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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

How to Manage the Offboarding of IT Contractors in 7 Steps

How to Manage the Offboarding of IT Contractors in 7 Steps
Offboarding is often overlooked. In the case of the offboarding of independent IT contractors, the process downright nonexistent in most cases.

Offboarding is the set of initiatives put in place by an organisation to support an employee when they leave the company. While companies generally now have a well-defined onboarding process to make the best start of everyone’s time; offboarding is often overlooked. And, in the case of the offboarding of independent IT contractors, the process downright nonexistent in most cases.

However, the IT departments of large companies often call on a multitude of independent consultants. And it is strategic to manage their departure well. Especially since many IT freelancers work on long assignments. Sometimes under management, and they are therefore an integral part of the team in place.

It is very important to take care of the offboarding of an IT consultant, but how do you do it? What actions should be put in place to create an appropriate offboarding process for its IT freelancers? Here are the 7 key steps for a successful offboarding.

Also, read how to manage the onboarding of IT contractors in 5 steps

1. Offboarding of IT contractors: Communicate the departure of the consultant   

Successful offboarding begins with thoughtful communication. When the mission of your independent IT consultant comes to an end; it is important to announce their departure to all the teams involved. It is important to announce it as quickly as possible. Especially to the teams who will be most impacted by its departure. This gives the IT freelancer the feeling of having been fully integrated into the teams in the same way as a permanent employee, as well as the feeling of having been recognized as a full member of the project. 

This step allows the contractor’s interlocutors to say goodbye to him or her and create a starting human environment. It is also important to announce the departure of the IT consultant to any external service providers with whom he was in contact. 

2. Recognise the work done and thank IT contractor

After communicating the departure of the independent IT consultant, it is important to thank them for the work done. It is also important to highlight their time investment and skills development. Give them frank and constructive feedback so that they can improve in future missions. In most cases, a reference letter will be highly appreciated and will allow the IT freelancer to highlight their collaboration with you to land new assignments.

The freelancer will feel all the more recognized and valued for the work they have done while working for you. Do not hesitate to express your best wishes for the future as well as to have personal attention, the consultant will leave with the feeling of being appreciated. 

3. Organise and manage the handover during offboarding of the IT contractor

If your independent IT consultant leaves you to make way for a new consultant or passes the baton to someone in-house, it is crucial to organise the handover so that the freelancer can transmit all key information about their work and on the processes in progress to their replacement. 

It may be wise to ask them to write a file with the missions and tasks they have carried out, the best practices, etc. This step of documentation and transfer of skills is essential to ensure a good transition. This also allows the work of the independent IT contractor to be valued.  

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4. Get constructive feedback during offboarding of IT contractors

Organising a final interview or an “exit interview” with your independent IT consultant is very important. This will allow you to know how you are perceived by an outsider who has worked in your company. 

Do not hesitate to ask them if they felt welcome; if they had all the access and information necessary to perform their services; if he or her was able to achieve all the objectives they had set for themselves; how they carried out their mission; how this mission will serve them in future projects; if they would recommend your company to other IT professionals; if they would agree to work again on a new mission for you, etc. 

This interview with your IT contractor will give you essential information to improve your onboarding and offboarding strategy. It is important to adopt a constructive approach, focused on listening. This interview will be beneficial for the IT freelancer, who will appreciate having been able to express their opinion. IT freelancers talk to each other a lot, and the bad reputation of some client companies can dissuade them from taking an interest in them. If you take the time to value and listen to your IT consultants until the end, they are sure to let their network know. 

5. Close the practical and administrative aspects during offboarding of IT contractors

For successful offboarding, every detail needs to be considered. Before departure, it is important to ensure that the IT freelance employee returns all the material that have been loaned to them (computer, badge, etc.). The most practical strategy is to establish a list of the loaned equipment beforehand, at the time of onboarding. Also, don’t forget to check the material for wear. 

Remember to remove all access to accounts of the former IT consultant for all networks, software, resources and collaborative tools of the company to prevent potential risks of cyber hacking or information leaks that could be detrimental to your business. This preparation is important for maintaining safety, preserving the efficiency of the internal organisation and maintaining good working relations. 

In order for the IT freelancer to leave your company with confidence, it is also important to close all administrative aspects.

6. Keep in touch and leave the door open

It is advisable to keep in touch with your former IT freelancers. Especially if you want to work with them again later for new missions. In addition, keeping in touch at least via professional social networks with your former independent IT contractors will allow you to access their network of freelancers, which can be very beneficial for you. You will also be able to follow their news on social media and keep you informed of the evolution of their skills as well as their services.

