Reply to: Working for Capita

[infobod]

Worked with them before. Some of their contracts can be weighed against the contractor - fire when they want but you can't leave. They tend to rush people in when they have the budget from the client and rush you out when they don't. A body shop for gov contracts is about how I would sum them up.

[Mr Crosby]

I'm contracting for them in the north east and the rate is alright, not my best but nowhere near my worst.

[Fred Bloggs]

Fair enough, FS. My reservations are based on the client I'm thinking of. It's a gig of last resort in my experience and there's always gigs there on offer as it's a truly miserable place. Stacks of permies been there for ever with chips on shoulders 5 miles wide.

[fishslice]

...Leading on from my last post.

Not sure they are that cut throat in my market. They are on a low margin (less than 10%) - and yes I know that as the PM who has sight of the re-charge.

Basically they have a duty of care to provide value for money and at times therefore pay good rates but at other times their rates can be low. I presume they look to obtain an average rate across all their contractors on behalf of the end client and therefore are working to an average workable margin based upon number of contractors on site.

fs

[fishslice]

There is another public sector client in the NorthWest for whom Capita provide contract resource through their sole PSL agreement.

Is the OP talking about contracting for Capita or through Capita to a 3rd party?

I am currently contracting through Capita and find that their admin can be hit and miss during renewals but they pay weekly based upon self billing through online timesheets and I always see the money in the bank on a Friday based upon my timesheet authoriser having signed off on the timesheet by 17:30 on a Monday - cant ask for better than that...

fs

[Fred Bloggs]

If you are in the north west, there is a good chance you're talking about a big name client in the nuclear industry. Working there is dire. Why else would there be contracts on offer in this climate? The good guys that I know will only work there as a last resort in my experience if its all that's available. HTH.

[nomadd]

If you had said 'get me an actual role that am I capable of' would make me feel better.

I've never had a role like that in 20 years of contracting. I blame Jobserve.

Nomadd

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

True say

[northernladuk]

Perhaps I am ahead of the game and sending people on a wild goose chase so I can get the actual role I am looking for ;-)

Who knows in today's world?

Yeah totally, there is nothing wrong with this to a certain extent, there just needs to be a good dose of reality applied to this as well which I feel is not quite there yet reading your recent posts.

Comments such as 'get the actual role I am looking for ;-)' just make me nervous about your ability to deal with work as a contractor and grasp the reality of the situation. If you had said 'get the an actual role that am I capable of' would make me feel better.

Maybe you are an optimisit and I am a miserable git then so be it but both outlooks should create a reasoned output.

[DaveB]

Thanks for that Dave.

Do you know of any cases of them getting rid of contractors very easily e.g. in their first week? Cos my mate warned me that they are very trigger happy down there?

Not heard of anything like that specifically, but bear in mind that they will ramp up for a contract with a client and take contractors on but if the deal falls apart for any reason they will be shot of you as quick as they hired you, thats just the way it is in contracting.

There is no guarentee they wont get shot of you if your face doesnt fit, especially if you are going to be client facing in any way.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Perhaps I am ahead of the game and sending people on a wild goose chase so I can get the actual role I am looking for ;-)

Who knows in today's world?

[northernladuk]

Hi guys,

I have read some previous threads on Capita and it seems they generally have a bad reputation. I have a close contact who knows some people working there and apparently there are a few positions available which I could potentially get an interview for.

Does anybody have good as well as bad experiences working with them? Also how cut throat are they and how technically strong do you need to be to work for them?

Much appreciated guys.

Thanks

1) Positions being available and you getting anywhere near them are a million miles apart in this market. There are 1000's of us on the bench with years experience in contracting in these markets and quite likely with Captia already. You are so far away from securing one of these roles don't bother with feedback about the company etc else you will be on here asking 4 questions a day for the next 6 months.

I might sound like a miserable git as always but have a look for post recently about recommending people for contract positions. You will see the feedback is generally people won't so your inside contact may be of no extra use to you at all I am afraid. This contact might have been useful as permie but not in contracting.

2) Good lesson in contracting for you here. Who cares what you hear via chinese whispers from biased people about a possible role. Can you really afford to be fussy in the current market. If one of these roles has your name on it right now can you afford to turn it down just because it doesn't sound like a holiday working there? NO you can't. You have to do the work regardless of the situation. Remember your posts about freedom, flexibility, being your own boss? This is where it stops. You have to keep a roof over your head in a difficulty time.

3) Congratulations in your first few days of a contractor. You have just advised a board full of guys on the bench of possible upcoming work using your own private network. I guess you havn't had many replies to this becuase a few 100's people are googling the agents they use and are getting their CV's ready.
Your next steps are --> Load gun --> point at foot --> Pull trigger
Well done!!

Again, hearing whispers of roles <> even an interview let alone work. Take those rose tinted spectacles off!!

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Thanks for that Dave.

Do you know of any cases of them getting rid of contractors very easily e.g. in their first week? Cos my mate warned me that they are very trigger happy down there?

[DaveB]

Did a stint with them last year. No different to any of the other consultancy / outsourcing groups really.

Suffers from the usual big co. issues of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, delays in projects etc.

You dont need to particularly good to impress them, just better than their average permie.

For what it's worth I worked from home for the whole contract as it would have taken longer to get me a desk and computer sorted out than I would be working for them, only went into the offices to get my time sheet signed.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

The roles that are available are all contract roles. I won't be dong permie with them.