Linear career paths are becoming less common. More people are exploring career changes, switching sectors, moving internally within companies, or returning to education, leading to more fluid professional journeys. According to the Centre Inffo barometer, in 2025, 18 percent of employees were preparing for a career change. Overall, 47 percent of employees were either actively changing careers or considering it, and 34 percent planned to change jobs within two years. These shifts are reshaping how career paths are viewed. Skills gained in one field can be valuable in another, and experiences such as volunteering, associative work, or training can add depth to a candidate’s profile, even if they aren’t immediately visible. As a result, a degree or job title no longer always fully reflects a candidate's abilities in a new profession. Employers are adapting their selection criteria to accommodate these evolving career paths. According to France Travail, in 2025, 74 percent of recruiters facing hiring difficulties accepted candidates with less experience than expected, and 63 percent hired people from different educational backgrounds than originally planned. This shift involves not just accepting more applications but rethinking what a candidate can bring. France Travail differentiates between "recruitment by the job," which focuses on degrees and experience, and "recruitment by skills," which emphasizes knowledge, abilities, and attitudes relevant to the role. Tools like tests, scenarios, and simulations allow for a more direct evaluation of qualities such as adaptability, learning ability, and interpersonal skills, especially for candidates whose career histories don’t align with traditional profiles. At MAIF, a French insurance company, the focus is on people and skills rather than degrees or academic backgrounds. Nearly 1,800 hires are made each year, 98 percent in permanent positions. For customer service roles, qualities like empathy, adaptability, and commercial aptitude are prioritized. This emphasis on aptitudes is reflected in the selection process, where 30 percent of hires are made without a CV, particularly for sales advisors. Instead of traditional resumes, MAIF uses tools like Maki People, a platform that includes a 17-minute test assessing commercial aptitude and learning ability, followed by a voice note evaluating oral expression. Candidates rate this process an average of 8.6 out of 10, with 91 percent preferring it to traditional hiring methods. MAIF also employs the Method of Recruitment by Simulation (MRS), developed by France Travail, which uses exercises to evaluate necessary skills rather than relying on degrees or experience. In 2025, 433 candidates were contacted through this method, and 129 were hired, leading to a more diverse workforce across different ages, professions, and sectors. While tools like MRS help reduce biases linked to personal information or career history, the final hiring decision remains human, emphasizing motivation, individuality, and interactions with recruiters. Additionally, MAIF supports skill development through initiatives like Campus Dev, a training program with Simplon that helps job seekers and career changers gain qualifications without prior technical or academic prerequisites. The program, held in Niort, leads to a professional title equivalent to a bachelor's degree plus three years. The first cohort in 2024-2025 had a high completion rate, with 91 percent graduating and 75 percent being hired in MAIF’s Dev Team. This approach reflects a broader inclusion policy, with MAIF committed to diversity, gender equality, disability inclusion, and support for caregivers and parents. By focusing on skills and potential rather than past career paths, MAIF aims to expand opportunities and better identify candidates’ future capabilities.