pierre424266
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]How to choose the right freelancers for your projects?
Your business is experiencing a Peak growth : this is good news. But You lack resources to cope with this growth. Stéphanie and Isidore, your closest collaborators, cannot cope with this Work overload, despite all their good will.
You have identified New Opportunities that can enrich your offer, but Stéphanie and Isidore are idiots of this new activity.
In order to develop a Specific project, You need technical expertise, operational know-how immediately, which is lacking in the poor Stéph' and Iz'.
To meet these needs, you need a flexibility and a competence that you can't find among your employees. Don't panic You can use an independent consultant ! The Freelance experts there is no shortage of them on the job market, and there have never been so many of them: in 2018, INSEE estimates that there were 2.8 million freelancers, up 25% in fifteen years, i.e. 10 times faster than the salaried population!
This workforce is a good solution for projects where the creation of a permanent contract is not necessary, and at a cost lower than the daily rates charged by consulting firms (see article: Daily Rates in the Council).
But who should you entrust with the subcontracting of a project with high strategic value in your eyes? In other words, how do you select the right independent consultant?
Don't panic, you'll find the rare pearl. Roll up your sleeves, and follow these steps
Determine the project precisely
This is a necessary step to find the right match between your needs and the subcontractor. Do you want to outsource a function for a given time, strengthen a team with a technician on a particular project, call on a specific expert?
To see more clearly, it is necessary to:
Define in detail the contours of the project, the means implemented and the expected results: this clear vision will be useful to both you and your future consultant
Establish a schedule in which the project will be carried out: to help you time the project well, you can rely on the completion of similar past projects
To make a budget: determining how much your company can invest in this project will help you choose your freelancer accordingly
Anticipate possible challenges: you must assess the political, legal and systemic hazards that could hinder or slow down the success of the project. It is in your interest that your future consultant knows them
You will then synthesize this work bywriting : the document thus drafted will serve as a roadmap and will be communicated to freelance candidates.
Determine the profile of the independent consultant
The consultant will need to be adapted to your project, both in terms of experience and skills, and in terms of their ability to work with your organization:
Determine the necessary skills: here you draw up a typical profile of the desired consultant, both in terms of his academic training, his technical and computer knowledge, and his knowledge of your sector of activity
Determine at which hierarchical and organizational levels the consultant will be involved: will he or she report directly to Stéphanie and Isidore, or will he or she work with more junior employees? Your freelancer will have to speak the same language as his interlocutors. This implies that he has a similar level of experience to these, allowing him to communicate effectively with them
Determine who will work with the consultant: if the realization of the project involves working with your teams, it will be necessary that his way of working, or even his management style, corresponds to those of his "colleagues" for this mission. Stéphanie and Isidore are open and nice, but they still have their little habits. If the mission is entirely the responsibility of the freelance consultant, it will be advisable to choose a profile that is used to working alone
Your company's culture should not be neglected in the choice of your consultant either: ideally there should be a cultural "match" between your company and your consultant. This will make it much easier to integrate with your teams. To caricature, Stéph' and Iz', a bit hipsters on the edges, will collaborate more easily with a bearded man in slim jeans and a lumberjack shirt than with an impeccable hairless man in a suit and tie
Where to find the consultant:
Generalist or specialized platforms: online platforms offering many freelancer profiles have multiplied in recent years. These platforms can just as easily be generalist, such as Malt and Comatch (more relevant examples?), or positioned on specific businesses. This is the case, for example, of Kang (design, graphic design), Crème de la crème (technology), WEEM (management and strategy), Kicklox (developers)
Your network: the call for applications can be made via a publication on your website and on social networks. Word of mouth can also be a real asset in finding your subcontractor. Making a few phone calls costs nothing and can allow you to "source" potential candidates
Call on a service provider: faced with the rise of self-employed workers, the profession of Chief Freelance Officer is emerging. Halfway between HR and purchasing functions, this new job ensures the coordination of freelancers' activities on behalf of companies. The job can be subcontracted to a service provider, such as Comet, a start-up that connects freelance developers and companies. If your business requires working with a large number of freelancers, it may be relevant to equip yourself with solutions that allow you to manage your freelancers (Stafiz for example!).
Selection of the consultant
Sending your document to candidates presenting the project will allow A first self-selection : theoretically, only candidates who recognize themselves in your description will apply. Once you receive the applications, you can:
Study the application files to analyse the coherence of the candidate's background and validate their skills: you check their training, their professional background, in particular if the candidates have worked on projects similar to yours, in your sector of activity.
Make profiles more reliable: taking references from former managers and clients will reassure you about the candidate's reliability
Meet with candidates: Organizing one or more physical meetings, or telephone meetings (depending on the requirement of the assignment), will be beneficial in several ways. These exchanges will allow you to better gauge the personality of your candidate, to analyze his soft skills. It is also an opportunity for Stéphanie and Isidore, leaders on your project, to judge whether the freelance consultant suits them in terms of behavior and culture. Finally, it is an opportunity for the candidate to ask all his questions related to the mission, and thus to have the best understanding of it.
At the end of this process, you will be able to make your choice among the freelance candidates. Make sure that the lucky one is free of any commitment, and that you have the green light from your management or other decision-makers within your company. All you have to do is offer a contract to your consultant, and staff him on the project!
In conclusion, selecting a good consultant is not easy, and the process is similar in many respects to that of a Classic recruitment. Your project embodies your vision, or even your dream. It is therefore essential to be accompanied by the most appropriate people to guarantee its success. This method should contribute to this!
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