Prepare a career review that is useful to the employee
Preparing France’s career review (EPP): purpose, sourced deadline benchmarks, useful questions, written record and training follow-up.
A career conversation, not an evaluation
According to Service Public, the professional review (France’s entretien de parcours professionnel, or EPP) now replaces the former entretien professionnel. It notably covers the skills and qualifications used, the career path, training needs and career aspirations.
It does not evaluate job performance: performance goals and the review of the year’s work belong to the annual review, a separate process.
Deadlines: start from the rule, then check the situation
The table follows the Service Public page checked on February 20, 2026 (private sector). These benchmarks are not enough to calculate an individual deadline.
First summary review after hiring: may take place seven years after the first EPP, according to Service Public.
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First EPP
- General guideline from Service Public
- Within the year following entry into the company
- What to check in your file
- Start date and review actually held
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Periodic EPP
- General guideline from Service Public
- Every four years; an agreement can shorten this interval
- What to check in your file
- Applicable agreement and review history
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Summary review
- General guideline from Service Public
- Every eight years, based on length of service
- What to check in your file
- History, first summary review, procedures
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Return after certain leaves or breaks
- General guideline from Service Public
- EPP offered if no EPP in the previous twelve months
- What to check in your file
- Type of break and date of the previous EPP
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Specific career stages
- General guideline from Service Public
- Specific rules, notably at mid-career and end of career
- What to check in your file
- Situation, applicable texts, no undue collection of health data
What the employer should prepare
According to Service Public, the review takes place during working hours: explain its purpose in advance.
Plan for a contact person who can guide the employee, and a template focused on prospects, with no performance rating.
Give the employee questions they can prepare
The template helps discuss work and prospects with concrete examples, without asking the employee to justify their private life or disclose medical data.
A career aspiration can remain exploratory: it is not a commitment from the company.
Record the discussion and make the next steps clear
Plan for a report that faithfully reflects the discussion, and give the employee a copy.
Link needs to a decision process
According to Service Public, EPP conclusions can feed into the skills development plan. Each need must be qualified: goal, prerequisites, practical application, appropriate response.
Acceptance, refusal or another response, then scheduling and funding: these are separate steps. Tell the employee how the outcome will be explained to them.
What Upikajob helps you organize
With Upikajob, you prepare legally required reviews and track their completion according to your configuration; check the process, deadline criteria and data against your rules.
In a demo, we can start from a blank EPP template and a fictitious history.
Your checklist
Sources and references
To read the original texts and dig deeper at the source.
Helpful answers
Your questions, simply answered.
Pointers to assess your project and prepare the right questions.
All questionsDoes the annual review replace the EPP?
No. The annual review evaluates work; the EPP covers the employee’s career path and professional prospects.
Should old deadlines be carried over automatically?
No. Check start dates, history, agreements and applicable provisions: a former professional review schedule is not enough to establish current deadlines.
Does a need raised during the EPP automatically commit to training?
No. It must be reviewed through the chosen process, distinguishing the employee’s wish, the decision, funding and scheduling.
Where can I check the applicable rules?
The cited Service Public page sets out the general framework and refers to the legal texts; also review your collective agreement and your situation.
