Indian recruitment consultancies operating in the UK

[rocktronAMP]

Where have you been, SilverLink, Blackapple etc. have been doing this for ages?

Thanks MrMarkMark for the heads-up on these guys! Mine was IBU Consulting Ltd

I just reviewed my call log only a few years ago (2013) when dealing Arrows Group and they were pleasant enough then. The times, they are a-changing.

[rocktronAMP]

Because you still have to be there under their supervision and you still have to see payment of your invoices. I've never had the displeasure to have to contract through one of these parasites but I did contract with another guy who did. When it came to signing his weekly timesheet they were quibbling about a 5 minute toilet break, a few minutes getting a coffee, I kid you not. It inevitably delayed the invoice payments, week after week. Dreadful state of affairs.

Aside from this, as a matter of principle (yes I'm a contractor, I shouldn't have any), I look upon consultancies as competitors, worse still, if I contract through them, they are creaming off me far more than any agency could hope for and stiffing the client for no real added value. Bill me out at double my rate. Clients must be thick or lazy, preferring to wash their hands of managing their own development efforts. Mostly ends in tears anyhow.

And I also think that as a contractor they are representing you as a business to the client.
Each to their own. I don't want an agency representing to me or a client with broken English.
So it is your own reputational risk to think of.
I also think if client like investment bank, e-commerce service or start-up is going for these sort of outfits then it transfers probably the projects and the outcome.
Sure. I could look only at cold-hard cash money, but I rather stay clear for now until they improve substantially.

[oliverson]

What does it matter if you get the role and they pay your invoices?

Because you still have to be there under their supervision and you still have to see payment of your invoices. I've never had the displeasure to have to contract through one of these parasites but I did contract with another guy who did. When it came to signing his weekly timesheet they were quibbling about a 5 minute toilet break, a few minutes getting a coffee, I kid you not. It inevitably delayed the invoice payments, week after week. Dreadful state of affairs.

Aside from this, as a matter of principle (yes I'm a contractor, I shouldn't have any), I look upon consultancies as competitors, worse still, if I contract through them, they are creaming off me far more than any agency could hope for and stiffing the client for no real added value. Bill me out at double my rate. Clients must be thick or lazy, preferring to wash their hands of managing their own development efforts. Mostly ends in tears anyhow.

[Milkyway]

This seems to happening more and more this year.

I had calls from Arrows Group UK, which I have now blocked, where their people have poor English: "When you make the CV", "If you would be fine", "you can reply me back"
I don't want this agency to represent my contracting business. It seems like they have outsourced their recruitment consultants.

And then this morning I had an email from a different company outfit supposedly based in Harrow, HA1, London. They also had an office based in India Pty as advertised on the email signature.
The email was about a ____ developer job in central London for 6 months. So I thought okay, goody.

So I started reading:



The job description text appeared all in blue in my Gmail, and at the bottom of the email it read:



It was complete spam. I just thought this was basic-level bottom of the pyramid stuff. They obviously grabbed my details from JobSite or CWJobs website, because I am looking, but I now believe that this trend of clipper cheap-as-chips cowboy building contractor is very real. Somebody else out there falling for the hook like a fish and it ain't me.

See also the thread State of the Market from a few weeks ago!

This is why you should work sometimes rather than just sleeping for 2 decades.
This has been happening for ages.
Ok, now get up from your sofa and go outside and start looking for work in the real world.

[FrontEnder]

A bit foolish to just block the Agency based on this. Their contractor division is probably completely separate to this.

I've had some dealing with them and they were decent enough, although I haven't had a gig with them.

[The Plantswoman]

What does it matter if you get the role and they pay your invoices?

[MrMarkyMark]

but I now believe that this trend of clipper cheap-as-chips cowboy building contractor is very real.

Where have you been, SilverLink, Blackapple etc. have been doing this for ages?

[northernladuk]

Yup.

[rocktronAMP]

This seems to happening more and more this year.

I had calls from Arrows Group UK, which I have now blocked, where their people have poor English: "When you make the CV", "If you would be fine", "you can reply me back"
I don't want this agency to represent my contracting business. It seems like they have outsourced their recruitment consultants.

And then this morning I had an email from a different company outfit supposedly based in Harrow, HA1, London. They also had an office based in India Pty as advertised on the email signature.
The email was about a ____ developer job in central London for 6 months. So I thought okay, goody.

So I started reading:

Role: Sr. ____ Developer
Rate: Competitive
Location: London
Job type: Contract
Duration: 6 Months
Start date: Oct 1st Week


Job Description:

A unique development opportunity to work for an innovative market leader as a ___ Developer.
Full Name:
Please share the following details to consider your interest for this role.

The job description text appeared all in blue in my Gmail, and at the bottom of the email it read:

Nationality:
Visa Details (If Applicable):
Contact No:
Email:
Current Company:
Current role (Permanent or Contract):
Notice Period:
Current Rate/Salary:
Expected Rate/Salary:
Total Experience:
Joining time after selection:
Current Location:

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

It was complete spam. I just thought this was basic-level bottom of the pyramid stuff. They obviously grabbed my details from JobSite or CWJobs website, because I am looking, but I now believe that this trend of clipper cheap-as-chips cowboy building contractor is very real. Somebody else out there falling for the hook like a fish and it ain't me.

See also the thread State of the Market from a few weeks ago!