Originally posted by Batcher
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Reply to: Anyone worked thru Hyphen?
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Previously on "Anyone worked thru Hyphen?"
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Originally posted by DTexas View PostBatcher,
That's the no-nonsense approach that I believe in also. Bad luck on the 45, by the way.
Contractors have to realise that they are in a position of power over the agency if you've been selected by the Clientco so don't stand for any nonsense during the background checks. Obviously you should try and be helpful but in my case I was getting emails and phone calls on a daily basis asking me to explain what I was doing on individual days.
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Another thing that doesn't help is when your agent insists that all the information must go via them to Hyphen or the job offer is withdrawn, then you find out that they didn't pass it all onto Hyphen. At some point, when the time is right, such agencies will be named.Last edited by DTexas; 23 October 2014, 15:18.
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Batcher,
That's the no-nonsense approach that I believe in also. Bad luck on the 45, by the way.
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Originally posted by DTexas View Postthat's like... for every job? That's one reason it's best not to put CV on linkedin.
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There's no way I would hand over bank statements to these muppets. Most are based offshore and you have no idea where your details will end up.
3rd party checks are the norm now and I explain that I'm still employed by my own Ltd company during any breaks on my CV and usually working on Plan B. CRB checks will prove I'm not doing porridge.
The last time they kept asking about 2 days here and there so I called the agency and told them about the hassle I was getting from these offshore numpties. If they didn't understand how contracting worked then they should forget it. I had already been successfully interviewed and the client wouldn't be happy if he had to start again because I couldn't remember what I was doing on a certain Tuesday 6 months ago. The hassle stopped and I started as planned.
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Originally posted by Stevie Wonder BoyThe greater than two months gap is about proving you weren't working or in the slammer, I have to say as much as I regularly complain about Pimps on this site, its certainly is eye opening to see how many contractors just lie on their CV.
CRB \ Disclosure checks prove you havent been spending time at Liz's pleasure.
I always put explainations on my cv for periods when I didnt work. Agents and clients need to get their heads from up their arses regarding gaps on cv's especially in todays climate.
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Originally posted by Stevie Wonder BoyThink about this next time a pimp asks you to "tailor" your CV ...
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Originally posted by Stevie Wonder BoyThe greater than two months gap is about proving you weren't working or in the slammer, I have to say as much as I regularly complain about Pimps on this site, its certainly is eye opening to see how many contractors just lie on their CV.
Proving a negative is ridiculous enough but impossible if tax returns, JSA letters etc. are refused.
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Originally posted by Stevie Wonder BoyResource Solutions x 10 worse.
Put a certificate on your CV from 1982 ... they will ask for the original.
How does anyone get clearance if there's >2 months gap? It's not just the original evidence constraints are ridiculously intrusive and excessive... it's that once things are provided they move the goalpost and ask for more and more...
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Originally posted by SteelyDan View PostChance of a new gig thru these people. Any words of caution/horror stories/things to watch out for/contract/payment issues, etc?
It starts off OK. You get a few forms to print out, sign and send. The usual - credit check, criminal check.. etc.
Then they ask you to turn up to your agency's office to show your passport and utility bills. Email or post not acceptable. Your agency's office is 200 miles away? Tough.
The fun begins when they start making additional evidence requirements on your CV. This kicks in if you have a gap of more than 2 months at any time in the last 2 years. Immediately you are suspected of being the biggest fraudster ever. They can't fathom how you could support yourself for more than 2 months, being a contractor and all that. I mean, contractors are paid badly aren't they?
The rationale given for the additional evidence is they want you to prove you were NOT working. Yes, they want you to prove a negative. This never ends well. Or in fact, well, it never ends. Think about it.
You claimed Jobseekers Allowance? That should prove it huh? They deny the contents of these letters. The existence of dates and amounts in the first paragraphs will be denied. So there.
JSA P45? No, these are not accepted either.
How about tax return, accountants reference or a HMRC tax calc, perhaps a P800? Not accepted.
