Reply to: Alarm bells?

[SueEllen]

I suspect he knew what your reaction would be and didn't care. He's not looking to hire local skills. That line of questioning is only to help confirm that no local skills are available so they can bring in more ICTs.

Local skills equals the entire EU and even the EEA.

[psychocandy]

Not necessarily. It could be a public sector client.

I, to have some fun, attended a telephonic interview last week with Capgemini (sub) for a role at HMRC in the sarff. I was asked (rather told) by the Indian team manager if I am willing to train some of their Bob "resources" so they can get rid of you then, be in their office between 9 am and 7 pm every day (No exceptions), work extra hours to meet deadlines (no extra pay) just like they bully they're own Bob staff into doing

Needless to say, I'm sure you know what I told him and his agent

FTFY. Yep agree with you. Find some other mug....

[Chuck]

I was asked (rather told) by the Indian team manager if I am willing to train some of their "resources", be in their office between 9 am and 7 pm every day (No exceptions), work extra hours to meet deadlines (no extra pay).

I suspect he knew what your reaction would be and didn't care. He's not looking to hire local skills. That line of questioning is only to help confirm that no local skills are available so they can bring in more ICTs.

[SussexSeagull]

I would suggest to them they might be better getting a new permanent employee in.

[unixman]

I recently attended an interview for a contract where I was asked the following questions:
- Would I start at 9am every day, so that everyone starts at the same time?
- Would I be prepared to attend internal team meetings and be involved in team activities?
- Would I be willing to mentor junior members of staff and check their work?
- Would I be happy working in a role with constantly changing priorities and workload?

Translation: Will you behave like a disguised employee in order to help us evade employers NIC payments to HMRC.

Answer: NO. I will not be involve myself in a conspiracy to help you evade rightful tax. Go away.

[NibblyPig]

sounds like a job working for hmrc investigations ltd

[fool]

Not necessarily. It could be a public sector client.

I, to have some fun, attended a telephonic interview last week with Capgemini (sub) for a role at HMRC in the sarff. I was asked (rather told) by the Indian team manager if I am willing to train some of their "resources", be in their office between 9 am and 7 pm every day (No exceptions), work extra hours to meet deadlines (no extra pay).

Needless to say, I'm sure you know what I told him and his agent

I have no doubts that this is true, but as an aside, I work for the public sector and have none of these sorts of issues. The team is lead by another contractor and we pretty much do as we want as long as we're delivering.

[stek]

I know a couple of people who were at Manchester in the last 3 months. They were only there 3 months and left at the first opportunity. Skem seems to have a high turnover of contractors unless agencies run speculative advertisments frequently!

Skem is an absolute shiithole both the offices and the town!

Walking from the coop building to the Concourse for lunch is a muggers paradise.

We used to flit between CIS tower in Manchester and Skem and occasionally the Salford office in Weaste, another shiithole but at least it was quiet there.

[BolshieBastard]

Wasn't like that when I was there. In fact, there were so few desks you might end up several floors away from everyone else.

I know a couple of people who were at Manchester in the last 3 months. They were only there 3 months and left at the first opportunity. Skem seems to have a high turnover of contractors unless agencies run speculative advertisments frequently!

[stek]

Is this the Co Op (manc or skem?)? Ive heard they have a fixed start time and if you're late by a few minutes, you only get paid for half a day!

Current financial client has introduced a 'fixed' start and end time which isnt good for D&C.

Wasn't like that when I was there. In fact, there were so few desks you might end up several floors away from everyone else.

[BolshieBastard]

I recently attended an interview for a contract where I was asked the following questions:
- Would I start at 9am every day, so that everyone starts at the same time?
- Would I be prepared to attend internal team meetings and be involved in team activities?
- Would I be willing to mentor junior members of staff and check their work?
- Would I be happy working in a role with constantly changing priorities and workload?

In my current contract (which is 1.5 months from ending, with a small possibility of extension), I'm not really required or asked to do any of those things. I have some flexibility in my hours and work remotely once per week, I only attend meetings with the external client I deliver work to, I have no line management responsibility and I'm not asked to get involved in the work of 'junior' staff, and work on a brief-based system to complete work for an external client rather than picking up X, Y, Z as it crops up. Despite that, I still think (from what I've read) that my current contract would be on dodgy ground where IR35 is concerned… so I still work via an umbrella company.

I was hoping to start a ltd company for my next contract, but the contract I interviewed for would seem to be firmly inside IR35. I don't want to go ltd if my contracts are going to be inside IR35. The agency told me that they word the contract "very carefully", but am I right in thinking that it's the working practices rather than what's in the contract that is ultimately important?

I haven't been asked those questions in other interviews (for contracts) and would assume they were asked because the company had taken on contractors before who had subsequently refused to do those things. How would you have responded to those questions and would it influence your decision on whether or not to accept an offer?

Is this the Co Op (manc or skem?)? Ive heard they have a fixed start time and if you're late by a few minutes, you only get paid for half a day!

Current financial client has introduced a 'fixed' start and end time which isnt good for D&C.

[MB1983]

I can't believe for one minute they would ask these questions at an interview. Sounds like utter crap to me. OP is trolling.

Seriously, I was asked those questions. It seemed unusual to me, but since I've only had around 5 or 6 interviews for contracts before I thought I'd get some opinions from others.

I wont name the company, but will say that they are listed on the FTSE 100.

[TykeMerc]

I can't believe for one minute they would ask these questions at an interview. Sounds like utter crap to me. OP is trolling.

I can, I've heard variations on all of those, just not in one interview in one go.

As Cojak said if those are the intended working practices I'd be a bit twitchy about the IR35 situation.

[FatLazyContractor]

I can't believe for one minute they would ask these questions at an interview. Sounds like utter crap to me. OP is trolling.

Not necessarily. It could be a public sector client.

I, to have some fun, attended a telephonic interview last week with Capgemini (sub) for a role at HMRC in the sarff. I was asked (rather told) by the Indian team manager if I am willing to train some of their "resources", be in their office between 9 am and 7 pm every day (No exceptions), work extra hours to meet deadlines (no extra pay).

Needless to say, I'm sure you know what I told him and his agent

[northernladuk]

I can't believe for one minute they would ask these questions at an interview. Sounds like utter crap to me. OP is trolling.