Difficult start to contract

[tarbera]

background checks

"sign a document allowing them to make background checks"

This is just stage 1, prepare to account for you life for the past 10 years, to silly questions on why you have more than 1 shareholder in your company

ohh and if you fail the checks you will be walked off site

[mattfx]

Had a similar thing happen to me OP; try and use the time as wisely as you can brushing up on skills, getting in touch with old professional contacts on LinkedIn teeing up your next gig etc. As others have said, keep calm and carry on invoicing. If payment issues arise then it's different.

[LondonManc]

Your original post sounds like contractor BAU to me.
Such a situation can actually turn out to be very profitable

+1

Sounds like someone wanted you in quickly (show your passport and NI number as initial proof) and took the risk of short-cutting onboarding. It may be that either you didn't read the small print or the agency didn't explain it, but many companies have a compliance/operational risk policy that requires them to know everything about you - at least that's how it feels when you're filling the forms in.

In terms of the work itself, the hardest part of contracting is the adapting to a new culture, assuming you've got the skills your cv suggests you have! Getting things done is partly knowing what you're doing and partly knowing how to do it at that particular client. If in doubt, ask your hiring manager; you're not in school now. You've been brought in for your skills, not your experience at that particular client (unless you've worked there before, obviously!)

[l35kee]

I didn't even have local admin rights on my PC until day 3!

Lucky!!! I didn't get a laptop until week 5...!! Somewhat of a hindrance as I obviously couldn't get access to systems or emails addresses.

Keep invoicing. See what aspects of the contract you can use to learn something new. If you get paid and learn something, it's a success story in my perspective. Even if the thing you learn is how not to do something.

[tarbera]

5 weeks

Lucky!!! I didn't get a laptop until week 5...!! Somewhat of a hindrance as I obviously couldn't get access to systems or emails addresses.

Keep invoicing. See what aspects of the contract you can use to learn something new. If you get paid and learn something, it's a success story in my perspective. Even if the thing you learn is how not to do something.

5 weeks - Pahh, I got no Laptop, no access, no entry into the building, I had to sit in a puddle in the car park for 18 months

[billybiro]

+1

Sounds like someone wanted you in quickly (show your passport and NI number as initial proof) and took the risk of short-cutting onboarding. It may be that either you didn't read the small print or the agency didn't explain it, but many companies have a compliance/operational risk policy that requires them to know everything about you - at least that's how it feels when you're filling the forms in.

Quite.

Do not fill in any forms, ignore the client's request for "background checks".

Write a nice letter, on your finest Ltd. letterhead indicating that YourCo Ltd. has taken all necessary steps to ensure that YourConsultant is authorised to work in the UK and has a "clean bill of health". Give that letter to the client explaining that YourCo has done all the necessary legwork to ensure that YourConsultant is fit for the role.

Remember, you're employed by YourCo, not AgentCo or ClientCo. The relationship of the engagement is between the various Co's, only. To the client, you're not an employee and shouldn't be subjected to the same tulip "onboarding" nonsense that employee's are, despite any so-called policies the client may have. Many on here will tell you to "just do it" in order to keep the contract, but where does that end? What if a client co. has a compliance "policy" that they must take samples of your DNA as part of the "onboarding" process? Do you submit to that? Do you draw the line somewhere? Anywhere? The more contractors (and employees for that matter) acquiesce to such demands, the further these clients will push it.

Finally, remember this. Does the local plumber/electrician/photocopier repair man have to submit themselves to "background checks" when they walk on the client's site?

[SueEllen]

Quite.

Do not fill in any forms, ignore the client's request for "background checks".

Write a nice letter, on your finest Ltd. letterhead indicating that YourCo Ltd. has taken all necessary steps to ensure that YourConsultant is authorised to work in the UK and has a "clean bill of health". Give that letter to the client explaining that YourCo has done all the necessary legwork to ensure that YourConsultant is fit for the role.

