"Gaps in employment"

[VectraMan]

My point is that I am an employee of my limited company and still taking a salary. Hence, I don't see any difference between this and being in a consultancy on the bench.

What do you have on your cv? Do you have just your limited company covering several years, or do you have list of clients with dates?

Short gaps are obviously fine and considered normal. Taken the last 3 years off work to find yourself? Maybe not.

[malvolio]

My point is that I am an employee of my limited company and still taking a salary. Hence, I don't see any difference between this and being in a consultancy on the bench.

Are you? Do you have an explicit contract of employment? Are you subject to working time directives and minimum wage rules?

What you are is an officer of your company who takes a salary. It makes absolutely no difference to the point about continuous "employment" (in the wide sense) but it's as well to be clear on the legalities.

[northernladuk]

Are you? Do you have an explicit contract of employment? Are you subject to working time directives and minimum wage rules?

What you are is an officer of your company who takes a salary. It makes absolutely no difference to the point about continuous "employment" (in the wide sense) but it's as well to be clear on the legalities.

This. Surprises me the number of people that run their own company and don't get this.

[SueEllen]

Also - I was not employed by me previous client. So no doubt the vetting process will approach my previous client for a reference if I state that I finished there on that date and they will not provide one because I did not actually work for them.

Unless you were direct with the client they can only contact the agency as that's who the company's contract was with. Clients who use agencies don't expect workers to harass them for references, and some explicitly forbid contractors asking.

Anyway I would just point out to the person doing the vetting something along the lines of that you were drawing a salary, and as such are not classed as unemployed by the government as you have no entitlement to unemployment benefits.

Then it's left up to them to clarify their terminology and decide what actual information they want.

[ShandyDrinker]

Finishing a contract in September and starting a new one six weeks later isn't a gap imho - if they ask, then just say that in your experience, it's the standard time needed from finishing one contract to starting another when you haven't got anything lined up. Be honest. I certainly wouldn't hold it against a contractor, especially given current market conditions.

Congrats to the OP for getting the role.

From what I am seeing in the market place and have done for most of the year is that while conditions are tough out there, many agents and agencies are now looking for contractors with an unblemished history of long contracts with multiple renewals and as few if any gaps as possible. What's more, given the sheer volume of people applying for any roles the agents and clients can afford to be so picky.

[northernladuk]

Congrats to the OP for getting the role.

He's not got it yet. Hasn't passed vetting.

From what I am seeing in the market place and have done for most of the year is that while conditions are tough out there, many agents and agencies are now looking for contractors with an unblemished history of long contracts with multiple renewals and as few if any gaps as possible. What's more, given the sheer volume of people applying for any roles the agents and clients can afford to be so picky.

From what he has said this is for the vetting process and nothing to do with the agents being picky.

[northernladuk]

Assuming your imprisonment was only for class C drugs, you will be fine.

If you got caught in that raid at NLyUK's : forget it.

MODS : Could we move to the professional fora and then retrospectively apply a suitable punishment for unprofessional comments in the professional area please. TYVM

[LondonManc]

He's not got it yet. Hasn't passed vetting.



From what he has said this is for the vetting process and nothing to do with the agents being picky.

Given that the OP has been offered the gig, subject to vetting, you're right on both points. My only advice is to be honest about what you've done. If you're looking for contracts, you're looking for contracts. If you went on holiday for a month at the end of a long contract, say so; you'd given everything and you needed a break, then followed the getting the cv up to date, marketing, research, applying, interviewing, etc.

[ShandyDrinker]

Hi,

I'm going through the paperwork for a new contract.

He's not got it yet. Hasn't passed vetting.



From what he has said this is for the vetting process and nothing to do with the agents being picky.

While the OP hasn't got it yet, it's as good as in the bag given that there is paperwork for the new contract i.e. an offer has been made. Agreed that it is subject to satisfactory vetting.

Although didn't say it directly, my point was that the OP is lucky that at least the agents weren't being picky. If the vetting process raises questions about a 6 week gap then God help us all.

[MrMarkyMark]

While the OP hasn't got it yet, it's as good as in the bag given that there is paperwork for the new contract i.e. an offer has been made. Agreed that it is subject to satisfactory vetting.

Although didn't say it directly, my point was that the OP is lucky that at least the agents weren't being picky. If the vetting process raises questions about a 6 week gap then God help us all.

I've had it where any gap over 2 months has to be explained.
This may be the clients request, rather than the agents however.