Dear Job Doctor,

In my current job search I encounter more and more fixed-term offers (CDD) rather than permanent positions (CDI). Is this a growing trend in the Grand Duchy, and what are the reasons behind the shift?

There can be a number of reasons why an employer may choose to offer a CDD rather than a CDI contract, such as maternity leave cover or an immediate need where there is no time to wait for someone’s notice period.

According to Julie Noirhomme, director at Adecco/Ajilon, Luxembourg’s and the world’s largest provider of interim staff and part of the same group as my firm, “the recent increase in the use of CDDs for professional staff is mainly due to the shift in local head-count accountability to the companies’ head office outside of Luxembourg. Although they have the budget, they must not show an increase in their headcount and a CDD is not counted.”

As a result of economic uncertainty some businesses are currently organising themselves around short-to-medium projects which has an impact on long-term human resource hiring considerations in certain functions.

The use of interim (white collar) professionals in Luxembourg is still underdeveloped; those in the staffing and recruitment industry recognise that the interim market has not matured like other European countries, in particular the UK and the Netherlands. 

An interim position can be an enriching experience and some people are choosing an interim career over a permanent position. The somewhat negative perception of interim professionals is also (slowly) changing in Luxembourg and firms are now taking advantage of the knowledge, the flexibility and the objectivity an interim professional can provide.

It is likely the number of CDD positions will continue to increase in particular industries and functional areas as the Luxembourg employment market matures and the economic pressures persist.

If a CDI is still your objective, a CDD role on your CV can still provide a better level of consistency and employability than doing nothing at all.

Darren Robinson is managing director of Badenoch & Clark Luxembourg, the largest staffing and recruitment firm in the Grand Duchy.

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