"Your Previous Employment " section in the SC clearance form

[TwoWolves]

Been through this to DV+

Answer all questions fully and honestly.

Do not try to hide anything. Nobody cares if someone bad-mouths you, they just want to know your whereabouts.

Relax.

[SueEllen]

Your reply does not even entertain the question I asked about the vetting agent's term "previous employer".

You are aware you can always ask the company who is putting you through clearance?

[flipFlop]

You are looking for people who can verify some of the information you state who are neutral parties and/or aren't related to you.

Your reply does not even entertain the question I asked about the vetting agent's term "previous employer".

[flipFlop]

... Any idea what is being asked by the vetting agent...

Not really. The vetting form is pure unintelligible ambiguity and no-one on this forum knows definitively what the "vetting agent" is meaning to ask.

The security services only want to "pass" PAYE employees who have never had a day off work in their lives.... and that's the quality of the "security cleared" staff we have in this country.

[Addendum: that last comment is based on my own experience.]

[SueEllen]

If you contract through a limited company - usually your own, isn't that always your previous employer? And, if you contract through an umbrella company that is always your previous employer, surely? The end clients are rarely a typical contractor's "employer".

You are looking for people who can verify some of the information you state who are neutral parties and/or aren't related to you.

[flipFlop]

... Contract - you give the party your contract was with. ...

If you contract through a limited company - usually your own, isn't that always your previous employer? And, if you contract through an umbrella company that is always your previous employer, surely? The end clients are rarely a typical contractor's "employer".

[SueEllen]

Can you please also let me know what is being asked by the vetting agent in a questionnaire from the previous employer? Do they only confirms the date of employment or ask job related questions?

It's a reference.

Unless you did something dishonest then I wouldn't worry.

They can ask what they like and the other party can answer what they like if they decide to answer at all. If the party answering doesn't know you personally they will normally make that clear and only answer the ones they can.

Written references are never fully confidential including SC ones, so you can end up seeing them. Some companies/people will give you the same reference regardless of who the organisation asking is. No company/person is legally obliged to give out references let alone detailed ones, though custom and practise means they will give out some form of reference.

[malvolio]

Thanks @SueEllen for your detailed reply.

Can you please also let me know what is being asked by the vetting agent in a questionnaire from the previous employer? Do they only confirms the date of employment or ask job related questions?

Regards

They are testing that you are not open to blackmail, not liable to commit fraud, are generally are telling the truth and haven't spent some undeclared time on holiday in a camp in Syria or at Her Majesty's pleasure. Don't bother trying to second guess what they will ask, just answer the questions as honestly and openly as you can.

[ensaeed]

Thanks @SueEllen for your detailed reply.

Can you please also let me know what is being asked by the vetting agent in a questionnaire from the previous employer? Do they only confirms the date of employment or ask job related questions?

Regards

[SueEllen]

Initially I was permanent employee and then become contractor.

Forms may ask for specific people but company protocol means they can't give you a reference, or they won't because no one is legally obliged to give you a reference.

So you can either contact everyone and ask, or put people down who normally deal with references.

Permanent - you give your ex-employer. Depending on the company size you either give HR or your supervisor.

In large companies it's normal to give HR as employees aren't allowed to give employer references for another employee. Small companies it's your supervisor. While in medium size companies it's normal to give HR, you may need to phone them and check as some have HR but others don't.

Contract - you give the party your contract was with.

So if you were through an agency you give the agent, however if you were direct you give your contact in the company.

Regardless of who you give be prepared to give personal references.

[ensaeed]

@SueEllen

Initially I was permanent employee and then become contractor.

[RSoles]

1) I don't know, probably only if they themselves work in an SC-type environment.
2) Give a contact in HR. They'll probably handle all this stuff anyway.
3) For SC, probably only dates you were there.
4) Yes.

Go on, what's the deal with the previous supervisor, we'd love to know......

They know all this stuff anyway, they just want to see if you're honest enough to disclose it.

[SueEllen]

Were you permanent or contract?

[ensaeed]

Hi All

I have been working for the private sector organisations in the 5 last years.

1-With reference to "Your Previous Employment " section in the SC clearance form . Are my previous supervisors were bound to give a reference to the vetting agent?

2-In the form can I give other team member's name rather than supervisor? As I have the fear that my ex-supervisor either would not reply to the query send by the vetting agent or give a negative reply.

3- Any idea what is being asked by the vetting agent from the ex-supervisor? Do they only confirm the dates of employment or their main question is whether the person is trustworthy or not? (Not sure how the ex-supervisor judge the trustworthiness of their sub-ordinates.)

4- If I worked for even 1-2 week in an organisation do I need to mention that employment in my previous employment section?

Regards