“Today, recruited executives really have the luxury of choice” – Interview with Alexis Pariset

Alexis Pariset, Regional Director at Grant Alexander, a specialist in “headhunting,” answered questions from Franck Bensaid for Le Progrès, on the occasion of the Solutions RH trade show in Lyon, held from November 22 to 23 at the Lyon Convention Center.

At the end of this year, how is the executive recruitment market performing?

“We are in an extremely tight market; the demand for executive recruitment is exploding across all sectors and activities. There are several converging factors explaining this demand: there is the catch-up from 2020, strong activity supported by various government aids, and a boosted global demand, etc. We are seeing an acceleration of investment projects; money is circulating, projects are being financed. Regarding executive recruitment activity in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, activity is +10 to +20% higher compared to the second half of 2019. All sectors are affected. Executives specialized in digital are highly sought after, to accelerate digitalization in services, industry, and IT security, etc. Today, there is an executive shortage, and I believe we have about 30% fewer candidates compared to 2019. We are highly solicited, but our recruitment missions are taking longer because good candidates receive multiple offers. And some employers no longer hesitate to lure them away, make counteroffers, or propose career advancements. Today, recruited executives really have the luxury of choice.”

Are they taking advantage of this?

“Two or three years ago, we were seeing salary increases of +10%; today, companies offer recruited executives salaries 15 to 20% higher. In sectors such as accounting and finance, salaries are soaring; we can even imagine increases of 50% for highly sought-after profiles. Companies are also adapting, of course, to work flexibility, showing more flexibility as remote work, for example, is now an important factor in executives’ decision-making process. An executive who asks for more autonomy is increasingly seeking meaning, paying close attention to managerial quality and agility, and is becoming more sensitive to companies’ CSR strategies.”

Are companies therefore making greater efforts to recruit at all costs?

“Yes, they can indeed make more concessions than in the past. They are willing to compromise on technical expertise as long as they find the right soft skills, behavioral competencies, adaptability, alignment with the company’s strategic direction, and psychological and intellectual agility. In negotiations, companies are more willing to give ground today because they need to accelerate their transformations. Aware of the difficulties, they anticipate their recruitments. Today, the market is more accessible to senior professionals, and companies are more willing, in a context of executive scarcity, to hire those in their fifties. They must face digital transformation, energy transition, decarbonization, and the advent of the circular economy.”

Statements collected by Franck Bensaid for Le Progrès.