Reply to: Background Checks

[Simon HiredByMe]

So, basically, you have a product. And your product is sold to Agencies. The bill is picked up Contractors.

And, let me guess, every Agency who passes a "client" (a Contractor) through to you gets..

..Commission.

We do indeed have a product (or a service depending on your POV) - which clearly you don't think is right for you (and of course that's your choice) but others do think is right for them.

When we talk about our "partner agencies" we're talking about the places where you can use the product (i.e. agencies that will use the Portable PES rather than re-do your screening). And the cost of the service is split between the contractor and the agent.

Like every business it costs us money to acquire clients - through marketing, or advertising, or time. Even contractors have a cost to acquire work through the time they spend looking for work, talking to agents and interviewing. We don't pay exorbitant commissions (and in fact most agents don't take any commission from us) for referrals.

We work with a lot of agents, and the driver for them to work with us isn't some huge commission payment or massive cost saving. It's that this part of the process is painful for them as much as it is for contractors, and the ability to streamline it, and make it faster, is compelling. Again - feel free not to take my word for it but to call one of our partner agents and ask them directly....

[nomadd]

Our partner recruiters..

So, basically, you have a product. And your product is sold to Agencies. The bill is picked up Contractors.

And, let me guess, every Agency who passes a "client" (a Contractor) through to you gets..

..Commission.

[Simon HiredByMe]

The answer is it depends, sometimes the checks will have to be complete prior to starting, sometimes not.

There's really no fixed rule, I would say that only in 20% of cases that they have been fully completed before I walk in the door.
This has been the case for the last 6 contracts in IB.

I'd agree there's no universal rule. What we do see is that there is a clear direction of travel towards (a) more checks (b) covering more of the population with (c) more having to be completed before workers can come on site.

[Simon HiredByMe]

1. Nonsense. Please read my first reply to you. You have clearly never gone through the recruitment process for a financial client...
2. Doesn't work like that. Sorry. For example: I had to go through screening - as did every other contractor - three times at my last IB, as they changed their screening company three times. No if's or but's - you had to go through it each time - even though we'd all been on-site for nearly two years!
3. Makes no difference if you don't get the contract. Except that I've wasted my own money rather than the clients. And I've never "failed screening" in the 27 years I've been contracting, so...

1. Sorry, not nonsense. Our partner recruiters have placed contractors on site faster by using us. That's a fact. I'm happy to compare personal experience if you think that helps ;-)
2. I agree that has been the case up to now. But we have made a real change in the market, and agreed with our partners that our data *can* be re-used. It's not been easy, but we've done it.
3. This isn't a concern for everyone, but for some contractors we talk to they do want to see what data is held on them. If it's not a concern for you that's good, but it is a concern for others.

[Simon HiredByMe]

Thanks for that. Kind of answered your own statement, tbh (the "useless" bit... )

I looked through the list and all I saw was 99.9% Agencies. Which, as stated, is pretty useless. The Agencies aren't the clients, and they aren't the company's the clients are using to do the background checks. For the rare odd one you had that wasn't an Agent, I wouldn't be paying for a background check on their behalf - they would.

As I said in my prior post, there is no need for a contractor to pay out to you for this. The client will engage their own - usually offshore - screening company, and they will pick up the tab for the screening, regardless of whether you pass or fail.

Sorry if you disagree, but I've been working in the financial arena as a contractor since 1992, and I've never come across a system in any organisation that has required me to pay out for a product like yours. I simply cannot see the point of it. Sorry.

Sorry to disagree....

We've worked with the whole market on this, done our homework in detail, and in the overwhelming majority of cases it is the supplying agent, or the MSP, who is responsible for carrying out the screening on temporary staff - including contractors. It's different for perm staff, and there are cases where the client undertakes it for temp staff but these are the exception.

So the agencies are, in fact, the key clients. If agents didn't need the service they would not have bothered to sign with us. And if you're in doubt about this you're welcome to ring up any of our clients and ask them about my assertion above.

To reconfirm what I said earlier, there's no *requirement* to pay out for this - it's a choice. Some contractors will want to work with us, and others won't. Those who don't will have their screening done by the agency at the point of offer just as now. Those who do will get it done with us and get the benefits we discussed.

[MrMarkyMark]

The answer is it depends, sometimes the checks will have to be complete prior to starting, sometimes not.

