Pôle Emploi, the French government agency that registers unemployed people, is being criticised for holding job interviews inspired by reality singing competition shows like The Voice.

According to Street Press, footage emerged of a set-up identical to the competition reality TV show The Voice, where a jobseeker is standing in front of a table of recruiters from Pôle Emploi with their backs turned. Pôle Emploi called the interview, "This is the job" with the slogan of “Be the best candidate”. The interview had specifically designed logos for the show and included buzzers that the recruiters could press if they liked the interview.

FranceTVinfo says that this type of job interview has been held in at least eight Pôle emploi agencies in recent months. Jobseekers were told of the process beforehand and they voluntarily accepted the interview.

According to Connexion France, several unemployment associations have heavily criticised the practice, saying that it is humiliating for jobseekers to be put through such a staged event.

Jean-Manuel Gomes, manager of the CFDT (French Democratic Confederation of Labour) Union, commented, “What’s next? Will they organise a circus event tomorrow? Will they make us fight lions and whoever wins gets the job?”

“Is this really the society that we want? Is this how we’re doing it? One job for 15 people, and this is what is offered? No, this is not at all acceptable,” Gomes said.

In a statement, Pôle Emploi said that “taking tools from the world of entertainment was clumsy”, but added that all interviewees were told about the event beforehand, and voluntarily agreed to take part.

It said the event was the latest in a series of “non-harmful” attempts to make job-hunting more enticing for the unemployed, with other similar “recruitment innovations” having taken inspiration from other immersive games. For several years, the group said it has tested many innovative recruitment formulas such as simulation interviews, sports or adventure games.

Pôle Emploi told Le Figaro that some jobseekers found work with this method and that it believes these experiments can make it possible to “go beyond the CV" in order to fight discrimination and other hiring obstacles.