Why switch from payroll to freelance?

About Aimé 

Aimé: “I have five years’ experience within my field of expertise by now and in fact, I was quite happy at my job. My employer was nice, the pay was fair, and I liked working with the team at my project. However, I felt I wasn’t learning as much anymore. When I asked my employer to look for a new, more challenging project for me, they said they’d try but a year later they still hadn’t been able to put me anywhere new. Of course, I understand that it’s not always easy to do so but for me, as a person, that was frustrating. In addition, they didn’t want me to begin freelancing for them as they expected everyone at the company would want to switch as well, which wasn’t feasible for them. That’s why I started to investigate the freelancing world myself. I set some money aside, knowing that it, certainly when you want to set up a business (which I wanted to do), could be expensive.” 

“When I checked LinkedIn, I noticed that I’d received a few messages from recruiters from addon. I had never replied before since I thought I was good where I was, but when I saw a vacancy from addon for a freelancing job that really interested me, I got in touch. Rihab graciously helped me and looked at my CV. From there, things went incredibly fast. She introduced me to the client, they said they wanted to interview me, they did, and I think we had a deal in two weeks. To me, the speed at which things were evolving was great and boosted my confidence. By the time this article will be published, I’ll be serving out my notice period and I’ll begin the new project, as a freelancer, in the new year! I don’t want to burn bridges so I’m ending my work as beautifully and peacefully as possible.” 

The addon approach 

Aimé: “If I’m being honest, I must admit that I didn’t know about addon and wouldn’t have looked specifically for them. The messages from Rihab on LinkedIn, however, piqued my interest and the vacancy especially. The fact that addon is part of The Cronos Group immediately set me at ease. It’s such a well–known, big group; I was sure they’d find projects to suit me in the future within their broad network. Furthermore, in all transparency, their reputation reassured me that not only I’d get interesting projects but that I’d be paid in time as well. They won’t collapse in one fell swoop as some other smaller agencies might do in these times of crises.” 

“The real difference addon made, for me personally, all comes down to Youssef. The day before the interview, he called me. I thought it would be to talk about technicalities. However, it was to explain the addon way, to reassure me that I didn’t have to worry about the fact that I hadn’t set up a business yet and should focus on the interview itself instead. Remarkably, he seemed most intent on assuring me that starting to freelance is feasible and doable, even for a junior profile like me. He truly put me at ease and made sure I knew that I could count on him for advice. I called him several times in the days after, to ask him more questions about how to set up a business, et cetera. He told me, for example, to first get in touch with a good accountant. All his good advice has truly helped me in those first stages. I’m grateful to him for that.” 

Why would(n’t) he do it again? 

Aimé: “I’m passionate about IT. It’s a rapidly evolving sector and I want to develop products that make an impact, that are useful. That’s why I don’t want to be stuck in the same technology all the time but evolve and keep learning. The freedom that freelancing brings with it, both in terms of money as well as in terms of projects, was what convinced me and would still convince me today to take the leap of faith. Obviously, I’ve been scared at times. I know that it’ll be a while before I make my first money, for instance. That’s why I saved some. Most of all, though, I’m afraid that I’ll end up in a team that hasn’t as nice a vibe as I have at my current job. I hope it’ll sort itself out, but that’s something that no one, not even addon, can fix for me. I’ll just have to hope that the match is as made in heaven as we think it is.” 

“I don’t really feel major support yet from addon, but I think that’s normal. I didn’t expect anything from them anyway. By the way, with all of Youssef’s help, I’ve already been supported more than I thought I’d be. Everything’s coming together. Once I start my first project, though, I suppose I’ll truly know what it means to freelance through addon, and what difference they can make. Let’s talk again by spring, shall we? (laughs)” 

Tips for people in doubt 

Aimé: “If there’s anything I’d like to tell people who aren’t sure if and why they’d like to freelance, I’d say ‘just do it’ (laughs). I know it’s easy to say but trust me, there’s less hassle to it than you’d think. Yes, you need a good accountant, but mostly you just need to know your own worth and sort out your priorities. There isn’t much information out there on how to get started, but addon is clearly here to guide you in the process. They’re very approachable so don’t hesitate to reach out. And like I said, stay tuned for my next testimonial somewhere in the new year! (laughs) Hopefully, by then I’ve embarked on the best adventure of my life and I’m here to convince you all even more emphatically!” 

We are Youssef – founder of addon – and Hajar and Adam – recruiters. The three of us establish the smooth sailings of our organisation. As we want to keep our personal and human values high, we welcome anyone who wants to contribute to our story and mission. Don’t be shy to contact us: we’re approachable, available and we can’t wait to meet you!