Likewise, it is interesting for the IT freelancer to be part of your network because it represents a form of valuable recommendation for it. Keeping in touch with your IT contractors will also allow you to convey the strong values ​​of your company.  

7. Use digital tools to facilitate the offboarding of IT contractors

Nowadays there are many tools to deal effectively with offboarding processes. Just like with onboarding, some specialized platforms offer to manage all the tasks related to offboarding in the same place. These solutions make it possible in particular to disconnect the IT consultant with one click from all the company’s resources, to collect their feedback, to take care of the handover, etc. 

It may be interesting to discuss with your HR department how you can adapt any existing offboarding processes and tools for internal employees to your external collaborators. And remember: an IT contractor’s offboarding process shouldn’t be overlooked. Just as important as onboarding, a successful and efficient offboarding process should be strategic for your IT department. The independent IT consultant will keep fond memories of your collaboration after their departure and will be sure to spread the word.

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Growing your career: permanent & freelance IT Consultants

How to become an IT consultant that stands out from the crowd

How to Become an All-Terrain IT Pro
Standing out from the crowd as an IT professional isn't always easy. Here are a few quick pointers that will help you get to become an all-terrain IT Pro.

Nowadays, it is not enough to become an IT consultant, you need to stand out from the crowd to succeed in your career.

Here are a few quick pointers that will help succeed in your career path as an IT consultant.

Become an All-Terrain IT Pro

1# Reach a good level of experience

Cultivating a solid background at the end of your studies will allow you to differentiate yourself from candidates who are either too junior or too senior and therefore too expensive. Five to ten years of experience is usually the sweet spot in terms of employability.

2# Forget hyperspecialisation

Locking yourself into a skill and mastering it from start to finish may seem like the right way to go in order to differentiate yourself from overly generalist profiles. And in fact, there is nothing wrong with specialisation. It can be a solid career strategy. However, in the world IT —and especially if you are an independent contractor— it pays to adopt a multi-specialization approach. You don’t have to confine yourself to a single language or skill. You should not be satisfied with simple expertise either. Aim for “mastery”. Recruiters will move on quickly if mastery is not conveyed through your CV and profile.

3# Certify yourself

Having the right certification for the right position is a good approach. Certifications worth pursuing include Microsoft certifications, Ninja, Dev Star, and Code Crazy.

4# Soft Skills

Mastering the technical part of a position is not everything. Your personality will also weigh in the balance. Recruiters are looking for candidates who can be at the same time pleasant, knowledgable, committed, brilliant, altruistic, punctual, cunning, eloquent, humble, methodical, polite… Whether it is negotiation or communication, you need to master your soft skills as well. These are the essential soft skills every IT professional should have.

5# Compensation

Sensitive topic, but be realistic with your salary expectations and be ready to lower them a bit is the market calls for it. Especially considering the economic uncertainty brought about by the o pandemic.

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Calling on Freelancers: A Winning Strategy for IT Departments in Times of Crisis

IT Contractors: How to Manage Your Activity in This Unprecedented Period
The dual health and economic crisis we are going through creates a particularly high level of uncertainty and instability. How to manage your activity?

While flexibility, responsiveness and speed are more necessary than ever, the use of independent consultants takes on a new dimension.

Manage emergencies

IT departments – and especially support services – were put to the test during the lockdown. Between the massive deployment of remote work, the explosion of security threats and the problems of VPN congestion or application availability, support teams have had to deal with a major increase in requests. And this, overnight and under a lot of pressure. The business continuity of the company – and therefore its survival – is at stake.

Imagine that your organization is facing a massive ransomware attack. If you are not able to mobilize the right skills in-house very quickly, you expose yourself to serious consequences in terms of data loss and potential suspension of your activity.

Using freelancers such as cyber security consultants makes it possible to respond very quickly to the overload of work and to absorb the peaks in demand. Whether these are basic requests or tasks requiring specialized skills, calling on additional reinforcements on an ad hoc basis allows the company to have all the responsiveness necessary to respond to these exceptional and urgent situations.

Dealing with uncertainty

While the lockdown has plunged companies into paralysis or at least a slowdown in their activity, the looming economic crisis will be a long-lasting problem. Uncertainty and doubt set in, challenging businesses to continue to grow when they are virtually forced to navigate on sight.

In this context, agility and the ability to adapt are crucial. IT departments have long been used to working in project mode, but this ability to mobilize the best skills very quickly for success will become absolutely essential moving forward.

Ambient instability greatly increases the risk, especially in terms of recruitment. Caught between the need to restart as quickly as possible and the threat of economic crisis, companies must nevertheless act. In the IT field, using freelancers makes it possible to reinforce existing teams in an efficient and less risky manner.