I mean, had you concealed a job from them and paid no tax you'd be a tax fraud surely. Nice way to make a contractor feel good before the job starts.
It's even worse if you had a gap and didn't claim JSA in your gap.
They will claim the only way you will get clearance is to provide your personal bank statements, so that they can check it doesn't look like you have been working. (Not that a bank statement proves any such thing.)
They start off all friendly, claiming they don't need to see your spends and are only interested in examining the pattern of incomes on your personal bank accounts, which may indicate an undeclared employment.
One candidate provided 6 months worth of bank statements, which contained only a handful of one-off payments into his bank accounts, between £100 and £650, not even coming in on a regular date (hence one-off). They declared these as 'regular' payments and demanded further documentary evidence to substantiate these, to ensure they were not from an assignment.
One of them was a tax refund, calculated from the HMRC P800, which they had already dismissed as a worthy document. Ironic wouldn't it if they accepted P800 to back up that payment yet denied P800 for its greater purpose of listing all your P45s for the tax year for HMRC to recalculate your tax...
Another payment was a £259. They demanded to know what it was in respect of. It was a refund from his heating bill. He asked them how they could establish whether he had worked for that power company or received it as a customer. An incomprehensible answer was provided.
Their focus moved to other one-off amounts coming in less than £5. They demanded to know about these, despite such payments being less than minimum wage legislation.
Then they declared they wanted to see even more bank statements as they had decided to reject the reference from his accountant. Quite understandably, after 2 weeks of this nonsense following the job offer, the contractors said "no thanks, can you suggest an alternative way to get clearance?".
Then they said his only other option was to show 1 or 2 emails per months applying for work.
Fine, easy enough said the candidate. Presumably scanned copies OK? With 3rd party details erased, in order to be professional and not violate any Data Protection Act requirements by disclosing the personal details of competitors and individuals ? Presumably the emails replying to agents with your CV asking them put you forward would be OK?
No. No. No.
This left the candidate having to find 1-2 emails each month from 'job applications' from 10% of his job application emails, the 'application confirmation' from jobsites were all that would be accepted.. And they would have to be forwarded directly to the screening team, as a scary sounding 'audit trail' might need to take place.
Clearly the candidate could not find that volume of emails, as 90% of his email applications were the "thanks, looks good, please put me forward mr agent, here's my CV" type. (Remember all of this would have had to be put to Hyphen via the recruitment agency, who would get to see all your contacts and previous interview details, contacts, success rate... oh my.)
He informed them he could not provide any more evidence and urged them to consider the wealth of evidence already provided and judge him on that basis. The screening was failed and so the job offer was withdrawn. None of these details were communicated to the actual line manager who had offered him the job. No appeal.
I've even heard that females who have a gap due to pregnancy have had to produce the birth certificate of their child to 'prove' their gap. I mean, what if their pregnancy had failed and the baby died? The mind boggles at what they'd ask for in this instance.
Contracting is just not gonna work when companies outsource their screening to the likes of Hyphen who clearly employ very inexperienced and immature jobsworths in their screening team, who have no grasp of what consists of proper documentation and are on a power trip. They just don't get it. Especially when it comes to contractors.
Companies like Aviva, Lloyds Banking Group, EE etc. should be ashamed of what's being done on their behalf. Quality contractors are treated appallingly. I am selling my shares in anyone who uses Hyphen.Last edited by DTexas; 22 October 2014, 22:06.
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Originally posted by CloudWalker View PostThis.
Had to sublit weekly time sheets on their contractor portal but they pay monthly
I.e. I guess what I'm asking is that still 28 (or however many) day terms? Or does 28 days imply that I'd be paid weekly, but 28 days after that particular week?
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Originally posted by NickNick View PostMight be different for others, but mine was invoice weekly with 28 day terms.
Had to sublit weekly time sheets on their contractor portal but they pay monthly
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Originally posted by SteelyDan View PostCheers guys.
Were/are payments weekly?
Or do they do this bizarre thing where you have to work 4 weeks then actually receive first payment on your 6th week sort of thing? Had this with Experis and it was 5hit.
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