"Gaps in employment"

**LondonManc** · 21 October 2016, 08:47

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.

**MrMarkyMark** · 21 October 2016, 08:52

Originally posted by Jagoico View Post

Hi,

I'm going through the paperwork for a new contract. My last contract finished at the beginning of Sept this year and my new one starts next week (Oct). One piece of paperwork asks for details of any gaps in employment/education history (with explicit dates, not just months).

Considering that I contract through a limited company and I am technically employed by my limited company and continued to be so during that period whilst looking for my next contract, does this still count as a gap? What about before I went contracting and worked at large consultancies. Does the time on the bench or doing bid work count as a gap?

TIA

Usually they are only interested in gaps of over 2-3 months, however YMMV.

As for the consultancy work you were employed by them over all the bid and bench time, so I wouldn't worry about that?

**northernladuk** · 21 October 2016, 08:57

Gotta be careful here. Which bit of which paperwork? If this is for any kind of vetting for security or a financial client. Being a little liberal with the truth could come back and bite you. I'd be totally honest but advise these are see if you can ask someone for clarification.

Question for the OP. Are sure you are employed by your limited?

**LondonManc** · 21 October 2016, 08:57

Originally posted by Jagoico View Post

Hi,

I'm going through the paperwork for a new contract. My last contract finished at the beginning of Sept this year and my new one starts next week (Oct). One piece of paperwork asks for details of any gaps in employment/education history (with explicit dates, not just months).

Considering that I contract through a limited company and I am technically employed by my limited company and continued to be so during that period whilst looking for my next contract, does this still count as a gap? What about before I went contracting and worked at large consultancies. Does the time on the bench or doing bid work count as a gap?

TIA

As a perm, you have no gaps, except when you're not perm.

**Jagoico** · 21 October 2016, 09:07

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.

**Jagoico** · 21 October 2016, 09:08

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.

**MrMarkyMark** · 21 October 2016, 09:16

Originally posted by Jagoico View Post

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.

If you contracted for them, then vetting will approach them and they will provide dates.

**LondonManc** · 21 October 2016, 09:17

Originally posted by Jagoico View Post

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.

If you're a permie at Accenture, for example, from 2008-2013, then there are no gaps.

If you're a contractor, they want to know when you were actively in contract - it's more about establishing that you're you and wanting to be certain that the gaps aren't covering anything dodgy (banks in particularly are extremely zealous on the ops risk front these days), such as prison time.

**BrilloPad** · 21 October 2016, 09:21

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.

"Gaps in employment"