Did you plan to recruit a Data Scientist or a Product Manager on a permanent contract before the economic and health crisis broke out? Opt for a freelance profile while things stabilize internally and externally. Companies can find the talented and experienced consultants they need, while still maintaining the budgetary and organizational flexibility needed if the situation worsens or if the prioritization of certain projects needs to be changed.

Without forgetting that freelancers have, in essence, a great capacity for autonomy and adaptation and are also more used to teleworking. They are therefore a particularly suitable response to the crisis.

Accelerate development

Despite the difficulties and complexity of the current context, there is no reason for companies to get stuck. On the contrary, they must find the tools to continue to develop and grow. This crisis is a test: companies must not only prepare for a quick recovery, but also think beyond the crisis and build solid and innovative models for tomorrow.

For these reasons, structuring technological projects and IT architectures that enable business transformation is at the heart of the game. It is essential, even vital, to continue to implement them, and even to accelerate them. However, the success of these strategic projects largely depends on the teams in charge. So how do you make sure you have the most competent people possible?

Using one or more experienced freelancers on specific IT subjects, such as cloud or machine learning, can save a lot of time and significantly speed up these major projects. In addition, the contractual relationship between freelancers and the company often requires them to make a higher commitment in terms of performance and quality of service.

In conclusion, the use of freelancers is not a one-size-fits-all solution and must be part of a more comprehensive strategy. But it represents a flexible, responsive and efficient solution for IT departments, which must more than ever learn to juggle between internal and external employees to emerge winners from this period of instability. One thing is clear: the success of companies in these times of crisis depends in large part on the skills and talent it can mobilize.

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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

Remote Hiring is Here to Stay: a Fresh Take on IT Recruitment

Remote Hiring is Here to Stay: a Fresh Take on IT Recruitment
Remote hiring has become as much of a necessity and a reality and, just like telework, it comes with its own set of challenges and peculiarities.

Any activity that could afford it went remote with the arrival of Covid-19. Now, as the months ahead remain uncertain and companies discover that is possible to operate remotely, the exception has become the norm. A recent Gartner survey confirmed the writing on the wall: a sweeping 82% of business leaders are planning on allowing at least some level of remote work moving forward, even after the pandemic is over. Yet despite being the other side of the employment coin, recruiting has not received that much attention thus far. In fact, remote hiring has become as much of a necessity and a reality and, just like telework, it comes with its own set of challenges and peculiarities.

Remote hiring & the new recruitment landscape

Gone are the days of overcrowded career fairs full of eager master’s students elbowing each other to get a minute with a representative of one of the top companies present. So are the endless rounds of in-person interviews that have candidates repeatedly come into the employer’s offices and meet half the team.

From now on, businesses will conduct fewer and more focused interviews, mostly online. Only the more critical and senior positions will get greater face-to-face time, with the rest of candidates being interviewed remotely except for perhaps the last interview, which is often just used to meet the chosen candidate and establish a more personal connection — something rather important in the colder remote work environment. In the case of IT contractors and temporal employees, however, the selection process is most likely to move completely online as flexibility and speed can be more of a priority.        

Career fairs and other networking events will also move online or even disappear completely, in favour of a new model that can accommodate safety measures while allowing for talent attraction. Eliminating the physical barriers of traditional career fairs will, in turn, expand the pool of candidates available to companies and democratize access to the top positions. Companies will be able to seek the best candidates regardless of location, while candidates will get to apply to positions that otherwise would have been completely out of reach.

A new series of challenges for employers with remote hiring

But moving the hiring process online will create new problems while solving existing ones. Assessing a candidate’s fit for the position and the company is more challenging when done through a computer screen. And there is a lot to assess in today’s candidates.

Hunting for the most in-demand technical IT skills was already tricky before the pandemic. Especially for the more niche skill areas, HR managers and recruiters who did not have that deep a technical expertise often had troubles assessing the technical skills of IT candidates.  

On top of that, the current crisis has created a need for IT professionals to possess a series of more business-focused skills. From change management and compliance to business intelligence, recruiters now have one more checklist to worry about when evaluating candidates.  

Additionally, the unique conditions of remote work make soft skills more important than ever. Softer skills like creativity and entrepreneurship were already becoming a must-have for IT experts. Now, interpersonal and communication skills are key to ensuring efficient teamwork dynamics and workflows. So is cultural fit. Employees need to be proactive in reaching to colleagues, making their work more visible and being open about their needs. Unfortunately, soft skills are some of the hardest qualities to assess when not face-to-face.  

