With a foothold across several sectors and industries, they hold a place as a major player and one of the top recruitment agencies in France.
Website: winch.expert
Getting a Job in France
As we said at the beginning of the article, France’s employment rate is fair.
Though it’s costly to hire new staff and much more costly to lay off one due to certain legal practices.
However, with our list of recruitment agencies, we have given you a tilt in advantage as you go about your job search.
Can I get a job in France without speaking French?
Honestly, it’s quite difficult to get a job if you are not fluent in the French language. You can still find jobs as an English speaker, but even if you do, we recommend you start working on your French-speaking skill.
It gives you an edge in an already competitive world. At the very least, get a B2 level in the language. We wish you good luck!