References for contracts for ACS

[slackbloke]

Has anyone obtained a written reference from company they worked for as a contractor? I am considering applying to work in Australia and the criteria requires you to obtain references on company headed paper. I am not sure whether companies will/do give written references on request from a contractor?
Anyone got any experiences of this? Or even better, anyone been assessed by the ACS?

[chicane]

Did you get on well with your contact (manager in permie speak) at the client whilst on contract? Why not just give them a call and ask them if they'll help? I'd be quite happy to do this with virtually all my past clients.

[slackbloke]

Yes fairly well, but I know from my permie days it was actually difficult if not impossible for a manager (same size and type of company) to be allowed to write anything on headed letter paper. Everything had to go through HR, and my thinking was that if I go to the HR dept of where I worked as contractor they will be 'who are you?' as I was never an permie. However I will be giving both routes a try.
Good thing I left on good terms as well :-)

[dutchrecruiter]

I have found, when requesting and giving references that it is nigh on impossible to actually say anything apart from that you confirm they worked there during the time stated.

Depending on the company size, many larger companies have a no reference policy, depends on what you get.

I was asked by a client to reference a candidate for the work he did at company X UK, my client was company X IE, and they refused to advise on his work. (Is this just me or is this insane????).

I have written many references for my contractors in the past, including references which have allowed them to obtain permits and mortgages. Have a chat with your pimp.

[WindyAnna]

I have always got round the "no references except from HR" rule by signing the reference with my name and role and "in a personal capacity" - I have always cleared this with HR department and they have been okay about it.

I had a contractor ask for this for ACS a few years back - biggish company - spoke to HR who confirmed minimum requirement with ACS and then complied with that - think it was basically a description of what his function was, start date, end date and that they had no reason to believe he was anything other than a good bloke but had never researched his background.

Had a similar request at a large multi-national client more recently, they were not prepared to do it for anyone who had not been an employee (and nor was I prepared to do it in a personal capacity for said individual) and referred him to his agency who did provide a reference and he is over there now so am assuming it was acceptable!

Wind