Looking ahead

Both the new recruitment environment and the difficulties it brings along are forcing companies and hiring managers to come up with new best practices and processes in order to attract and retain the best candidates.

Ideally, the new approach combines a better and more targeted online interview model, with personal know-how and the use of the latest technological tools. For example, AI can help recruiters identify candidates who match the job’s criteria and are a

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HR Managers: How to Assess the Technical Skills of IT Candidates

HR Managers: How to Assess the Technical Skills of IT Candidates
It can be difficult for hiring companies to assess the technical skills of IT candidates.

Undoubtedly, it can be difficult for hiring companies to assess the technical skills of highly specialized IT candidates. Especially when recruitment duties fall more heavily on the HR or Purchasing functions rather than on the more tech-savvy IT managers. 

That is even if you consider yourself to be an industry insider who knows all the ins and out of your company’s market. As a hiring specialist, you probably do not have the level of detail needed to assess a candidate’s skill in any of the technical areas of expertise currently most in demand.  

But that does not mean you are helpless. Not at all. Here is a series of steps that will help you identify top tech performers regardless of their specialty.

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

Assess the Technical Skills of IT Candidates

Start with the CV

The first step in the process of recruiting any candidate is CV analysis. Beyond providing an overall idea of a candidate’s profile and trajectory, a careful look at a CV also offers an opportunity to start filtering early on and be more efficient.

Tips on indicators to look for

Look at these indicators to get a first impression of an expert’s technical skills:

  • Real-world experience: someone who has worked on actual AWS migration projects, as opposed to someone with just an educational background, will have a deeper knowledge of this technology stack and related AWS tools (CodeDeploy, CodeBuild, CodePipeline…)
  • The level of that experience. Of course, a consultant with 25 years of experience and major projects on their back will be more skilled than a more junior profile
  • Specific training and certifications on given technologies. Yes. Education is still important. Not as a substitute of experience, but as a complement that demonstrates a candidate’s professional and career-oriented attitude and validates the depth of their expertise.  
  • The level of detail with which a candidate lists all skills and technologies. A truly experienced IT professional will have no problem specifying what programming languages, stacks and platforms. They dominate and to what level. Whereas someone with not as much experience will opt for more general and vague terminology.

Community involvement

Moreover, not all tech and IT professionals get involved with their community and attend events. Being an active member of the community is not a prerequisite for being good at one’s job. But it sure helps.

If you spot a candidate who attends trade conferences, shares their expertise on forums, or leads workshops on their area of ​​expertise, chances are they are the kind of committed and driven professional you are looking for. Then, positive signs here include having an active GitHub profile, which allows users to share original code and have an open debate a variety of issues.

Ask the right interview questions

The interview is the next step. Asking the proper questions about the skills covered in the CV and the job offer will allow you to get a more precise idea of ​​the candidate’s level of expertise.
Do not hesitate to ask for more detail on the candidate’s past experiences, to alternate open-ended questions and very concrete ones, and to propose hypothetical scenarios. Take the time to prepare your questions in advance.

If your level of understanding of the candidate’s area of ​​expertise is very limited, do not hesitate to be accompanied by someone who can help you prepare and conduct the technical part of the interview.

For more advice, particularly on how to approach interviews with independent contractors, you can check out our article on the 5 key questions to ask a tech or IT freelancer.

Put the skills to the test

Nothing beats an old-fashioned test when it comes to demonstrating certain skills. It is very common for companies to have their IT candidates take task-specific practical tests, both to assess their technical capabilities and other parameters such as essential soft skills and cultural fit.

Again, you can enlist the help of a tech-savvy colleague to design the test and interpreted. It is standard practice to develop a range of tests covering the most common positions, but you will need to do some extra work for areas of expertise that are not so ubiquitous or if the candidate needs to fulfil very specific project specifications. Working with an industry-specialized recruiter can also give you an edge here.  

Check the references

Last step: checking a candidate’s references. As it is the case with any other position, this process takes time but is essential to avoid mistakes. Especially when you do not know too much about the skills you are vetting.

Compare the answers that the candidate provided during the interview to what former employers have to say. Ask these employers about the depth of the candidate’s knowledge, as well as their role within the project and overall performance. Here you also have a chance to corroborate your first impressions of the candidates cultural fit and their soft skills.

Find your next assignment on our freelance and permanent IT recruitment platform, or join Mindquest so you don’t miss out on any job opportunity!

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IT Decision-makers Tips & errors to avoid

Strengthening the IT support team: the top back-to-school challenge for CIOs?

