Calls from dissolved agencies?

[wogewwabbit]

Hi Guys,

I have been contracting in the past 5 years, and about 2 years ago I started checking the agencies contacting me on Companies House/Companycheck. Originally I was only checking their finances to avoid those who would have me as one of their two contractors. I was shocked how many of them are not even in business.
These days if I get a phone call from an agency the first thing I check on their website is their company number. Those who are not showing a company number could be PLCs, but unlikely. In these cases I just ignore everything from them.

I am curious how you deal with agencies you never heard of before? Do you guys also check whether they are legitimate, properly operating businesses?

What do you think the purpose of these people could be? Are they running some sort of scam? Or is this the new way of phishing for info, under someone else's company name?

[jkdaniel]

I wouldn't spend too much of time researching on the financials of the Agencies. As long as they can secure me an interview telephonic/face-to-face.
How Companies/Clients prefer their agencies and what makes them prefer one agency over other is a different ball-game.
And it is more in the interest of the Client to make sure the agencies are legit.
Doesn't matter who the agencies are, make sure when you speak to them you mean business and don't disclose any confidential information.
If you have put your CV on popular Jobsites, they would have a copy of it .
Sometimes small agencies can also secure you good roles. While some big agencies could take you on a fishing expedition and ditch you in the end.
The only risk you could probably face is if they don't pay your invoices.
Or they have unusual terms and conditions in their contract.
I've never experienced such thing but have heard people having delay in their invoices being paid and they were working through Mid-level popular agencies .

[cojak]

I wouldn't spend too much of time researching on the financials of the Agencies.

I would, you could lose £000's if the agency doesn't pay that first week/month's invoice.

I always check Companies House and I have credit checked an agency before now.

[eek]

I would, you could lose £000's if the agency doesn't pay that first week/month's invoice.

I always check Companies House and I have credit checked an agency before now.

I only credit check when I need to. I doubt S3 has a problem paying the bill. I think they are slightly more scared I name check Andy Hallett when I hassle them

[cojak]

We are talking about agencies you haven't heard of before though.

[Boney M]

I wouldn't spend too much of time researching on the financials of the Agencies. As long as they can secure me an interview telephonic/face-to-face.
How Companies/Clients prefer their agencies and what makes them prefer one agency over other is a different ball-game.
And it is more in the interest of the Client to make sure the agencies are legit.
Doesn't matter who the agencies are, make sure when you speak to them you mean business and don't disclose any confidential information.
If you have put your CV on popular Jobsites, they would have a copy of it .
Sometimes small agencies can also secure you good roles. While some big agencies could take you on a fishing expedition and ditch you in the end.
The only risk you could probably face is if they don't pay your invoices.
Or they have unusual terms and conditions in their contract.
I've never experienced such thing but have heard people having delay in their invoices being paid and they were working through Mid-level popular agencies .

Hilarious

[wogewwabbit]

Well, I only started checking them to see their finances, whether it makes sense or not it is another question. But this was the habit that made me realise that there are a lot of agencies who would not like you to see their company registration number at all. If I am contacted by an agency, that has a fancy website (virtual offices in Singapore, on the Moon and on Coruscant) but no company number, I get cautious. There can be many reasons (at least these are what I can think of):
- They are not incorporated, or maybe they are trying to catch their first contract? Or maybe they were closed down years ago, and now they are trying to operate without paying taxes (although I doubt anyone would be this stupid).
- They are actually in India. They have noone personally in the UK, and they know that this is a huge disadvantage for them.
- They are not even recruiters, but some sort of scam.
I have started looking for a new contract this Monday, and I already have two agencies on my list I have doubts about, because of this.

[Contreras]

I would, you could lose £000's if the agency doesn't pay that first week/month's invoice.

I always check Companies House and I have credit checked an agency before now.

I will usually check Companies House when an offer seems likely. I download the current appointments list and add the company to my monitor list to get email notification when documents are filed.

[MrMarkyMark]

I wouldn't spend too much of time researching on the financials of the Agencies. As long as they can secure me an interview telephonic/face-to-face.

You must be joking, right .
I have personally known 2 people that lost 2 months of money, when an agency went bust.

[cojak]

You must be joking, right .
I have personally known 2 people that lost 2 months of money, when an agency went bust.

He's a newbie, just wait till he sees the last month's invoice going down the Suwannee...