Background Checks

[nomadd]

I don't know anywhere that would on-board you without being cleared first.

Then you haven't worked at the last 5 clients I've worked for. All FTSE100. All City-based.

Screening has typically taken 2-6 weeks after I've started.

[eek]

Then you haven't worked at the last 5 clients I've worked for. All FTSE100. All City-based.

Screening has typically taken 2-6 weeks after I've started.

Last time a company tried to screen me it was on the last day of my 3 month contract which was always going to be short term.

[MrMarkyMark]

The answer is it depends, sometimes the checks will have to be complete prior to starting, sometimes not.

There's really no fixed rule, I would say that only in 20% of cases that they have been fully completed before I walk in the door.
This has been the case for the last 6 contracts in IB.

[Simon HiredByMe]

Thanks for that. Kind of answered your own statement, tbh (the "useless" bit... )

I looked through the list and all I saw was 99.9% Agencies. Which, as stated, is pretty useless. The Agencies aren't the clients, and they aren't the company's the clients are using to do the background checks. For the rare odd one you had that wasn't an Agent, I wouldn't be paying for a background check on their behalf - they would.

As I said in my prior post, there is no need for a contractor to pay out to you for this. The client will engage their own - usually offshore - screening company, and they will pick up the tab for the screening, regardless of whether you pass or fail.

Sorry if you disagree, but I've been working in the financial arena as a contractor since 1992, and I've never come across a system in any organisation that has required me to pay out for a product like yours. I simply cannot see the point of it. Sorry.

Sorry to disagree....

We've worked with the whole market on this, done our homework in detail, and in the overwhelming majority of cases it is the supplying agent, or the MSP, who is responsible for carrying out the screening on temporary staff - including contractors. It's different for perm staff, and there are cases where the client undertakes it for temp staff but these are the exception.

So the agencies are, in fact, the key clients. If agents didn't need the service they would not have bothered to sign with us. And if you're in doubt about this you're welcome to ring up any of our clients and ask them about my assertion above.

To reconfirm what I said earlier, there's no *requirement* to pay out for this - it's a choice. Some contractors will want to work with us, and others won't. Those who don't will have their screening done by the agency at the point of offer just as now. Those who do will get it done with us and get the benefits we discussed.

[Simon HiredByMe]

1. Nonsense. Please read my first reply to you. You have clearly never gone through the recruitment process for a financial client...
2. Doesn't work like that. Sorry. For example: I had to go through screening - as did every other contractor - three times at my last IB, as they changed their screening company three times. No if's or but's - you had to go through it each time - even though we'd all been on-site for nearly two years!
3. Makes no difference if you don't get the contract. Except that I've wasted my own money rather than the clients. And I've never "failed screening" in the 27 years I've been contracting, so...

1. Sorry, not nonsense. Our partner recruiters have placed contractors on site faster by using us. That's a fact. I'm happy to compare personal experience if you think that helps ;-)
2. I agree that has been the case up to now. But we have made a real change in the market, and agreed with our partners that our data *can* be re-used. It's not been easy, but we've done it.
3. This isn't a concern for everyone, but for some contractors we talk to they do want to see what data is held on them. If it's not a concern for you that's good, but it is a concern for others.

[Simon HiredByMe]

The answer is it depends, sometimes the checks will have to be complete prior to starting, sometimes not.

There's really no fixed rule, I would say that only in 20% of cases that they have been fully completed before I walk in the door.
This has been the case for the last 6 contracts in IB.

I'd agree there's no universal rule. What we do see is that there is a clear direction of travel towards (a) more checks (b) covering more of the population with (c) more having to be completed before workers can come on site.

[nomadd]

Our partner recruiters..

So, basically, you have a product. And your product is sold to Agencies. The bill is picked up Contractors.

And, let me guess, every Agency who passes a "client" (a Contractor) through to you gets..

..Commission.

[Simon HiredByMe]

So, basically, you have a product. And your product is sold to Agencies. The bill is picked up Contractors.

And, let me guess, every Agency who passes a "client" (a Contractor) through to you gets..

..Commission.

We do indeed have a product (or a service depending on your POV) - which clearly you don't think is right for you (and of course that's your choice) but others do think is right for them.

When we talk about our "partner agencies" we're talking about the places where you can use the product (i.e. agencies that will use the Portable PES rather than re-do your screening). And the cost of the service is split between the contractor and the agent.

Like every business it costs us money to acquire clients - through marketing, or advertising, or time. Even contractors have a cost to acquire work through the time they spend looking for work, talking to agents and interviewing. We don't pay exorbitant commissions (and in fact most agents don't take any commission from us) for referrals.

We work with a lot of agents, and the driver for them to work with us isn't some huge commission payment or massive cost saving. It's that this part of the process is painful for them as much as it is for contractors, and the ability to streamline it, and make it faster, is compelling. Again - feel free not to take my word for it but to call one of our partner agents and ask them directly....