Recruiting disadvantaged minorities in France
Companies in France have begun scouring the country’s minority communities for untapped talent, as changing markets make a diverse work force a valuable asset. But beyond the business benefits, the effort could help ease the economic disparities that were a major factor in last year’s nationwide riots. Part of the problem is that affirmative action is considered by many in France to contradict the country’s deeply rooted egalitarian ideals. And while terms such as ‚diversity‘ and ‚minorities‘ are slowly entering public discourse, the French establishment firmly opposes introducing any sort of quota system in schools, companies or public administration.
So, many companies have taken it upon themselves to go straight to the source. French cosmetics firm L’Oreal SA has started sending managers to high schools to offer coaching on how to write resumes and behave during job interviews. Car maker PSA Peugeot Citroën SA is selecting some of its new hires through local unemployment agencies and community organizations in the so-called ‚banlieues‘. In another effort, France’s employer association and several of the country’s blue-chip companies held a job fair in a disadvantaged Parisian suburb. It aimed at finding hidden talent from areas recruiters usually disregard. Candidates were also assigned coaches to help them apply to entry-level positions. Sylviane Balustre d’Erneville, head of diversity issues at L’Oreal, says one of the biggest challenges of these ‚job and diversity‘ programs is persuading young people who live in the banlieue or didn’t go to top schools in Paris that high-profile companies aren’t off-limits. „They can’t imagine applying, or don’t dare to.“