Remember, you're employed by YourCo, not AgentCo or ClientCo. The relationship of the engagement is between the various Co's, only. To the client, you're not an employee and shouldn't be subjected to the same tulip "onboarding" nonsense that employee's are, despite any so-called policies the client may have. Many on here will tell you to "just do it" in order to keep the contract, but where does that end? What if a client co. has a compliance "policy" that they must take samples of your DNA as part of the "onboarding" process? Do you submit to that? Do you draw the line somewhere? Anywhere? The more contractors (and employees for that matter) acquiesce to such demands, the further these clients will push it.

Finally, remember this. Does the local plumber/electrician/photocopier repair man have to submit themselves to "background checks" when they walk on the client's site?

Do this and get walked off site.

Lots of finance and defence companies do compliance checks on both staff and contractors. They are also very clear that you are not staff. Some actually request you put your information their contractor portal so after the handcuff period has run out they can hire you via other means.

[LondonManc]

Quite.

Do not fill in any forms, ignore the client's request for "background checks".

Write a nice letter, on your finest Ltd. letterhead indicating that YourCo Ltd. has taken all necessary steps to ensure that YourConsultant is authorised to work in the UK and has a "clean bill of health". Give that letter to the client explaining that YourCo has done all the necessary legwork to ensure that YourConsultant is fit for the role.

Remember, you're employed by YourCo, not AgentCo or ClientCo. The relationship of the engagement is between the various Co's, only. To the client, you're not an employee and shouldn't be subjected to the same tulip "onboarding" nonsense that employee's are, despite any so-called policies the client may have. Many on here will tell you to "just do it" in order to keep the contract, but where does that end? What if a client co. has a compliance "policy" that they must take samples of your DNA as part of the "onboarding" process? Do you submit to that? Do you draw the line somewhere? Anywhere? The more contractors (and employees for that matter) acquiesce to such demands, the further these clients will push it.

Finally, remember this. Does the local plumber/electrician/photocopier repair man have to submit themselves to "background checks" when they walk on the client's site?

You draw the line at what you feel is due diligence; that said, in some cases, I think it's more the background checkers trying to justify their checking rates. Especially when you're returning to the same client within a year or so. References for contracts since and proof that you're still insured, running as a limited co, etc. should suffice rather than having to jump through the same 72 hoops as last time.

[mattfx]

Quite.

Do not fill in any forms, ignore the client's request for "background checks".

Write a nice letter, on your finest Ltd. letterhead indicating that YourCo Ltd. has taken all necessary steps to ensure that YourConsultant is authorised to work in the UK and has a "clean bill of health". Give that letter to the client explaining that YourCo has done all the necessary legwork to ensure that YourConsultant is fit for the role.

Remember, you're employed by YourCo, not AgentCo or ClientCo. The relationship of the engagement is between the various Co's, only. To the client, you're not an employee and shouldn't be subjected to the same tulip "onboarding" nonsense that employee's are, despite any so-called policies the client may have. Many on here will tell you to "just do it" in order to keep the contract, but where does that end? What if a client co. has a compliance "policy" that they must take samples of your DNA as part of the "onboarding" process? Do you submit to that? Do you draw the line somewhere? Anywhere? The more contractors (and employees for that matter) acquiesce to such demands, the further these clients will push it.

Finally, remember this. Does the local plumber/electrician/photocopier repair man have to submit themselves to "background checks" when they walk on the client's site?

This is terrible, terrible advice.

I worked for a consultancy firm as a permie for a few years and several times before I could attend site to carry out long-ish term projects, the client would have to run through an onboarding process to get me a temporary pass / allow me access to the servers etc. Even if my employer had written and said "our consultant is trustworthy" it wouldn't have made a blind bit of difference and they'd have lost the business to another company.

There was one engagement I did for 4 weeks solid where I had to meet HR to talk about stupid things like the evacuation process!!!

[northernladyuk]

5 weeks - Pahh, I got no Laptop, no access, no entry into the building, I had to sit in a puddle in the car park for 18 months

Was it a free car park? What distance was it from the main site?