Mutual benefit groups, assistance companies, bancassurance subsidiaries, insurance intermediaries, general agents, brokers… All branches together, insurance companies employ more than 250,000 people in France. A figure that has increased by 2% with 17,000 recruitments in 2021 and a fundamental trend that should continue to be confirmed in 2022. In Brittany, the sector employs no less than 5,000 people and more than double in the Pays de la Loire.
A dynamic that is not without difficulties: as elsewhere, the sector is struggling to recruit new talent. Finance, sales, accounting, IT… “We recruit for all positions and there are many of them in our industry because it offers a very wide range of professions”, explains Alexis Meyer, director of the Social and Diversity Center in France Association of insurers, which includes 99% of the companies covered by the insurance code in France.
Finance, sales, management, IT…
Among the professions most in demand, Alexis Meyer mentions in particular those relating to customer relations and especially traveling sales. Positions open to commercial profiles from other sectors and available under professionalization contracts. “We also recruit in sedentary sales, claims management, contract management… As well as in all actuarial subjects, for which a master’s degree is also awarded at UBO in Brest”, adds Cathy Riffaut-Chesnel, head of the recruitment, training and diversity department at the association.
The actuary job, which consists of estimating the risk and defining the size of the insurance benefit, is also one of the most profitable jobs in the sector. More than 30% of actuaries thus exceed 48,000 euros in salary after only two years of seniority. Other salaried positions: Trade, where the fixed salary is usually supplemented with a variable part. “A good salesperson can achieve very attractive compensation levels,” stresses Alexis Meyer.
“We recruit at all ages”
Also highly sought after: support and cross-functional features. “There are a lot of offers in accounting and law, but also in IT, because the sector is very digitalised”, continues the director, who points out that 50% of the new recruits are directly employed on permanent contracts. “58% of recruitment concerns people under thirty, but we recruit at all ages, with particular emphasis on hiring seniors and with positions available from Bac + 2 level”, insists Alexis Meyer, citing in passing the high feminization rate of the profession, rising to more than 64% in Brittany.
To recruit, the sector is also increasingly turning to work studies, with 6,400 apprentices across the entire industry in 2021, an increase of 13% compared to 2020. It is also betting on communication with, in particular, via the platform jassuremonfutur.com , which allows you to discover all the insurance professions, the training courses to access them as well as the remuneration levels. Or the orientation fairs, such as the Studyrama fair, in Nantes, on 13 and 14 January.