Strengthening the IT support team: the top back-to-school challenge for CIOs?
Strengthening the IT support team ? Many companies have been hit hard by the Covid-19 epidemic.Their new mantra: adapt, anticipate, and reassure internally.

Many companies have been hit hard by the Covid-19 epidemic. Disruption was inescapable, from decline and suspension of activity to forced restructuring of teams and processes. IT teams were among the most impacted by these upheavals, as IT decision-makers had to take on a new role to help their organizations navigate the crisis. Therefore their new mantra: adapt, anticipate, and reassure internally. Is then strengthening the IT support team the top back-to-school challenge for CIOs?

As we approach the start of the new school year, the challenges for CIOs and other IT managers are increasing. Like who awaits impending doom, they are faced with the threat of a new lockdown at any minute. Adapting to a new way of working and conducting business won’t be easy either.

It is now more strategic than ever to strengthen their IT support team, guaranteeing operational continuity and completing the digital and organizational transformation of the company. Yet budget and organisational constraint make this a challenging endeavour.

Strengthening the IT support – A front-line service

IT support has always been a vital service within the company. Operating as an internal customer service, it helps solve end-user problems, responds to all their requests related to the work environment, and improves productivity.

In just months, the pandemic has strengthened the role of IT within organizations and propelled the IT service to the front line. While some companies had to completely shut down activity during lockdown, many were able to remain active thanks to telework.

But managing such a sudden and massive transition has required significant technical and organizational adaptation. Setting up collaboration tools, remote troubleshooting and technical assistance, rapid resolution of incidents, training of employees regarding cybersecurity risks… IT support teams had to put in long hours to ensure the proper functioning of remote work.

Moreover, to complicate things, cybercrime has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic and continues to rise.  Hackers are taking advantage of the human and organizational weaknesses of companies, targeting remote access points and employee email. Finding the right security experts has become a big challenge for businesses in recent months.

In short, IT support teams have made themselves more essential than ever.

Facing new challenges

The challenges related to the Covid-19 crisis add to a multitude of already existing challenges within IT support teams. Issues such as cost reduction, process optimization and quality of service have only acquired more importance.

The notion of the internal customer is leading many companies to redefine their structure and put the user at the heart of the process to improve employee experience. This perspective, which brings benefits like satisfaction and fluidity, often requires support teams to unify points of contact, collect feedback and proactively participate in improving the image of the overall IT department.

Another challenge: reducing tasks with low added value and exploiting technologies such as AI to automate as many operations as possible. The idea here is to allow support teams to focus on more strategic tasks like provide guidance to users.

IT support managers have also one more major new challenge: communication. They need to be transparent and reassuring with their team and play an important role in raising employee awareness about increased security threats.

Set up an adapted Talent Strategy for strengthening the IT support team

To have a good IT support, you need to start by having a suitable team. Having the right people in place is an essential condition for success, as it is often the skills and motivation that make the difference between an efficient support service and an insufficient one.

But how do you make sure you have a strong team? You can start by following these few tips:

  • Perform an audit of current skills within your support teams: look at what skills are missing, see if key skills are concentrated in too few employees, etc.
  • Adapt your team’s organization to be able to call on the right people at the right time: in an emergency, you need to be ready to activate a reorganization plan to mobilize key skills
  • Identify the most efficient resources and secure your existing talent
  • Set up training mechanisms to re-skill certain employees whose area of ​​expertise is no longer suited to the current situation
  • Establish a recruitment plan to cover the missing skills and be able to quickly find the right candidates when needed
  • Focus on communication and transparency

Strengthening the IT support : Is calling on external resources an effective strategy for your IT support?

On top of operational challenges, the current economic crisis is having a heavy impact on corporate budgets. Many organizations have had to drastically cut down their expenses, especially their IT costs.

So how, as an IT decision-maker, can you strengthen your support teams without taking significant budgetary risks? Outsourcing or calling on IT freelancers can be a winning strategy in this time of crisis.

In addition to fewer administrative constraints and the positive effects that freelancers can have on your internal teams, the recruitment of an independent consultant can allow you to mobilize very specific skills to accelerate projects or resolve incidents in key business areas.

The flexibility of working with contractors allows you to limit risks during this unstable period, as well as access highly coveted expertise such as cloud and certain collaborative tools.

Regardless, the start of the school year promises to be pretty intense. Whether you choose to strengthen your support teams through hiring or by occasionally calling on external staff, do not neglect the importance of having a strong support team to face the coming months with confidence.

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IT Decision-makers Tips & errors to avoid

The Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an IT Contractor

The Top 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an IT Contractor
Recruitment: 3 major mistakes to avoid when hiring an IT contractor or freelancer: Hiring the wrong freelancers can quickly derail your project...

