How to become a freelance IT specialist?

Who hasn't experienced a computer problem in a professional or personal context? A computer that no longer responds to your command, a hard disk that has broken down, a component that has failed, maximum storage capacity reached, etc., are all situations in which it's essential to call in a computer specialist.

Ses missions sont variées, généralement autour de la délivrance d’une expertise, ou l’accomplissement d’un projet informatique ponctuel : la sécurité réseau, les bases de données, le web, le développement, l’intégration logicielle ou encore l’intelligence artificielle sont ses domaines de prédilection.

Les profils orientés données, comme le data analyst, le data scientist ou le chef de projet informatique, trouvent eux aussi leur place en indépendant. Cependant, lancer votre projet informatique en freelance nécessite de suivre une démarche structurée, afin de mettre toutes les chances de votre côté.

Why become a freelance IT specialist?

Around 90% of freelancers in the business services sector (and 97% among developers) are self-employed by choice. Working on your own has several advantages, not least of which is greater autonomy through the absence of subordination to a line manager.

So you become your own boss, and are free to organize your day-to-day life as you wish. You can also choose your assignments according to your wishes and areas of expertise.

How do you set up your own business?

The first step is to actually create your business by choosing your legal status. There are several options available to you:

• EIRL (Entreprise individuelle à responsabilité limitée). As the name suggests, the entrepreneur is only liable for the amount of capital he or she has contributed to the company. His or her personal assets are protected in the event of bad business, and cannot be used to recover any debts.
• EURL (Entreprise universelle à responsabilité limitée). It offers the same advantages as the EIRL, but its manager is considered a self-employed worker. It benefits from a specific social protection scheme, less effective than that of salaried employees.
• The SASU (Société par actions simplifiée unipersonnelle) is particularly flexible. Its day-to-day operation is set out in the articles of association. The Chairman of the SASU is covered by the general social security system.
• The micro-entrepreneur status status is particularly easy to set up, manage and wind up. Your social security contributions are calculated on the basis of your gross sales. This is capped at €176,200 for sales activities and €72,500 for services.

The steps involved in setting up a company vary according to the type of status chosen.

Many freelance IT professionals opt for company domiciliation. French law allows you to separate the address of your registered office from your actual place of business. Visit domiciliation companies offer a wide range of prestigious addresses, often located in the most sought-after areas of Paris and other major French cities. You're free to domicile your company wherever you like!

Calling on a domiciliation company can also considerably lighten your daily routine: daily mail management, administrative, tax and legal formalities, and so on. A telephone secretariat can also take your messages in your absence.

What are the keys to success in this profession?

If you're looking for work as a freelancer, your first source of customer acquisition is undoubtedly your personal network. There's no need to spend all your time at trade shows, because nothing is more effective than word-of-mouth. A recruiter looking for a service provider is looking for someone he can trust (especially when given access to his company's IT infrastructure).

The first step is to make yourself visible online, by advertising your address as widely as possible on the Internet(online directories, Google My Business, Yellow Pages, etc.) and in businesses near your home.

Why not create a Facebook or Twitter page to target new prospects and attract attention? Above all, develop your personal social network, as it's less competitive than your professional network, distribute business cards and print flyers!

Last but not least, prospecting remains an effective way of enriching your customer portfolio. Take the time to clearly define your service offering, and approach companies close to your home. Your job will then be to build long-term customer loyalty.

As you can see, domiciling your company is a major advantage for new IT professionals! This simple, inexpensive alternative will win your customers' trust, and give you every chance of optimizing the success of your project!

With SeDomicilier, you can obtain your certificate of domiciliation in less than 5 minutes, in a 100% online process. What's more, all your services are then available in a personalized, secure virtual office!