Blacklisted/Blackballed/Defamation What to do next?

[boredfromsurrey]

I was a contractor from 2006 to 2012. Since 2012 all work dried up. Initially I took legal advice at the end of 2012 when a contract offer was withdrawn reason given reference from my previous contract. In the end I did not take this any further as there was a lack of proof and I stupidly took advice from a connection in the recruitment world . Since then the situation has got worse and earlier this year I decided to ask for my records from various recruitment consultancies. So far it is not looking promising for four of them and I have notified the Information Commissioners Office. I have also taken further legal advice but I need further facts to pursue none of the previous contractors I worked with want to comment understandably. What I need is advice about what else I can do? The recent cases in the construction world highlight a problem but my question is why would I be blacklisted in the technology world? I do not hold any strong political views or belong to a union (I had my own company). What should my next steps be? Is there a known blacklisting in the technology world? Previous to this issue I struggled to find suitable work but there was enough work to live on but now I have not had paid work since early 2012. What can I do?

[WTFH]

Welcome to the forum.

A few questions:
Since 2012, how many contracts have you had offers withdrawn from? Out of how many that you've applied for?
Are the referees you supply still valid, i.e. does Mr X still work at Company Y?
Are you using the same agencies?
You mention that "Previous to this issue I struggled to find suitable work", why was that?

[uk contractor]

There are not any known recruiter blacklists. Think about it logically most want to place people they do not care if you did not work out elsewhere they are ONLY interested in placing you now. But if you were dishonest your credit record will be marked as such & if you had any police issues that will show up as well & both will prevent you getting many roles in 2018. If a previous employer is giving you a poor reference then that is something else & impossible to prove without evidence. Most refuse to give a reference instead of saying anything negative.

A reference from 2012 will be worthless in 2018 anyway. Without you giving a lot more personally identifying detail (which I do not recommend) to this its impossible to know what the issue is holding you back.

[cojak]

I was a contractor from 2006 to 2012. Since 2012 all work dried up. Initially I took legal advice at the end of 2012 when a contract offer was withdrawn reason given reference from my previous contract. In the end I did not take this any further as there was a lack of proof and I stupidly took advice from a connection in the recruitment world .

Since then the situation has got worse and earlier this year I decided to ask for my records from various recruitment consultancies. So far it is not looking promising for four of them and I have notified the Information Commissioners Office. I have also taken further legal advice but I need further facts to pursue none of the previous contractors I worked with want to comment understandably.

What I need is advice about what else I can do? The recent cases in the construction world highlight a problem but my question is why would I be blacklisted in the technology world? I do not hold any strong political views or belong to a union (I had my own company). What should my next steps be? Is there a known blacklisting in the technology world? Previous to this issue I struggled to find suitable work but there was enough work to live on but now I have not had paid work since early 2012. What can I do?

There is no known blacklisting in the IT world. Recruitment agents would place The Devil or Margaret Thatcher if they could get commission out of it.

Go back to the contract that employed you until 2012 and network the people who hired you - they know and understand you and know your skills.

Other than that it's either your CV or your interviewing skills that's the problem. Time to look inward, my friend...

[Cirrus]

I've never heard of this happening. You rarely get involved in qualitative references from real people nowadays. It's usually a yes/no from an agency about whether you did the cited role over the cited period. So question number 1 is why are you getting involved in references?

Question number 2 is why are these people speaking ill of you? You need to face up to that issue.

[boredfromsurrey]

Welcome to the forum.

A few questions:
Since 2012, how many contracts have you had offers withdrawn from? Out of how many that you've applied for?
Are the referees you supply still valid, i.e. does Mr X still work at Company Y?
Are you using the same agencies?
You mention that "Previous to this issue I struggled to find suitable work", why was that?

Thanks for the reply. I have had two contracts withdrawn. The first in 2012 was when the contract offer was withdrawn after references taken (so I am told). A third contract in 2013 lasted one week after I tried to negotiate on bad IR35 terms in the contract but seems to be about the time the references were taken. The final time in 2014 I actually accepted and received the contract documentation and was eventually told that the work did not exist so there was no contract! Since then nothing a few telephone interviews but nothing else. I am not sure but previously issues due to sex discrimination?? since 1993 but at least I had work and I never had any issues prior to 2012 with references or contracts being withdrawn. I have not used the referee since and I never use the same agencies always different agencies. prior to 2012 I might have about 25% success rate of interview and then 30% success rate of securing the contract and often had contract extensions. I want a)To find if other contractors have had similar issues and find out what they did to resolve the issue? and b) To understand if people get backlisted in technology and if so what are the reasons?
Cheers

[WTFH]

a)To find if other contractors have had similar issues and find out what they did to resolve the issue? and b) To understand if people get backlisted in technology and if so what are the reasons?

a) I had an issue with one contractor bad-mouthing me. I just got other contracts and made sure that the quality of my work proved him to be wrong.

b) people only get "blacklisted" by agents if you sue them. And even then, it's only for a short time.

But back to you, since 2014 how many jobs have you applied for, how many have you got to interview stage?
If your work history has lots of gaps in it then it doesn't look good, and in a slow market, like we currently have, that can make a big difference.

You mention that "Previous to this issue I struggled to find suitable work", why was that?

Are you now looking for help to get you back in the contracting game or are you looking for people to say something to agree with you?

[tarbera]

all work dried up

but now I have not had paid work since early 2012. What can I do?

Retire and Rant on forums?

[TestMangler]

There is no known blacklisting in the IT world. Recruitment agents would place The Devil or Margaret Thatcher if they could get commission out of it.

Go back to the contract that employed you until 2012 and network the people who hired you - they know and understand you and know your skills.

Other than that it's either your CV or your interviewing skills that's the problem. Time to look inward, my friend...

^^ This.

I had a pimp once use the 'You'll never work in this country again' line on me years ago for refusing an extension.

Three months later, he was back on the phone with a 'Hello mate, had (client) on the phone wondering if you were available.....'

You appear to have wider problems than non existent blacklisting.

[TonyF]

If you've been out of contract since 2012, what have you been doing to earn some money? Surely someone during the past six years can provide evidence that you're not the awful person that whatever blacklist says you are.

What particularly is in the data that you've received that you're complainging to the ICO about? If it's untrue then I'm njot sure that the ICO are the people to help you here, you'd need to take legal advice on how to sue and reclaim your reputation.