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Effect of the crisis, confirmation of a sociological reality: not only sites of intermediation between freelance it specialists and contractors are flores; but the details of the offer and demand – typology of skills and rates of benefits – are now regular, indicator monitoring of trends.

By tens of thousands, according to specialized sites meters, independent it professionals constitute a privileged target of this modality of encounter between a need and a range of skills. Sites which, since 2000, have proliferated and are, for some, a market without borders for freelance missions. At the point of giving the impression of a market increasingly opened, allowing it professionals to bounce from one mission to another. Even if the reality is not as pink, far is needed.

Hence the appropriateness of the barometric indications that give some sites with more or less requested skills tracking. With, in addition, scales detailed practical rates. Probably more useful information for those who have recently taken the step, by choice or by obligation, as for solos already installed in this mode of working life, under various statutes (auto-entrepreneur, liberal on fees, employee worn). But even for them, it may be useful to know that currently profiles Android rating is on the rise, while that of Java developer knows a soft shot. As confirmed by (no surprise!) some hit recent parades (on freelance – 7.com, or freelance – info.fr). Not to mention the benefit of this type of information for contractors, which include small structures (SMEs, or TPE), followers of outsourcing in increasing numbers. Nearly half of the TPE polled by Freelancer.com (2500 French managers interviewed) outsources the programming and web development tasks. For a total amount exceeding EUR 1.5 million in 2012 (according to this platform of contacts).

Export services to the United States

For Freelancer.com, the monitoring is quarterly and international. Which tends to emphasize the fluctuations in demand. While Relativizing the impact, since all skills, all geographical locations providers freelance combined (India in mind, French providers in 9th position in the number of missions carried out for French TPE and SMEs), the average amount allocated to this work is less than 150 euros. Knowing however that the French independent providers export mainly services to the United States (33% of the missions of the French international) much more than to European countries (United Kingdom, 9%; Germany and Italy between 3% and 4%).

Six months ago, the interactive web was in the spotlight, with a peak of demand around HTML5, jQuery, PHP; and unlike most moderation on the side of internet marketing or attention paid to user experience (content and design of the sites). In the first quarter of 2013, these are skills related to the Organization and management of business (BPO) processes, which needed backing because of the outsourcing of back-office tasks (posting, pay) enabling budget carry forward to the heart of business and/or business activities.

HTML 5 and design 3D on the rise

Trades related to the development seamless e-commerce and web 2.0 are still at the top of the list of the ‘Fast 50′ of sought-after skills: HTML5, CSS, and with a lesser increase PHP, jQuery, or MySQL. Curiously, profiles related to social networks (Facebook or Twitter) recorded a decrease of offers. And the progress of tenders from missions of developing apps for iPad and iPhone (+ 11% and + 5%, respectively), much lower than that found around Android (+ 20%), enough talking. It is true the rebound of crafts optimization of contents (Search Engine Optimization) and Web Analytics (data collection and analysis of web), powered, according to the quarterly balance sheet, “the use of strategies of content.

Most original for the beginning of 2013, net growth in the demand for skills in design and 3D modeling, justified, according to Freelancer.com, by the democratization of 3D printing, with cost reduction but also fashionable.

Mobilization around the freelancers

At the same time in the development of the system of self-entrepreneurship – and recurring threats of adverse tax redevelopment – a type offers ecosystem develops around the freelancers. Whether it’s to accompany them in their administrative procedures and their legal monitoring (Evoportail, Federation of Fedae consulting, National Federation of the portage salarial FeNPS) and in their commercial prospecting (market places HiTechPros, freelance.com, iDirect.fr, trouvemoiunfreelance.com, ruedesmissions.com, agentsolo.com, Consulink, myfreelancecompany.com). Or to get out them of their isolation and play the card of collaboration (coworking) solos, specifically (codeur.com). Or inspired by the mode of Exchange and ‘contribution’ characteristic of the world of developers (fierdetredeveloppeur.org) or co-optation on specialized social networks (MyJobCompany, Boondeo.fr) relationships. Not to mention new opportunities to exchange of good professional pipes, such the of BOF (Birds of a feather) or new methods of consolidation of skills such as the NoSSII (not only service companies). Or again, last avatar of the mode of intermediation under the sign of the evolution of computer consumption patterns, cloud-working (which also allows the mounting of collaboration between solos) as proposed by the German start-up Twago. Unsurprisingly, it notes, three months after the launch of its service to the French freelancers, the predominance of developers in its clientele (more than 40% of relationship layouts) on bottom of an average duration of missions (all projects combined) of 2.5 weeks.