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How to manage the onboarding of IT contractors in 5 steps

manage the onboarding of IT contractors
manage the onboarding of IT contractors (2)

Onboarding is the set of actions implemented by the company to integrate its new employees. It corresponds to welcoming and integrating new recruited professionals, as well as investing in their internal career development. We often talk about onboarding for employees, but still little for external resources, such as IT freelancers. And yet, they are often called upon for strategic, long and customer-based assignments. It is important to manage onboarding well, cause a good onboarding system is therefore crucial for the success of their mission! It is therefore important for managing a freelancer to pay particular attention to onboarding.

But how do you properly manage the onboarding of an IT freelancer to get the mission of your tech or IT freelancer off to the best possible start? How to manage onboarding at the beginning of a consultant’s mission?

Discover in our article what are the best practices for managing the onboarding of an IT freelancer.

Why caring about onboarding?

Why take care of the onboarding of IT freelancers? Onboarding management is crucial at the start of a freelancer’s mission. Indeed, setting up a clear internal process can be very beneficial to gain in efficiency and optimize the simultaneous reception of several profiles. As a company, it is essential to establish a clear process for the onboarding of IT freelancers who come to carry out assignments within your company. Because if you have a clear and effective onboarding process, the freelancer will have all the elements in hand to be operational as quickly as possible and start his freelance mission well.

The onboarding of a consultant makes it possible to create a link with the IT freelancer and to lay the foundations for good communication. In addition, the onboarding period makes it possible to ensure that objectives are set and follow-up with the IT freelancer. Finally, the onboarding process will have the effect of involving and retaining the freelancer from the start.

Discover also our article: How to Manage the Offboarding of IT Contractors in 7 Steps !

How to properly manage the onboarding of an IT freelancer?

1. Upstream of the mission

Have you just recruited an IT freelancer? First, to properly manage onboarding, remember to check that the freelancer you have chosen is registered with the Business Formalities Center (CFE) (remember to ask them for a K-bis extract). You must also carry out the control of the obligations of declaration and payment of the social security contributions of the freelancer. Ask for a certificate of vigilance for this. Once these two elements have been verified, you can draft and have the freelancer sign the service contract (or subcontracting if you go through an intermediary). If necessary, you can also provide specific additional contracts such as a confidentiality agreement. Remember at this time to check that the freelancer has the necessary insurance, such as professional liability insurance (RC Pro) which is often essential. Finally define the terms of payment and provide timesheets if necessary.

2. Just before the start of the mission

Just before the start of the mission, it is important to warn all the teams of the arrival of the freelancer. Make sure you explain the scope of the IT professional mission to them. Also make sure to prepare before the arrival of the freelancer the material that will be made available to the new professional in the event that he/she will use the company’s resources. Also ask that their computer access be created prior to their arrival.

It is also a good idea to plan a phone call with the freelancer before the start of their assignment or to send them a comprehensive email with all the useful information for the first day. In fact, if the freelancer comes to work on your premises, it is important to give him/her a certain amount of information such as working hours, what equipment is required or made available. But also what the access or security constraints are, in which department they will be installed and which teams they will have to interact with. Communicating all these elements to the freelancer before he/she arrives will allow a more serenely at start at your company.

3. Ensure the onboarding of the freelancer on the first day of the mission

On the first day of the mission, it is important to give the freelancer a program for his or her first week. You should also give him/her all the materials he/she will need (computer, access badge, etc.). Plan a briefing with the freelancer on company culture, rules, team organization… Also give the freelancer all the technical documentation he needs for his mission from day one. Finally, introduce the freelancer to the whole team. This is necessary to get the consultant’s mission off to a good start.

4. The days following the first day of freelancing

The days following the first day of the start of the freelance mission, organize an individual interview with him/her to set the objectives. Also remember to organize contacts with the key interlocutors for its mission. Throughout the onboarding period, encourage the freelancer to ask as many questions as possible. To improve contact you can also plan a lunch with the freelancer if possible.

5. And after the onboarding of the freelancer?

At the end of the freelance onboarding period, start taking stock. In some cases, especially if the project is still at the ideation stage, a few days of audit may be necessary to allow the consultant to better understand all the parameters and then participate in the scoping. Then set up at this time the framework for monitoring the mission (reporting, weekly, monthly meetings, etc.). Remember to ask the freelancer for his/her feedback about the onboarding to make sure he or she has all the keys in hand. But also to improve this process with a view to integrating future freelancers.