What are the top 3 mistakes that you should avoid when hiring an IT contractor? Working with IT contractors keeps getting more and more popular in the world of work. And for good reason: including freelancers in your projects can bring great benefits to your whole team.  

IT contractors are a workforce that is often very qualified and cost-effective. Especially in the context of a one-off increase in company activity or under special circumstances such as the Covid-19 pandemic. However, hiring the wrong freelancers can quickly derail your project and leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.  

Need advice on how to start or develop your freelance consulting business in tech or IT? Need to start a new permanent or freelance assignment? Join Mindquest and get support from our team of experts.

Recruitment: 3 major mistakes to avoid when hiring an IT contractor or freelancer:

1st of top mistakes to avoid when hiring: Not vetting the consultant’s qualifications thoroughly

You need to make sure that a consultant recruited for a particular skill possesses it and in a way that is well-suited to the reality of your project. 

To protect yourself against this difficulty; which can cause harm, both financially and in terms of reputation; it is necessary that you thoroughly vet the veracity of the freelancer’s claims and assess the true depth of their technical skills. Start with these questions: 

  • Has the freelancer provided a list of previous relevant projects? Have you verified their references? 
  • Has the freelancer justified their skills with a document or portfolio of any kind? 

During the interview process, you must ask pointed questions about the candidate’s area of expertise. It will quickly reveal the reality of the situation.  

Also read How to manage the onboarding of IT contractors in 5 steps

2nd mistake : Hiring a Consultant who does not align with your company’s values and culture 

In order to avoid divergences in operating methods, which can lead to confusion and frictions within the teams; it is preferable to choose a freelancer who aligns with the company’s values. Here, you should pay special attention to the candidate’s softer skills. As these are the ones that will determine how well the contractor fits into your existing team. 

The same goes for ensuring that the consultant aligns and complies with legal and confidentiality requirements. Make sure they fully understand your confidentiality policies and non-disclosure agreement (NDA) so that they unknowingly break the contract. 

Also read How to Manage the Offboarding of IT Contractors in 7 Steps

3rd mistake: Setting an inappropriate remuneration rate 

DevSecOps Job Description

The third most common mistake made by companies looking to hire a freelancer is to offer a pay rate that is not in line with market standards. Whether it is higher or lower than what is normally charged in that particular field of expertise and for that level of seniority. 

If you set a daily remuneration that is too high; you will end up paying more than what you need to. Plus, your collaboration with the contractor may not be sustainable in the long term. 

On the contrary, if you set a remuneration that is too low; you will have difficulty attracting good candidates with a suitable level of experience. 

Companies not used to working with freelancers are precisely the ones that usually make these mistakes. Keep in mind that collaboration should be seen from a balanced angle and in a “win-win” relationship. Only then will the collaboration be efficient in the long term. 

Embracing AI Trends in IT Recruitment

Lat but not least, the implementation of AI in recruitment practices has the potential to revolutionize how companies identify, engage, and hire IT contractors.

Here’s a closer look at how embracing AI trends can enhance your IT recruitment processes:

  • Streamline candidate vetting processes.
  • Analyze resumes for relevant skills and experience.
  • Predict candidate success based on data analytics.
  • Enhance decision-making during the hiring process.

By embracing these AI trends in IT recruitment, companies can not only stay competitive but also gain a significant edge in identifying and securing the best-fit IT contractors for their projects.

Don’t miss our Top 5 Strategies to Overcome the AI Talent Gap.

Mindquest, with its commitment to staying at the forefront of industry advancements, ensures that your recruitment strategies align with the latest AI innovations, facilitating a smoother and more effective hiring process.

Would you like to find out more about our recruitment service for IT consultants? Post your requirements now, or find out more about our job offers directly on our Mindquest platform!

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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

4 Keys to Hiring Top Tech and IT Freelancers

4 Keys to Hiring Top Tech and IT Freelancers

Freelance work has become largely democratised and, more and more, companies now rely on independent IT and technology consultants. Hiring top IT freelancers brings many benefits to your team, especially in times of crisis.

But the talent war rages and on in several areas of expertise, with professionals receiving up to dozens of mission proposals a day. 
Here is a series of concrete measures that you should put in place if you want to attract the best IT freelancers out there.  

Propose conditions in line with the reality of the IT freelance market 

Are you looking for a rare profile, with a high level of expertise and many years of experience? Be aware that this type of expert is often in high demand and can, therefore, afford to set higher rates. 

