Reply to: Contracting for a management consultancy

[SueEllen]

Exactly, as I usually explain to the client when I speak to them.

Clearly those consultancies are unaware of other consultancies that got sued in the past by their clients and the skills that they claimed they had were important in the cases e.g. BSkyB suing EDS , Deloitte and Calfornia Marin County

To be frank, it usually helps as quite often staff at many clients don't like the consultancy anyway.
It has really worked in my advantage on a couple of occasions

I've noticed that

[MrMarkyMark]

If you did you would be colluding in misrepresentation to the client.

Exactly, as I usually explain to the client when I speak to them.

To be frank, it usually helps as quite often staff at many clients don't like the consultancy anyway.
It has really worked in my advantage on a couple of occasions

[SueEllen]

Yeh, does depend on the client though.
I have been for some where purely someone from the consultancy interviewed me.

I have also been told to say I worked for them, I have and would never say such a thing.

If you did you would be colluding in misrepresentation to the client.

[MrMarkyMark]

As I'm interviewed by the end client they normally find out that I'm not a permanent member of the consultancy's staff when I go through my work history.

Yeh, does depend on the client though.
I have been for some where purely someone from the consultancy interviewed me.

I have also been told to say I worked for them, I have and would never say such a thing.

[SueEllen]

Having being an associate for a couple of consultancies, up to a Principal Level, I do completely the opposite to you. I would not accept a business card under ANY circumstances.
I usually let the client know I'm an independent contractor, on the quiet, usually against the consultancies wishes, however it has paid great dividends to me in the past.

As I'm interviewed by the end client they normally find out that I'm not a permanent member of the consultancy's staff when I go through my work history.

[MrMarkyMark]

As an associate I have always carried the consultancy's business cards and T-shirt. I am, after all, working under their name as part of their team to their client, and the client should not have to care. There has frequently been something on the card indicating that I'm an associate (such as the word "associate"). What matters is the actual working arrangements.

Being an associate of a consultancy is nothing like working through a temp work agency (aka recruitment agency).

Having being an associate for a couple of consultancies, up to a Principal Level, I do completely the opposite to you. I would not accept a business card under ANY circumstances.
I usually let the client know I'm an independent contractor, on the quiet, usually against the consultancies wishes, however it has paid great dividends to me in the past.

Of course working practices are key during an IR35 investigation, however, in my view, you are basically asking HMRC in "for a cup of tea" by leaving yourself so open to be a candidate for investigation in the first place.

I don't get people that take risks with these first potential points of contact (this type of thing, contracts etc.), unless HMRC see anything straight away, it is potentially unlikely they will investigate further.

[m0n1k3r]

If they treat you as an associate, fine. If they try to embed you as a permie (insisting that you have business cards from the consultancy for example), not fine.

As an associate I have always carried the consultancy's business cards and T-shirt. I am, after all, working under their name as part of their team to their client, and the client should not have to care. There has frequently been something on the card indicating that I'm an associate (such as the word "associate"). What matters is the actual working arrangements.

Being an associate of a consultancy is nothing like working through a temp work agency (aka recruitment agency).

[WTFH]

Why the hell a Consultancy would hire an inexperienced contractor to learn new skills!!!

Along with the other suggestions made, I would add:
...because they are cheap
...because they fit the model of many consultancies - sell the client your top guys, then at the end of the first week/month, move them off site and move less competent/cheaper people in, who will take longer (meaning bill more) and deliver less (meaning bill more)

[SueEllen]

Why the hell a Consultancy would hire an inexperienced contractor to learn new skills!!!

Because they have some of the technical skills and lots of the interpersonal skills.

[eek]

Not with INexperienced contractors it doesn't.

depends what the consultancy wants. It can just be a bum on a seat using Excel for them to charge at £1000 a day...

[kaiser78]

Because they solve an immediate issue that their own resources and recruitment cannot fill.

And it happens all the time

Not with INexperienced contractors it doesn't.

[eek]

Why the hell a Consultancy would hire an inexperienced contractor to learn new skills!!!

Because they solve an immediate issue that their own resources and recruitment cannot fill.

And it happens all the time

[Bee]

No, not a big NO. But a big RESEARCH FIRST.

Why the hell a Consultancy would hire an inexperienced contractor to learn new skills!!!

[cojak]

A big NO.

No, not a big NO. But a big RESEARCH FIRST.

[vwdan]

A big NO.

you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.