You can also read 5 Simple Steps to Effective IT Offboarding

The expert opinion of Thomas Delfort, former DSI and co-founder of Mindquest:

“As for a recruitment of a CDI type profile, the onboarding process of an independent consultant within a tech or IT team is extremely important. A well-executed welcome will allow a quick and efficient handling of the subjects. The goal is for the freelancer to be operational as quickly as possible, and to be in optimal conditions to be efficient in his mission.”

Do you know that the offboarding of an IT consultant is just as important as their onboarding? Indeed, companies are generally concerned with taking care of the onboarding of their employees, but sometimes neglect the last step. The stage where the employee leaves the company for new professional opportunities. Find out why it is important to take care of the offboarding of your IT consultant. But also how to properly manage the offboarding of an IT consultant in 7 steps.

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IT Job Hunting Done Well: A Step-by-Step Guide

This IT job hunting guide will provide you with a review of everything you will need to consider in your journey towards your next professional milestone.
This IT job hunting guide will provide you with a review of everything you will need to consider in your journey towards your next professional milestone.

These are prime days for IT job hunting. As industries like commercial aviation are going through the darkest days of their history, tech-related businesses are thriving. From entertainment platforms and social networks to online retail and videoconferencing services. Some companies are simply very well-positioned to take advantage of our society’s sudden change of habits.

Enterprise cloud companies have stepped up recruiting to meet the increased global demand for cloud services. Meantime retailers are hiring in mass to meet the demand for online shopping and home deliveries. It is a golden age for technology professionals, and you should take all the advantage you can of it.

This IT job hunting guide will provide you with a review of everything you will need to consider in your journey towards your next professional milestone.

IT Job IT Job Hunting Done Well: A Step-by-Step Guide:

IT job hunting in today’s jobs market

The IT skills gap is rapidly widening as new technologies emerge at an increasing rate and change the way firms operate. For this reason, most recruiters, predictably, name a skills shortage as their top challenge. The scarcity of skilled individuals raises salaries and empowers those with the most in-demand abilities. And so, new skill niches are continuously emerging. Consequently, IT professionals need to stay up to date with new developments if they want to remain relevant.

Learn more about today’s IT jobs market

IT job hunting in today's jobs market

IT Job Hunting: The right IT job for you

Certainly, outlining the greatest professional route for you based on your requirements and objectives is an art, and like any other kind of art, you must first learn the fundamentals.

Firstly, you’ll have to decide what kind of assignments you wish to do and pick the right firm and industry. Then you should describe your skillset and position yourself in relation to the tasks you wish to pursue. Finally, you will need to present a clean and consistent image.

Here is more on how to find the best IT jobs.

Building your specialist profile

As an IT professional, you must always lookout for new top IT skills to stay current and grow your career. However, with the ongoing growth of IT tools and the changing business climate brought on by the pandemic, deciding where to spend your upskilling efforts might be tough.

Building your specialist profile

Technical knowledge must be updated on a regular basis to keep with current business trends, while softer skills like communication and time management are lifetime assets. The development of data science, the introduction of artificial intelligence, and the strong momentum of cloud computing are all having an impact on the most in-demand IT professionals.

The solution? To familiarise yourself with today’s top IT skills.

The art of CV writing

Once your professional profile and skills are all set up and running, it’s time to make them all come together in a well-rounded CV.

The CV is an essential component of every job seeker’s arsenal, particularly in today’s ultra-competitive IT employment market. These IT professional CV writing ideas can help you stand out from the crowd and land interviews with the finest organizations and positions in the field.

An excellent resume is a succinct and clear summary of your work history, personality, and goals. Because this is the recruiter’s or employer’s first impression of you, you should make it count

Want to know how? Check out our CV writing tips.

IT Job Hunting: The art of CV writing

Improve your online visibility

First impressions are essential in the online job-hunting environment, just as they are in face-to-face conversations.

After a company or recruiter first identifies a candidate who might be a good fit for the position; they will conduct a thorough review of their digital footprint. Any inconsistencies and red flags found will be taken into account before moving onto the next stage of the process. On the other hand, an insufficient online presence might prevent a candidate from being found in the first place.

It is important that, as an IT professional, you work improve your image and boost your online visibility.