Learn more about the situation of your target talent market: what types of profiles are available? What are the average daily rates? Once conducted this research, you will be able to write a clear job description and propose suitable conditions. 

Keep in mind that compensation is not everything: all the benefits come into play here and can help you gain attractiveness top tech or IT freelancers — especially for long-term assignments (travel expenses, access to the company’s gym, etc…). 

Highlight your project’s strengths

Don’t forget that top-performing freelancers need to be passionate about their job. An IT consultant is not only looking for remuneration. Like permanent employees, they often look for a company that shares their values, with opportunities to learn and grow; a dream project, a friendly and talented team, etc. 

Don’t forget to indicate what you can bring to the table on your end. If a candidate must possess certain qualities and skills to be considered for a mission, you must also specify what you can offer.

It is not a matter of overselling the assignment, but simply of highlighting its strengths to attract the attention of the best candidates: peculiarities of the technical stack, visibility on the projects and possibilities for renewal, location, etc. 

Also, amidst the rise of DevSecOps, IT recruitment needs to adjust. Traditional methods fall short; recruiters must adapt to DevSecOps demands. Here‘s what to consider in recruiting for this era.

Work on your brand 

Your company brand is a critical deciding factor for potential candidates.

Don’t hesitate to collaborate with your company’s HR and Marketing departments to discuss how to best benefit from these communication efforts. 

Keep in mind at the time of the interview that the candidate is not the only one who has to convince. You need to make them want to join your team rather than choose another company. Try as much as possible to be transparent about the context and concrete objectives of the mission. Candidates highly appreciate this openness. 

Focus on retaining talent to hiring top IT freelancers

Hiring the best IT freelancers is not easy. But neither it is to make them want to stay. Take steps to ensure the satisfaction of the IT freelancers you work with and keep track of your missions. 

Implement specific measures to ensure that they are “freelance-friendly”: work on onboarding, regular feedback processes, etc…

Are you looking the best tech talent or tech freelancer and you don’t know how to go about it? Club Freelance is here to help you find the best candidate and support you throughout the recruitment process. 

Click here to submit your request. 

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Hiring an IT consultant IT Decision-makers

Interview Tips: 5 key questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview

5 key questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview
Asking the right questions is key to ensure you are making the best staffing decision. Discover 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview

What are the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview? The way companies approach the selection process for IT consultants might well have changed forever due to COVID-19. CIOs and HR experts have moved IT hiring online, and things seem likely to stay that way from now on. Among the benefits: greater schedule flexibility, agility no need for travel and other expenses, agility. But remote interviewing also has its downsides.

It can be tricky to properly assess things like soft skills and cultural fit when you are not face-to-face with a candidate. Asking the right questions is key to ensure you are making the best staffing decision. Whereas hiring the right IT freelancer will bring great benefits to your projects and team, enlisting the wrong person will only multiply your problems.

These are the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview and that you should always cover.

1# Have you ever worked on a similar project, and if so, for what type of client?

You have a project for which you are looking for a freelance professional. Whether you are looking for a web developer or a SAP expert, the technical nature of the mission requires in-depth know-how from the consultant. Thus, it is first necessary to verify that the candidate has the necessary expertise and experience.

You can first ask them if they have ever been confronted with a similar project, in order to find out more about their experience on this type of mission. Moreover, suggest that they detail their previous gigs, giving details on the technical and organizational context of those projects.

Then, ask them who their previous clients were, whether they were large accounts or smaller companies. If the candidate tells you that they already have one or more similar experience (s), in a company in your sector and with a similar context, this is a real advantage, as they should be operational very quickly.

2# Faced with this or that technical problem, what actions would you put in place?

Freelance experience is important, but to test your candidate’s technical skills, do not hesitate to ask them one or more very concrete questions directly related to your project. How would you resolve this incident? What type of functionality or solution would you develop? Which computer language seems to you the most suited to this situation?

First, asking a hypothetical problem allows you to test the candidate’s ability to solve a problem, as well as to evaluate their technical understanding of your project. This will also give you a good overview of their analytical skills, as well as the interest they have in the area and project.

3# Could you tell me about a difficulty you encountered during a previous project, and how you coped with it?

Don’t forget to check for the essential soft skills in IT. Since your freelance consultant will effectively be a member of your team, evaluating traits like their interpersonal skills will be fundamental.

To assess them, you can ask questions that highlight the candidate’s team spirit and communication skills, as well as their ability to manage conflict and crisis situations. Favour open-ended questions to let the candidate express themselves, revealing their personality.

4# What is your availability? And your rates?

