Working with addon: A senior freelancer testifies
Some of our freelancers have been with us for a while. So has Samir! He works as a Functional Analyst at NIHDI; the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (public sector). His assignment has been running for seven years now and Samir is still going strong! Next opportunities? Via addon, he says confidently. This is his testimony on our way of working.
Samir x addon
Once upon a time, Youssef discovered Samir on LinkedIn. Samir had been freelancing for a while by then but his project at the time was coming to an end. Enter Youssef! They got acquainted and Youssef proposed a new freelancing challenge to Samir that was right up his alley. Samir accepted and, six years later, he’s still on the job! It’s the longest he’s ever stayed anywhere, he says, but he likes it there so why not?
Samir had worked in the public sector before and indicated that he was keen to stay in that field. So, when Youssef proposed a project at the NIHDI, Samir was glad that his wish was being fulfilled. As a Functional Analyst, he’s the bridge between the business and the team of developers. He takes the input and requirements that stakeholders present him with and passes them along to the developers, suggesting solutions along the way and helping with designs.
It’s been such a long project because they were working with an existing, slightly outdated application before. Samir took care of its maintenance in the beginning but has now switched to working on a new version with new technology and new features. He’ll probably be on board for another year or two. Samir isn’t worried about the future:
“When the time comes, I am confident that addon will offer me a new, equally exciting project to pursue!”
Why (still) addon?
According to Samir, it’s both because he’s having such a good time with the team at the NIHDI, and because of Youssef:
“I have known Youssef for quite a long time now, and our relationship continues to flourish because Youssef always makes sure he follows up with me and my work happiness.”
When we press him on the matter, he indicates that he’s in touch with Youssef at least ten times a year. We’re talking phone calls, mails, lunches… According to Samir, the follow-up on Youssef’s part is excellent. It’s more than that, though, he says. He believes that what we at addon say about ourselves on our website about having a personal approach, is true. To him, it’s all about the fact that he feels that he can be honest about his state of mind and ask for advice.
“Most freelancers are confident in their hard skills, as they should be. I think that we need to be more aware of our soft skills too, though, because it’s so important in order to build a strong relationship with your client(s). I learned a great deal from Youssef on how to communicate with certain people, how to address issues or handle hierarchy. I’m grateful to him for that, and I hope junior freelancers will have the guts to ask him for advice. You can count on Youssef.”
Support goes a long way
We asked Samir if he’d ever encountered an issue when it comes to administration. Has he ever been paid too late or has something else popped up? Samir shrugged and said that he honestly couldn’t think of a single thing. Granted, during the first waves of Covid, most payment terms were extended from 30 to 60 days but that was the case everywhere. Besides, it’s been changed back so all is well again.
Something that Samir appreciates and talks about often, is the fact that addon really knows its customers and can support freelancers in more than one way. It goes beyond ‘simple’ administrative assistance or finding a good project. Speaking of which, Samir stresses that the fact that addon is part of The Cronos Group wasn’t something that he was particularly interested in, at first. However, it does give him peace of mind that the network will make sure he can count on addon to present him with a variety of projects in the future that will match his preferences. Let’s hear from Samir one last time before we sign off:
“I strongly advise (starting) freelancers to approach addon. Their personal approach is truly one of a kind. They make sure they know who you are and what you (don’t) like. There’s much you can ask them so just go for it!”
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!