IT Job Hunting: Improve your online visibility

IT job hunting

Skills, check, CV, check. Now it’s time to go out and hunt for a job.

There is no single way of looking for a job. No single platform you should prioritise or sole strategy you should follow. It all depends on your profile, the kind of job you are targeting, and your personal style. Only one thing is true across the board: you have to be smart about it.

You will need to do some research; figure out where your desired employers get their talent from; approach the right people within the industry or organisation and use the right language.

Need more tips? Here’s how to find a job in IT.

Remote IT job hunting and work

Any job hunting guide that wants to stay relevant in a post-world should cover remote hiring and working.

Remote work is becoming increasingly common amongst IT pros. The way in which tech experts look for jobs and carry out missions was already changing before Covid-19 hit. IT freelancing was on the rise; With higher levels of remote work; slowly becoming an industry standard and the figure of the digital nomad gaining acceptance.

Remote IT job hunting and work

Remote employment across nations and time zones has become the norm now that digital transformation initiatives have advanced and organizations have been forced to adapt their hiring tactics to a world in lockdown. Remote employment is here to stay, regardless of country reopenings and a delayed return to the workplace.

But remote working and remote job hunting require a slightly different set of skills of involve different priorities and best practices.

That is why you will need to learn all the details of how to work on remote.

IT Job Hunting: Interview preparation

Interview preparation

Interviews are the final show of the job hunting world. And often the part of the process that most anxiety and self-doubt generates. The rise of remote hiring and the subsequent normalisation of online interviews makes this step particularly challenging; as traditional recommendations regarding non-verbal communication no longer apply to the likes of Zoom.

Also read our article about Top 10 In-Demand Tech Skills

Selection procedures may be intimidating, especially when it comes to first interviews. Even if you’re a seasoned pro who believes you’ve got interviewing all under contol; it never hurts to take a second look at how you handle these pivotal moments and see where you can improve. Common sense, like in the case of so many other things in life, can be quite beneficial.

Make sure yo check our tips on how to prepare for an IT job interview.

Onboarding

Congrats! You have gotten the job. The company or client that hired you is clearly excited about what you have to bring to the team. But do not let yourself think that the journey is over yet.

Onboarding is a crucial step in securing your job position and can well determine the impact and effectiveness of your work within this new environment. From properly getting to know your colleagues and your team’s structure to identifying internal workflows and collaboration tools. Therefore, what you learn in those first two weeks is key to ensuring you can give the best you have to offer and remain aligned with business objectives.

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This often requires proactiveness on your part. Sometimes, your new employer will not have the time or resources to properly provide you with a welcome package right away. In these cases, you should take the lead and ask for everything you need in order to do a good job. Don’t be shy. Your employer or client will thank you, and it will show initiative, professionalism and commitment.

Working with a recruitment partner like Mindquest can be of great advantage in difficult onboarding situations. As expert recruiters tend to have good knowledge of the project you have been hiring for and know the company well. They will then be able to orient you through the process with minimum effort on your part.

Interested in hearing about onboarding tips from an IT professional who just recently started a new job? Then, check out our interview with Olena Drugalya to discuss her experiences at her first developer job.

IT Job Hunting: onboarding

Life-long learning

This is something you should do even if you are not looking for a job at the moment. Since technology is continuously evolving, your success as an IT pro depends in great part on your ability to keep up with the most in-demand skills – both technical and other, softer skills.

Therefore, you need to take advantage of the many free online IT courses out there. Here are five courses to get you started that touch upon some of today’s core AI skills. Develop new skills, challenge yourself. Include your new certifications in your CV and LinkedIn profiles. It will show employers you’re not just standing there, idle, that you are also ambitious and in constant motion.

Need more tips on life-long learning? Check out our article about the importance of continuing education.

IT Job Hunting: Life-long learning

Seeking a recruiter’s help

While it is frequent for technology experts to be overwhelmed by generic offers from recruiters who do not understand their area of technological focus and personal idiosyncrasies. There are great recruiters out there.

To conclude, specialized IT recruiters can become a life-long career partner for technology professionals looking for a steady income of work and guidance to navigate an ever-changing and fast-evolving job market. Consider working with a partner like Mindquest to easily take your career to the next level, saving time and at no cost to you.

Find more about our recruitment and career services here.

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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.

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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