What is a career path interview?
The career path interview is a legally mandated meeting between the employee and the employer or their representative.
It aims to review :
- the employee's career path ;
- their skills and their evolution ;
- its training needs ;
- its prospects for professional development or career change ;
- the use of his personal training account (CPF) and the career development advice (CEP).
These measures are provided by Article L. 6315-1 of the Labour Code.
What is the difference between an annual performance review and a career development review?
The annual performance review focuses on the employee's performance, objectives, and results.
The career path interview covers career path, training, skills and professional development, including career change.
The two interviews are separate and cannot be merged, even if they can be scheduled on dates close together.
Did the law recently changed on this subject?
Yes. Law No. 2025-989 of October 24, 2025 has:
- amended article L. 6315-1 of the Labour Code ;
- replaced the professional interview with the career path interview ;
- modified the frequency of interviews and summary condition reports.
The reform has been in effect since October 26, 2025, with a grace period until October 1, 2026 for companies covered by an existing collective agreement on the subject.
When should the first career path interview be scheduled ?
The first career path interview must be scheduled within one year of the employee's hiring.
The employer must inform the employee of this right upon hiring, in accordance with Article L. 6315-1 of the Labour Code.
How often should career path interviews be organized?
In the absence of a specific collective agreement:
- a first interview within the year following hiring ;
- a career review interview every 4 years ;
- a summary inventory every 8 years.
A collective agreement at the company or industry level may adjust the frequency but without exceeding 4 years between two interviews.
What is the summary inventory at 8 years?
Every 8 years, the career review takes the form of a summary assessment.
This assessment verifies that, over the past 8 years, the employee benefited from all the career path interviews provided for in Article L. 6315-1, and has, at least:
- followed a training course ;
- acquired certification elements (through training or through VAE) ;
- or benefited from a salary or professional advancement.
The assessment results in a written document given to the employee.
Is a career path interview mandatory after maternity or parental leave?
Yes. The employer must offer a career path interview upon return from certain absences, including:
- maternity or adoption leave ;
- parental leave for education ;
- carer's leave ;
- sabbatical leave ;
- period of secure voluntary mobility ;
- long-term sick leave ;
- exercise of a trade union mandate.
This obligation exists if no interview has been organized in the 12 months preceding the takeover.
What is a mid-career review?
The mid-career interview is a specific career path interview organized within 2 months following the mid-career medical visit.
It allows you to:
- check the suitability of the workstation ;
- prevent occupational burnout ;
- identify training needs ;
- to discuss career development or retraining prospects.
What is the end-of-career path interview (before age 60)?
During the first career path interview, which takes place within the two years preceding the employee's 60th birthday, specific topics must be addressed:
- the conditions for maintaining employment;
- possible end-of-career arrangements (part-time work, phased retirement, job adaptation, change of duties, etc.).
Who should conduct the career path interview?
The interview must be conducted:
- by a hierarchical superior, or
- by a representative from management/human resources,
designated by the employer.
The interview takes place during working hours and results in a written report given to the employee.
What should a career path interview contain?
In accordance with Article L. 6315-1 of the French Labour Code, the interview covers, in particular:
- the skills used in the position and their prospects for development ;
- the employee's career path and their employment prospects ;
- training needs (current position, career progression, personal project) ;
- wishes for career development, mobility or retraining (skills assessment, VAE, professional transition projects) ;
- the possible use of the CPF and the Career Development Advisory Service (CEP).
Is the employer required to keep a record of career development interviews?
Yes. It is strongly recommended to:
- keep a written record for each interview ;
- keep a tracking table (dates, type of interview, follow-up actions, planned and completed training) ;
- integrate this data into the skills development plan and the BDESE, in particular for the information of the CSE.
What is the link between the professional path interview and the CPF?
The career path interview enables :
- to inform the employee about their rights to the Personal Training Account (Compte Personnel de Formation - CPF) ;
- to identify the relevant training courses for his/her career plan ;
- to discuss possible employer contributions to the CPF.
A company or industry collective agreement may define a framework, objectives and collective criteria for employer contributions to the CPF, in accordance with section III of article L. 6315-1 of the Labour Code.
What are the penalties if the employer does not comply with their obligations (companies with at least 50 employees)?
In companies with at least 50 employees, if, during the past 8 years, an employee:
- did not benefit from the career path interviews provided for in Article L. 6315-1,
and
- has not received at least one training course other than that required by Article L. 6321-2 of the French Labour Code,
then the employer must contribute to the employee's CPF, in accordance with Article L. 6323-13 of the Labour Code.
The same article L. 6315-1 specifies that the threshold of 50 employees is assessed according to article L. 130-1 of the Social Security Code.
In the event of non-payment or insufficient payment after formal notice, the employer may be forced to pay the Public Treasury a sum greater than the amount not paid (penalty).
What are the risks for an employer with fewer than 50 employees if they do not comply with these obligations?
In companies with fewer than 50 employees, there is no automatic legal mechanism for corrective top-up of the CPF.
However, in the event of a dispute, non-compliance with:
- Article L. 6315-1 of the Labour Code (interviews),
- and training obligations (articles L. 6321-1 et seq.),
may lead the labor court to order the employer to pay damages to the employee.
Can a collective agreement modify the professional development review system?
Yes. Paragraph III of Article L. 6315-1 of the French Labor Code allows a company collective agreement, or failing that, a sectoral collective agreement, to:
- define a framework, objectives and collective criteria for CPF funding ;
- provide other methods of assessing the employee's career path than the three legal criteria (training, certification, progression) ;
- adapt the frequency of career path interviews, within a maximum limit of 4 years between two interviews.
Existing agreements on professional path interviews must be renegotiated and brought into compliance with the law by October 1, 2026 at the latest.
How to best prepare for a career path interview (from the employee's perspective)?
The employee is advised to:
- take stock of its current missions and achievements ;
- identify his/her key skills and those to develop ;
- think about his/her professional projects (career development, mobility, career change) ;
- identify useful training courses, including certified ones, and consult his/her rights on Mon Compte Formation ;
- prepare a list of questions (internal mobility, VAE, CPF, professional transition projects, etc.).
How to best organize these interviews (from the employer's perspective)?
The employer has an interest in:
- establish a schedule for monitoring interviews over 8 years ;
- use a written interview template (sections and standard questions) ;
- train managers in conducting career path interviews ;
- centralize reports in a secure HR tool ;
- articulate the results with the skills development plan and the GPEC (forecast planning of jobs and skills).
