GLOSSARY
Freelance Management
Freelance management encompasses sourcing, contracting, onboarding and tracking practices for freelance consultants on short or long missions.
IN DEPTH
Freelance management refers to all processes a staffing firm or company implements to work with freelance consultants: identification via platforms (Malt, Comet, Crème de la Crème, LinkedIn), day rate negotiation, service contract drafting (employer-of-record possible), onboarding, mission tracking, billing, evaluation. In France 2026, 1 million freelancers are active with 60% open to salaried return in the right conditions. The Freelance Management Systems (FMS) market is booming: Comet, Malt, StaffMe, Club Freelance. A well-managed staffing firm maintains a 20-30% freelance/employee ratio for client response flexibility. Cobalt natively integrates both modes (employee + freelance) in its ATS.
Frequently asked questions
Staffing refers to placing salaried consultants at clients (staffing firm-client service contract, consultant CDI). Freelance management handles independents (direct client-freelance contract or via employer-of-record). Modern staffing firms manage both modes in parallel.
Malt (FR leader, 500k+ freelancers), Comet (senior tech), Crème de la Crème (elite), LittleBigConnection, StaffMe (students). For a staffing firm managing both employees + freelancers in one ATS: Cobalt integrates both modes.
Related terms
- Staffing Firm / ESN (Entreprise de Services Numériques)An ESN (IT staffing firm) is a French company specialized in IT services: it places consultants (employees or freelancers) at client sites for 3-month to 2-year missions.
- Day Rate (TJM)TJM (Taux Journalier Moyen) is the price billed by a staffing firm or freelancer per day of service. In 2026, median IT consultant day rate in France: €580/day.
- Bench (Intercontrat)The bench (intercontrat) is the period during which a staffing firm consultant is not placed on a client mission. They're paid but generate no revenue.
- Business Manager (BM)A Business Manager (BM) is a staffing firm salesperson responsible for a client and consultant portfolio. They sell services, manage missions and bench time.
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