Opinions on an Agency, please...

[TheFaQQer]

Two questions:
1. How on earth can you possibly know that?

Because it doesn't fit their modus operandi. They work on the basis that if they can't get someone cheap in to do the work, they will get someone in as a short-term fix to the problem, bleed them dry of information and then replace them with someone cheap. This is what they always do, so if you manage to avoid that then you must be something special.

2. Did I mention other roles with "them"?

No. Did I say that this contract would prevent you from getting roles elsewhere?

What contract roles have you done where they haven't helped you get more work in the future?

[MojoDog]

Because it doesn't fit their modus operandi. They work on the basis that if they can't get someone cheap in to do the work, they will get someone in as a short-term fix to the problem, bleed them dry of information and then replace them with someone cheap. This is what they always do, so if you manage to avoid that then you must be something special.

i don't consider myself special at all. I just know that in this particular working environment they will find it difficult to apply that MO because other agencies also supply there, which keeps the rates steady.

[GillsMan]

I've got similar. Seen a gig working onsite at a household name but working for TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) which are a Bob shop also. (Agency is UK one).

Its an SC role which I guess is why they cant get someone from India in. The rate is very poor though. I guess BT outsource cheaply to TCS who then dont want to pay much for any contractors they take on board.

Must admit I am dubious about the way that these offshore consultancies do things and how things work.

IMHO, working on customer site via consultancy is often nightmare anyway. Consultancy pay (via agency) so they want you on site at their customer for as many hours per day they can get away with usually.

Yup, I turned down a role with BT which would have involved going through Silverlink (another Indian agency) who had the most appalling terms, which were just incompatible with a sensible business arrangement. My favourite was the one where I would have been prevented from working with any of their clients, including companies who were not yet their clients but they'd just had conversations with. Obviously completely unenforceable, but it was one of a long list of completely tulip clauses. Not overly relevant for this thread, but yeah it was a fun experience reviewing their contract.

[psychocandy]

Yup, I turned down a role with BT which would have involved going through Silverlink (another Indian agency) who had the most appalling terms, which were just incompatible with a sensible business arrangement. My favourite was the one where I would have been prevented from working with any of their clients, including companies who were not yet their clients but they'd just had conversations with. Obviously completely unenforceable, but it was one of a long list of completely tulip clauses. Not overly relevant for this thread, but yeah it was a fun experience reviewing their contract.

Silverlink are the ones that sent the contract and terms before interview aren't they? Remember that...

[Magpie252]

TM are a bob shop. If you get accepted to work with them then it's because you have some skill that they can't import. Be aware that you will be seen as an expensive resource to them and will be pumped for information by the imports so that they can maximise the value they get out of you. Quite likely you will be dropped as soon as they have no further use for you.

Second this, delivered a major infrastructure project overseas a while back which included a small portion of support for first adopters.

Client brought in Infosys to run production support, they needed my knowledge & experience to support the deployment, made me a perm offer for a UK role that was almost tempting, but still much lower than the contract rate I was taking.

One of the other contractors there (first contact after being binned by one of the banks) fell for it, trained the off-shore staff in Pune & was then told that he’d failed his 6 month probationary period.

[psychocandy]

Worked with a few offshore personnel over the years. Most of them have been really nice guys and keen to learn - sometimes a bit too keen if anything.

One thing that I remember though. These guys used to come to UK for months on end. They were told by employer that they had to do this - no choice at all. One guy even missed the birth of one of his kids. Seemed to me a bit crap.

The management of the bobs also seemed to give the impression they'd do ANYTHING to get ahead though which worried me a bit.

[psychocandy]

One other thing. I found that when you came across a bad one they were bad.

Traits included never taking responsibility for anything, trying to blame someone else - some of them had a real problems where they went out of their way to make sure they were ok. Very backstabbing.

Also, some never admitted they didnt know. You got vague answers out of them.

Also, laziness. Some of them were a nightmare. Disappeared during important times. But of course always had some excuse to cover themselves.

Must admit I found it to be a very dog-eat-dog, backstabbing environment with most of them willing to do anything to get on.

[northernladuk]

One thing that I remember though. These guys used to come to UK for months on end. They were told by employer that they had to do this - no choice at all. One guy even missed the birth of one of his kids. Seemed to me a bit crap.

Don't be fooled. These are dream gigs for these guys and they would do anything for the work as you can see. They are queueing up for work like this and it is the aspiration of most Indian IT workers. Don't be fooled in to thinking they are under duress or being poorly treated.

[psychocandy]

Don't be fooled. These are dream gigs for these guys and they would do anything for the work as you can see. They are queueing up for work like this and it is the aspiration of most Indian IT workers. Don't be fooled in to thinking they are under duress or being poorly treated.

Yeh the guys themselves seemed fine about it. They're attitude was that they've been asked to go to uk, its an opportunity they've got to do, so family can take a back seat. And they were fine about it.

Couple of nice guys I met. Company stuck them in a flat 20 miles from office, no car and told them to get public transport. Felt a bit sorry for them. But they didnt moan at all and just thought that was par for the course.

[psychocandy]

Extremely naive about what motivates people in the UK. Very determined to get on and become a "manager". They really don't understand how anyone over the age of 30 would want to do anything technical.

Yeh. The guys I met couldnt get their head around the idea that someone could disagree with their employer and say no to something.

They're attitude was do exactly what your told - your employer is king. And then you can get on and get promotion.