Theatre for Employment: when the stage replaces the CV
Taking to the stage to land a job, the idea may seem surprising, but it once again proved its worth on Wednesday morning at the Théâtre La Chapelle, as part of the third edition of “ Théâtre vers l’emploi ”, an initiative organised by France Travail.
Faced with eight employers offering 25 vacancies in sectors as varied as retail, hospitality, construction, maintenance, accountancy, social services and even the emergency services, 35 jobseekers took on an unusual challenge: introducing themselves through improvised theatre. For Keezy Pierre-Justin, director of the France Travail agency, the exercise helps to reveal qualities that are often difficult to discern during a traditional interview. “Being yourself, showing spontaneity and daring to express yourself are often the best ways to win over an employer,” she said by way of introduction to this rather special morning. Whilst theatre was uncharted territory for many, they were able to rely on Audrey Duputié, the theatre’s director, to guide them through a series of exercises designed to break the ice and take them out of their comfort zones. The stage is, in fact, a place where anything is possible and where fear, failure and risk no longer exist. That is the magic of theatre. Nevertheless, the challenge was not an easy one for everyone during these workshops, where three teams – ‘commerce and sales’, ‘administration’, ‘Construction and Landscaping’ – took turns on stage; each candidate had to improvise and interact with the others for an hour on a theme related to their career aspirations.
On stage, participants gradually loosened up. The more reserved gained confidence, whilst the more hesitant finally plucked up the courage to give it a go. Through a series of role-plays, participants learnt to showcase their skills, practise speaking in public and gain self-assurance. Following the improvisation, the jobseekers took part in a ‘job dating’ session, which, thanks to their performance on stage, proved far simpler than if it had been conducted in the more traditional way behind a desk. Having shared laughter, emotions and challenges on stage, conversations with recruiters flowed much more naturally. Candidates were able to hand out as many CVs as they wished and chat with the employers present. For those who did not immediately find the role they were looking for, support will continue. France Travail will provide personalised follow-up to help each participant turn this experience into a genuine career opportunity. By 2025, this initiative had helped fill 18 of the 20 vacancies on offer.
