Blacklisted/Blackballed/Defamation What to do next?

[vwdan]

My skills were good enough before but they are not good enough now?

Maybe not. You implied you've struggled before - if your skills are super niche, maybe you just aren't stacking up against the competition?

I don't mean to be nasty or anything, but realistically - what's more likely? That the sprawling IT industry and it's almost endless clients are running a conspiracy against you? Or that you either pissed off enough people in a small niche / you simply aren't up to scratch (CV, skills, interview technique or otherwise).

You posted earlier that some of this recruitment/ICO/whatever business sees you in danger - I'm going to be blunt, these come across as the postings of a paranoid person on the edge of reality, not a professional IT worker.

[1manshow]

Wish I could afford to retire but I have been ranting on various forums for some time. I cannot comment about the issues I have reported to the ICO as some of it is quite serious even possibly threatening to my personal safety. If the ICO do not turn up facts then I need to have a plan B any suggestions.

During the last 6 years I have looked inwards PLENTY. I have been to job clubs, I have spoken to career counsellors, I have had psychological counselling. I have asked others if they know what the issue is and I still have no idea what the problem is or why this is happening.
I have survived only because I had savings which lasted two years, since them I have been living (if that is what you want to call it) on my husbands income. I did start a business (not consulting/contracting) and tried at this for three of the last six years hoping that these problems would go away but they have not. I finished the business in 2016 and have been looking for work since then. Maybe there is no "blacklist" maybe it is personal but I cannot be the only person in the world that this has happened to. The ICO investigated the construction industry and that list was formed of people who were seen as union activist/trouble makers. A lot of people were stopped from working and a lot of money has now been paid out. Is there a more global issue?

You're fishing. There is no conspiracy against you, whatever happened in the construction industry is not relevant with regards to you. It is, as others said, personal - we don't know the whole story - but we can all confidently say that people weren't out to get you.

[Lance]

HTH? What should I do go away and start a family? I am over 50, Female, No kids, Very rare skills and new skills gained in the last six years. Sorry but my last permanent role was in the 90's your get a job comment does not hang together. My skills were good enough before but they are not good enough now?

Clearly not.

Employers struggle to find good people. If you can’t find work (contract or perm) then your skills are not needed. Or you fail to articulate your skills.

Try a career change.
Being over 50 with no kids is desirable (wrongly IMO) to employers as you’re likely to stick around for 15 years.
New skills without experience are not new skills though. You need a totally new tack. You’ve not said much about what you do so it’s hard to make suggestions, but what about office temping? Get you going in a high demand area and a lot of those companies keep the good ones on.

[TonyF]

Maybe not. You implied you've struggled before - if your skills are super niche, maybe you just aren't stacking up against the competition?

Maybe the skills are too niche? Been there before when I had in demand skills in a particular niche and then the software vendor killed the product

[boredfromsurrey]

Maybe not. You implied you've struggled before - if your skills are super niche, maybe you just aren't stacking up against the competition?

I don't mean to be nasty or anything, but realistically - what's more likely? That the sprawling IT industry and it's almost endless clients are running a conspiracy against you? Or that you either pissed off enough people in a small niche / you simply aren't up to scratch (CV, skills, interview technique or otherwise).

You posted earlier that some of this recruitment/ICO/whatever business sees your life in danger - I'm going to be blunt, these come across as the postings of a paranoid person on the edge of reality, not a professional IT worker.

Maybe " I have pissed people off "we all have our bad days. It is competitive but I do not play dirty. I am not paranoid, the police are involved/aware but this is not the whole issue in fact it may be unrelated to the "blacklisting, defamation or whatever the right term is. I am very professional. I have been a manager. I have been in senior roles/contracts. My CV, interview etc. may not be what people like but I am not a "worker" I am an Independent Consultant. I don't even want to own a CV but agencies will not touch me without one. Anyway I now see myself as an ex-contractor but it is useful to see the comments that are coming out. Please people keep posting.

[vwdan]

Maybe " I have pissed people off "we all have our bad days. It is competitive but I do not play dirty. I am not paranoid, the police are involved/aware but this is not the whole issue in fact it may be unrelated to the "blacklisting, defamation or whatever the right term is. I am very professional. I have been a manager. I have been in senior roles/contracts. My CV, interview etc. may not be what people like but I am not a "worker" I am an Independent Consultant. I don't even want to own a CV but agencies will not touch me without one. Anyway I now see myself as an ex-contractor but it is useful to see the comments that are coming out. Please people keep posting.

I guess my point is that I think you need to forget the whole blacklist thing and really take a step back. Whatever the reason for you missing out on roles, it's unlikely to be any 3rd party conspiracy against you - as said - maybe your skills aren't in demand, maybe others with those skills are just better value or maybe you just aren't allowing yourself to be found.

I'd get a new CV made, trawl this place as though you're a brand new contractor and go from there. Again, your last post sounds like you're pushing against the machine - but to a degree you need to be the path of least resistance if you want back into the workplace. Give agents what they want, and give clients the interview they want. **** it, declare in IR35 if you need to.

[boredfromsurrey]

I guess my point is that I think you need to forget the whole blacklist thing and really take a step back. Whatever the reason for you missing out on roles, it's unlikely to be any 3rd party conspiracy against you - as said - maybe your skills aren't in demand, maybe others with those skills are just better value or maybe you just aren't allowing yourself to be found.

I'd get a new CV made, trawl this place as though you're a brand new contractor and go from there. Again, your last post sounds like you're pushing against the machine - but to a degree you need to be the path of least resistance if you want back into the workplace. Give agents what they want, and give clients the interview they want. **** it, declare in IR35 if you need to.

I did do that before, Ilet it drop.It made no difference. I did something else for three years while still looking for contract work hoping it whatever the problem would go away, it has not.
I do want to find work but my post is not about finding work. I am asking how can I find out the facts for example do I need to hire a private investigator? What other methods can I use to find out what really happened? I do not have a problem with IR35 I am more than willing to take a contract inside a permanent role whatever it takes but at the same time I have a sizable gap in my finances of six years income how do I get justice. Would most people not be quite angry about that I guess I will just write it off as bad luck

[MrButton]

It’s clear that you haven’t been blacklisted. It simply does not happen in technology unless it’s very very specific tech and you really f’ed up.

What kind of “justice” (as you say) are you looking for? To sue an agent or client or person for 6 years lost income? Or?

Fair play going to the ICO about them not giving you the info held about you and it’s important people actually follow up. But I really think you’re barking up the wrong tree.

Use a CV writing and interview technique service and actually listen to them.

Alternatively hire a private investigator. The most expensive you can find.

[northernladuk]

I'm intrigued to know what type of information you've been given by the agencies and how this is affecting your ability to get a gig. And affecting your personal safety? Something isn't right here.

[NotAllThere]

...My post is not about finding work but how to get justice. Where do I go in terms of investigation? How do I find the facts?

The repeated advice here - on the information you've supplied - is you won't get justice, because there is no justice to be had, since no-one is treating you unfairly. There's nowhere to go in terms of investigation, because there's nothing to investigate. There are no facts to find.

Obviously if your skillset is so niche that all clients and workers in that niche know one another and none of them like you, you won't get work. That doesn't need a blacklist.