Reply to: Teksystems and their references

[stek]

TEK spot on for me, I have a special relationship with them where my CV goes to the top of the pile and all the rubbish ones and bottom feeders are told they are put forward when they aren't.

Dog eat dog out there!

[EggsAndBacon]

I've been consistently blocking and ignoring over the past year or so, because I had such a nasty experience with them before. I found out that a whole bunch of places they had supposedly put me forward for, they had actually intentionally held back my CV for. This is after making me agree to exclusivity (I was green behind the ears back then so bear in mind I know this was foolish now). Everytime I called the chap from Tek Systems to ask how my apps were going, he either fobbed me off or ignored my calls. In the mean time I had rent to pay and was sat at home... Anyway another agency helped by checking with the relevant hiring managers as to whether my CV really had been submitted, which is how I caught the Tek system scammers.
I fell into the references trap also with them and my old managers got spammed - again I was green behind the ears, but we live and learn
Wouldn't touch them with a barge pole now, they're complete scammers. They try and get exclusivity deals with as many contractors as possible for one contract so that they can corner the market, ie put forward one/two of their candidates and hold back the rest - controlling the flow of them so that there is less competition.

[AussieDigger]

As part of their pressurised selling tactics they usually promise one stage phone interview and you are in because they are so close with the client. Is this how things really happen with them or just part of their glorified 'I just need two references' script?

Pressurised ? I think thats called bullying and thats them all over.

[borderreiver]

Their demands as to you limited company structure are not legally enforceable any more than you can enforce their legal structure, so be wary of that trap they present you.

Yup. I had lots of this when I worked through them and I just answered those questions as "company confidential" and they never pushed for clarification after that.

Aside from that, they were no problem to work with at all. Would do so again.

[pillar100]

Have worked through them twice.

The first time they insisted on taking up references again 2 years into the same contract with the same client.

That aside, I never used to hear from them apart from at extension time.

They paid weekly and to be fair to them, if there was ever an issue (very rare) where money wasn't arriving, they corrected it the same day at their expense.

I rate them very highly

[AussieDigger]

I have a different experience with TekSystems.

Firstly I have previously contracted through Aston Carter and was very happy with the service.

I am currently however waiting for a contract from TekSystems after attending a successful face to face interview. The paperwork is taking longer than I would like.

The due diligence process I went through was a pain - lots and lots of documents including asking me whether I own the whole of my company and so on. (What if half of it was my -non-existent- wife's?).

Amusingly the due diligence process did not actually ask me for references at any stage.

Their due diligence process goes on and on and on - even after you have started at the client (which should never be allowed). In fact it goes on SO long that you easily lose track of what they want and how they want it. I found they won't accept documents you give them and they don't properly chase up agency references and then make it your issue (as if you can make another agency pick up the phone and reply to their requests etc). Their demands as to you limited company structure are not legally enforceable any more than you can enforce their legal structure, so be wary of that trap they present you. As long as your company iisted on companies house and all requiring filings are made then you are golden.



Its enough to make you want to give up and its not beneficial to the end client .

[AussieDigger]

I wont be touching them with a barge pole after having been told that I had my CV put forward for a contract at an IB and then finding out my CV hadnt been loaded on the portal and therefore not seen at the client, by another recruiter and the in-house recruitment team.

yeah or when they put you forward at a client in a specific sector and you ask them 'I don't have that sector knowledge, you sure the client will accept this CV?' to which they say 'yes' and the client then rejects it. Don't know their client or their candidate. All over the shop. Boiler room stuff.

[AussieDigger]

Hello Teksystems lurkers!

qh

leave you alone???? hardly...complete mess up on comms between the client and the contractor. Can't do ref checks properly either or read comms sent to them.

cannot coordinate between their own team members.

also don't know the law when it comes to limited company ownership, paying monies on submission of timesheets (Regulation 12), force you to opt out of regs (when thats your choice) - pretty much nothing you feel you're entitled to do they let you do.

its either their way or no way.

[AussieDigger]

As part of their pressurised selling tactics they usually promise one stage phone interview and you are in because they are so close with the client. Is this how things really happen with them or just part of their glorified 'I just need two references' script?

Yes they really are like this.

Whatever you do, don't agree to the 'one stage phone interview' bit. You expose yourself to huge risk because the role won't be properly vetted.

They don't properly check references either.

Would avoid them. Very demanding and bullying to the contractor.

[alexmc]

I have a different experience with TekSystems.

Firstly I have previously contracted through Aston Carter and was very happy with the service.

I am currently however waiting for a contract from TekSystems after attending a successful face to face interview. The paperwork is taking longer than I would like.

The due diligence process I went through was a pain - lots and lots of documents including asking me whether I own the whole of my company and so on. (What if half of it was my -non-existent- wife's?).

Amusingly the due diligence process did not actually ask me for references at any stage.

[BrilloPad]

to the agent at Tek Systems I was just chatting to....

[jmo21]

Surprised by the posters who say that Tek have never asked for references.

I'm in the other camp, that's all they have ever done when calling me.

I've got very annoyed a couple of times with them when they have tried to get reviews from me for people I have worked with (they haven't gave me as a reference, they join the dots with workplaces and ask if you have worked with them)

Plus if they leave you a voicemail, it's usually a rambling 5 minute message covering their entire "script".

Not a fan.

[fidot]

Me too - big up for Simon A at TEK, good lad....

Praise for Simon at TEK from a user called s tek

Fishy?

[pjclarke]

Got my current contract through them, only week 2 but first impressions pretty positive. The recruitment process was incredibly bureaucratic - 6 years worth of agency and client references, but I think this was a client requirement rather than TEK.

There was a bit of radio silence immediately after the interview, but once the ball got rolling communications were professional throughout. Got an 'everything Ok?' call last week and another one this, along with a promise to come onsite every 4 weeks or so. Online time reporting one of the better ones I've used.

So my rating so far:-

[BrilloPad]

I wont be touching them with a barge pole after having been told that I had my CV put forward for a contract at an IB and then finding out my CV hadnt been loaded on the portal and therefore not seen at the client, by another recruiter and the in-house recruitment team.

CV blocking sometimes happens with agents.

I has never been my experience with them - though I am sure it has happened.

They have excellent contacts and you should reconsider.