There's really no fixed rule, I would say that only in 20% of cases that they have been fully completed before I walk in the door.
This has been the case for the last 6 contracts in IB.

[eek]

Then you haven't worked at the last 5 clients I've worked for. All FTSE100. All City-based.

Screening has typically taken 2-6 weeks after I've started.

Last time a company tried to screen me it was on the last day of my 3 month contract which was always going to be short term.

[nomadd]

I don't know anywhere that would on-board you without being cleared first.

Then you haven't worked at the last 5 clients I've worked for. All FTSE100. All City-based.

Screening has typically taken 2-6 weeks after I've started.

[nomadd]

If you don't want to pay, you still always have the option to go through the recruiter's standard PES process - starting at the point of offer.

I think there are 3 reasons why you might prefer to get a Portable PES with us:
1) gets you onsite faster, so you get more paid days
2) you only have to provide incremental info after the first time, so less hassle
3) done on your behalf, so you get full transparency of all the data returned from the checks.

Of these, for me personally #1 is the most important, but many contractors tell us #2 and #3 were important for them.

1. Nonsense. Please read my first reply to you. You have clearly never gone through the recruitment process for a financial client...
2. Doesn't work like that. Sorry. For example: I had to go through screening - as did every other contractor - three times at my last IB, as they changed their screening company three times. No if's or but's - you had to go through it each time - even though we'd all been on-site for nearly two years!
3. Makes no difference if you don't get the contract. Except that I've wasted my own money rather than the clients. And I've never "failed screening" in the 27 years I've been contracting, so...

[nomadd]

Hi Nomad.

Our product would be pretty useless if that were so. We've spent a lot of time signing up recruiters and MSPs so that you *can* use your Portable PES in many of the clients you refer to. See the list at Acceptors - HiredByMe

Of course it'll never be everywhere - so we organise the payment on a success fee basis - so if you aren't able to use the product you're only paying a small commitment fee, not the full cost.

Simon

Thanks for that. Kind of answered your own statement, tbh (the "useless" bit... )

I looked through the list and all I saw was 99.9% Agencies. Which, as stated, is pretty useless. The Agencies aren't the clients, and they aren't the company's the clients are using to do the background checks. For the rare odd one you had that wasn't an Agent, I wouldn't be paying for a background check on their behalf - they would.

As I said in my prior post, there is no need for a contractor to pay out to you for this. The client will engage their own - usually offshore - screening company, and they will pick up the tab for the screening, regardless of whether you pass or fail.

Sorry if you disagree, but I've been working in the financial arena as a contractor since 1992, and I've never come across a system in any organisation that has required me to pay out for a product like yours. I simply cannot see the point of it. Sorry.

[uk contractor]

I don't know anywhere that would on-board you without being cleared first.

I know several investment banks who do this with zero background checks or even references. Granted its not the recent norm but I have started several investment banking contracts with zero background checks or even references if they need you to start in a hurry you would be surprised how easily these background checks are waivered!! A lot of it is just a box ticking exercise for the hiring manager or compliance officer.

[radish2008]

Don't waste your money.

All IB's (for example) will have their own end-to-end process. They will insist you go through it, their way. And they will pick up the tab.

You will be on-site invoicing whilst this is taking place.

At least that's been my experience for the last 10 years of these "checks".

I don't know anywhere that would on-board you without being cleared first.

[Lance]

But why should I pay for something that is done for free?

Appears to be a solution seeking a problem.

[SueEllen]

If you don't want to pay, you still always have the option to go through the recruiter's standard PES process - starting at the point of offer.

I think there are 3 reasons why you might prefer to get a Portable PES with us:
1) gets you onsite faster, so you get more paid days
2) you only have to provide incremental info after the first time, so less hassle
3) done on your behalf, so you get full transparency of all the data returned from the checks.

Of these, for me personally #1 is the most important, but many contractors tell us #2 and #3 were important for them.

Not have had problems so far getting on-site quickly so I will pass thanks.

[Simon HiredByMe]

But why should I pay for something that is done for free?

If you don't want to pay, you still always have the option to go through the recruiter's standard PES process - starting at the point of offer.

I think there are 3 reasons why you might prefer to get a Portable PES with us:
1) gets you onsite faster, so you get more paid days
2) you only have to provide incremental info after the first time, so less hassle
3) done on your behalf, so you get full transparency of all the data returned from the checks.

Of these, for me personally #1 is the most important, but many contractors tell us #2 and #3 were important for them.