Is this something to be worried?

[helger]

I handed in my resignation from my current permeant role after passing the interviews of a contract opportunity. The contract role is due to start in a week's time. It is an inside IR35 contract via an agent for a client of a big bank. So I would be an agency worker.

About one and a half months ago, I checked with the agent who confirmed that there is nothing outstanding from the client's side, and everything is confirmed. So I handed in my notice to my current employer, and started the screening process (i.e. the agent ordered a background check via a 3rd party screening company). It took a while to complete the background check, and it is completed now and no problem from that.

Now the agent is saying he cannot issue the contract at the moment, as he is awaiting approval from the client. He assured me that everything is OK, he just needs to wait for the approval from the client before he could issue the contract. He kept saying this for more than a week, and it is only one week for the start date.

I tried to ask questions to understand what happened, but cannot get much useful information from the agent. My gut feeling tells me there might be something not quite right somewhere... Is this something I should worry? Does it help to chase up the agent on a daily basis? In addition, I could try to contact the hiring manager at the client side directly via LinkedIn to understand what happened, but I am not sure if this is the right thing to do, or does it help?

[eek]

Sadly I suspect the contract won't start and you've just quit your job without any contract to go to.

[fullyautomatix]

Who started the background check? Client ? The contract might have been genuine but quite possible that budget probably was pulled.

My advice would be, start applying for other contracts and do not depend on this one going ahead.

[Lance]

You might want to think about withdrawing your notice.
Tell them you’ve come to realise what a wonderful company it is and that you’ve made a mistake.
If you’re any good they’ll gladly agree.

[northernladuk]

Why on God's earth are you quitting a perm role in the middle of a pandemic with no end in site and a massive IR35 change on its way?

[GhostofTarbera]

Is this something to be worried?

90% this contact is not happening, project canned, got outsourced resources now lined up, got a friend in etc etc

Also remember if leading bank and it does go ahead you will probably get furloughed (what is this dark magic you ask) it’s when most leading banks tell contractors they are not required from 1st week in December till 1st week in January, then it’s time to holiday

Ohh perhaps they don’t want you to stat until after furlough


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[pr1]

Why on God's earth are you quitting a perm role in the middle of a pandemic with no end in site and a massive IR35 change on its way?

it's inside anyway

[SueEllen]

You might want to think about withdrawing your notice.
Tell them you’ve come to realise what a wonderful company it is and that you’ve made a mistake.
If you’re any good they’ll gladly agree.

If you do this you need to stay for a minimum of 6 months.

If the client them comes back to you tell them you are not available for 6 months.

Unfortunately it is common for potential clients to go quiet on people and take ages to get people onboard. If you were a seasoned contractor you would know to never rely on an individual client and keep looking until your feet are under the desk.

I had this both this and last year. Last year I ended up with a completely different client. This year I didn't as last year's client offered me more work while my current client were sorting out what was happening.

[heyya99]

A clearly concerned member of our community comes on here looking for advice and the usual bitter suspects/lifers hammer him for it. Terrible tone on this site.

OP, I was in a contract once and interviewed and accepted another contract. However, the agent was doing the same thing as is happening to you, think it lasted about 3 weeks. He did however come good and I started the role and made a killing. I don't know if this helps but it's a different perspective. Good luck.

[eek]

A clearly concerned member of our community comes on here looking for advice and the usual bitter suspects/lifers hammer him for it. Terrible tone on this site.

OP, I was in a contract once and interviewed and accepted another contract. However, the agent was doing the same thing as is happening to you, think it lasted about 3 weeks. He did however come good and I started the role and made a killing. I don't know if this helps but it's a different perspective. Good luck.

Most of the time my advice would be just keep looking you have nothing to worry about.

However at the moment leaving a secure job is f***** insanity.