Reply to: CV gap - agency asking for bank statements

[cojak]

And this is why you need to be honest, put it on your CV and make sure that you have good reference from someone senior in the Death March project.

[Matt88]

There is no legal requirement for you to notify your bank that you are in prison

If you are on remand there are no restrictions on the types of banking transaction you can make. You can continue to make any personal or business transactions that you would ordinarily make.

Managing an external bank account while in prison
Managing an external bank account while in prison - theInfoHub by Unlock | for people with convictions and criminal recordstheInfoHub by Unlock | for people with convictions and criminal records

I do not see any sense in asking bank statements. It demonstrates nothing.

If that about screening then that should be treated more straight-forward.
Get a copy of your police records
https://www.gov.uk/copy-of-police-records
https://www.acro.police.uk/subject_access.aspx
P.S.
acro:
Which one is intended then?

That kids in agencies make me seek. The most unprofessional occupation.

They're not checking to see whether people have been in prison.

They're suspicious that the applicant has had a really bad experience with a previous employer/client, and has just left it off their CV in case the recruiter tries to contact them.

And this happens a lot. I was a recruiter for about 2-3 years after I finished University - classic first job! - and whenever there was a gap in a CV this was actually, nearly always the reason why. Applicants not wanting recruiters to contact employers that they had a bad experience with

[Matt88]

Hi all,

I'm new-ish to contracting. I have a short gap on my CV (3 months), and the agency has asked me for bank statements as proof - they said it was the clients policy. I took time out as my mother was unwell, so spent some time with her and with family, alongside taking some general time out to re-assess my career. Also helped a friend voluntarily, as he was setting up a business.

I told the agency, that I wont provide bank statements as its very private/confidential information i.e. I don't want anyone to know how much money I have and what I spend it on!

My current employer/agency, didn't ask for such information.

Any advice on what I could do? I do for example have a 2nd bank account, that I use for small bits and bobs - maybe i could provide that if push comes to shove? Seen as they did not specify what account it has to be, and considering that people often have multiple bank accounts.

Cheers,

S.

I used to work as a recruiter. Some companies do have a policy that any gaps longer than 3 months have to be accounted for in some way.

They're actually checking to see that you haven't been fired or had some disciplinary matter with a previous employer/client, and you're trying to hide it by just leaving it out of your CV. Believe me, this is a common tactic by people trying to hide these issues.

Just be upfront/honest. They have no problem with people taking a 3 month break.

[rogerthedodger]

Ref dates on projects and perm jobs I was always taught to state years only but not months, whether you've got gaps or not. I guess it's a judgement call and each to his own but I tend to think that including months makes it look a bit messy. If you include months it could sometimes be difficult to get the title, name of company and dates of a project all on one line and thus consume too much space.

[FK1]

Business bank statements can't be used to verify personal id, as an incorporated business is a separate legal entity from a person.

Passport I believe will be more straight solution to verify personal id.
Maybe personal bank statements may help with address verification as a part of identity
but that thread about using them for CV gaps that still look inadequate request for me.

Maybe they want to see there is no levy transactions
Working for an outside employer while still in prison - theInfoHub by Unlock | for people with convictions and criminal recordstheInfoHub by Unlock | for people with convictions and criminal records
But I think I could use another bank account while doing a remote gig from a jail?

[SueEllen]

Business bank statements can't be used to verify personal id, as an incorporated business is a separate legal entity from a person.

[FK1]

Basically his attitude is to be “economical with the truth”, don’t quote the month of the year you were at a client, but just the year. So a 3 month contract from 01/12/14 to 01/03/15 would go on the CV as 2014-2015, which, if you did nothing else for those years might imply that you were there for 2 full years, not 3 months.

If you’re going to do that, then I’d suggest the CV should be a list of years with a list of clients per year. No point in going into detail, and you don’t want to give the agent/client any information that might be pertinent.

Straight in the bin, doesn't get an interview. Simples.

They may make you "seek" but is deliberately concealing and lying on your CV the most professional thing to do?

Just checked my CV
SUMMARY
...
PROFILE
...
TECHNICAL SKILLS
...
PROJECT EXPERIENCE

2015-2018
A (23 months, 4 extensions)

2014-2015
B (14 months, 2 extensions)

2008-2014
C (4 months, 2 extensions)

D (5 months, 2 extensions)
...

While not using month level of details I state duration of every project.
Because of that CV section is designated to exposure my project experience but not my working history. Working history format is for villeins.

I do not see any rational for asking bank statements. Personal ones is too personal and instead of business statements a Companies House (aka credit) check looks much more sensible.

[uk contractor]

A couple of months ago I landed a contract with the bank who I do both my personal and business banking with - and have done for about 20 years or so! They wanted bank statements, their statements. I asked why they couldn't just check their own records, but told it wasn't possible. As I only do online banking, they insisted that I print off my statements that their system generated, take it into one of their branches, so a member of their staff could verify, sign and stamp it and then email a scan of the stamped statements to them. They then took a whole 4 weeks to carry out their background checks!

Its beyond ridiculous now! If you provide bank statements to a 3rd party vetting company they cannot legally verify they are real or not just a photoshop cut n paste job (with the parts you do not wish to share removed) as your Bank will not usually under any circumstance confirm or deny due to GPDR & other privacy laws UNLESS its for law enforcement that is!

[BoredBloke]

A couple of months ago I landed a contract with the bank who I do both my personal and business banking with - and have done for about 20 years or so! They wanted bank statements, their statements. I asked why they couldn't just check their own records, but told it wasn't possible. As I only do online banking, they insisted that I print off my statements that their system generated, take it into one of their branches, so a member of their staff could verify, sign and stamp it and then email a scan of the stamped statements to them. They then took a whole 4 weeks to carry out their background checks!

[LondonManc]

Can someone translate this for me please?

eeza sockie innit peeps

[cloudy]

That kids in agencies make me seek. The most unprofessional occupation.

That's stretching the definition somewhat..

[WTFH]

That kids in agencies make me seek. The most unprofessional occupation.

They may make you "seek" but is deliberately concealing and lying on your CV the most professional thing to do?

[LondonManc]

Basically his attitude is to be “economical with the truth”, don’t quote the month of the year you were at a client, but just the year. So a 3 month contract from 01/12/14 to 01/03/15 would go on the CV as 2014-2015, which, if you did nothing else for those years might imply that you were there for 2 full years, not 3 months.

If you’re going to do that, then I’d suggest the CV should be a list of years with a list of clients per year. No point in going into detail, and you don’t want to give the agent/client any information that might be pertinent.

Straight in the bin, doesn't get an interview. Simples.

[WTFH]

Can someone translate this for me please?

Basically his attitude is to be “economical with the truth”, don’t quote the month of the year you were at a client, but just the year. So a 3 month contract from 01/12/14 to 01/03/15 would go on the CV as 2014-2015, which, if you did nothing else for those years might imply that you were there for 2 full years, not 3 months.

If you’re going to do that, then I’d suggest the CV should be a list of years with a list of clients per year. No point in going into detail, and you don’t want to give the agent/client any information that might be pertinent.

[NCOTBAC]

I use almost the same approach as rogerthedodger not because of I want to close the gaps.
Technically it is very easy to close all of them as some projects could be unpaid ones, plan B, open-source projects etc. But it makes me a bit humiliated if I do that in very reporting and naked way.

Even if a three month gig gives a false 1.5-2 years gig impression why does it matter if there is 5, 10, 15 years related experience?
If market so addicted with these gaps then only those with 2-5 years experience will suffice. Just because of sooner or later an experienced contractor will take significant breaks.

Can someone translate this for me please?