Make sure that the candidate’s expectations correspond with the conditions you propose for the assignment. This is obviously valid for the economic compensation, but also for all others terms of the contract. Is the candidate willing to come work on your premises if the mission requires it? Or will they be able to work remotely, and under what conditions? Will they have to plan trips to other sites? Will their professional expenses be covered? As you can see, there are many finer, concrete points on which you must make sure you agree with your candidate.

Then, in terms of availability, you must ensure that the candidate’s situation is compatible with the calendar aspects of your mission. Ask the candidate for their exact date of availability, and if they have any foreseeable impediments (vacation, for example). Thus, meeting deadlines is a crucial element in any professional relationship. In the case of a long-term assignment, you must ensure that the freelancer will be able to engage for the duration of the project.

5# What kind of projects really fascinate you?

The last of the 5 questions to ask to an IT freelancer during an interview is about what is the difference between a good and an excellent candidate? Passion. A tech freelancer or IT consultant who is genuinely interested in the project they are working on will undoubtedly be more involved and more efficient than a candidate with a “mercenary” profile.

Finally, the question of motivation is a key question which is all too often forgotten by recruiters and hiring companies. And yet it often makes all the difference.

Are you looking for an IT consultant or tech freelancer and you don’t know how to go about it? Club Freelance is here to help you find the best candidate and support you throughout the recruitment process.

Click here to submit your request.

Categories
Cybersecurity Tech Magazine

10 Essential Steps to Ensure Cybersecurity

The U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) proposes a series of cybersecurity guidelines for IT leaders and security experts to protect their company
Cyber Security guide

As businesses around the world begin preparations for the return to the office, a shadow still looms over IT departments: cybersecurity.

At the beginning and height of the pandemic, the surge in remote work and a new wave of malware attacks put extra strain on network and infrastructure security. Now, with some employees staying at home while others go back on-site, these challenges remain a priority.

In 2012, the U.K.’s National CyberSecurity Centre (NCSC) debuted a series of cybersecurity guidelines that are now used by most companies in the FTSE350. It is never a bad idea for IT leaders and security experts to consider these 10 proposed steps when assessing their company’s overall security measures.

Define risk management strategy for cybersecurity

First things first — Make a full inventory of all business-critical assets and infrastructure. Then, make sure you get the full picture of your strengths and weaknesses. Once that is done, IT and senior management should decide together what level of risk can be assumed and outline a comprehensive security strategy. All concerned stakeholders, from staff to partners and suppliers, must be made then aware of said policy.     

Secure configuration

Then, no one sets out on a journey without first doing a thorough check-up of the vessel. Make sure all your systems and tools are configured properly and that the latest updates are installed. Disable unnecessary functionalities and fix any issues that might compromise your ecosystem.  

Network security

The IT network of today’s businesses is vast, intricated and somewhat obscure. It combines different physical locations with cloud services and remote workers and collaborators. In this context, you must think of any and all vulnerable points of entry and put processes like VPNs in place to minimise risks.

Malware protection

Also, invest in the malware prevention tools, paying special attention to the functionalities offered in relation to your current and future needs. These tools can come in the form of both software solutions and policies regarding the exchange of information.  

Defining user privileges

Not all employees and users need access to everything in your network. So, split your users into levels and assign different privileges to each of these groups, limiting access to the most sensitive information to a few users. Moreover, it is a simple step that can save you a lot of trouble if an attack gets through, effectively serving as a firewall around the more critical parts of your network.

Incident management

In addition, outline and implement a clear process for identifying and managing incidents whenever they appear. When doing so, keep in mind response time and inter-departmental collaboration to ensure a smooth and efficient response.

User education and awarenes with cybersecurity

Then, put in place security awareness programs and carry out training when necessary. Human error is still the first cause behind enterprise data breaches. Therefore, simple-to-avoid malware tactics like phishing can be effectively managed by promoting a security-conscious culture across your stakeholders.

Home and mobile working

Also, COVID-19 has made it more evident than ever that work extends beyond the office doors. Your employee training and awareness programs should include recommendations on how to work remotely in a safe manner. Make sure you complement this approach with the proper software and network security tools like the aforementioned VPN.

Removable media controls

This is another area in which education and awareness play a big role. Removable devices such as USB sticks and hard drives are a great conduit for malware to spread. They also complicate the safeguarding of any information that is exported out of the system. Awareness initiatives in this area should be accompanied by specific software tools and policies, like limiting what information can be exported and by who.

Monitoring

Finally, remember to stay alert. None of the above steps will suffice unless you establish a comprehensive and ongoing surveillance system. Set up all the monitoring software that you will need to protect your network and train your IT staff to spot any irregularities early on.