Reply to: RBS / LORIEN Recruitment Project

[BS1397]

I don't know. My role at this place dragged on and on. I had the tech test 3 weeks before the end of my contract at JP Morgan. They arranged a face to face 2 weeks later and cancelled as I was walking into the building. They arranged another face to face on my last day at JPM and cancelled that also when I was outside their building. fas forward 3 weeks and I iventaully got to see them and agreed a contract. the original duration had gone up from 6 weeks to 6 months and my rate was increased by 125 a day. another 2 weeks went by before I could start. All told a good couple of months of faffing about!

Sorry I lost the plot for a moment, Who kept canceling your meetings, was that RBS or another Bank?

Lorien tried to accommodate my diary with their timeline but only because they hoped or expected contractors to visit London for a brief technical test & again later for a competency test at very short notice. It would have been better to have combined these on the same date to halve my travel days and expenses.

[BS1397]

Earlier you claimed (to SimonMacs post) you didn't know of any possible reason why your role might be delayed/on hold/whatever. That is why I wondered if you were a troll.

Fair enough. I really have no evidence to back up my hunches so I thought best not to spout nonsense here, Do RBS & Lorien secret agents frequent this forum?

[Gentile]

I don't know. My role at this place dragged on and on. I had the tech test 3 weeks before the end of my contract at JP Morgan. They arranged a face to face 2 weeks later and cancelled as I was walking into the building. They arranged another face to face on my last day at JPM and cancelled that also when I was outside their building. fas forward 3 weeks and I iventaully got to see them and agreed a contract. the original duration had gone up from 6 weeks to 6 months and my rate was increased by 125 a day. another 2 weeks went by before I could start. All told a good couple of months of faffing about!

And *that's* why banks pay a premium when they want to hire a contractor.

[BoredBloke]

This^

Harsh, but true.

I don't know. My role at this place dragged on and on. I had the tech test 3 weeks before the end of my contract at JP Morgan. They arranged a face to face 2 weeks later and cancelled as I was walking into the building. They arranged another face to face on my last day at JPM and cancelled that also when I was outside their building. fas forward 3 weeks and I iventaully got to see them and agreed a contract. the original duration had gone up from 6 weeks to 6 months and my rate was increased by 125 a day. another 2 weeks went by before I could start. All told a good couple of months of faffing about!

[nomadd]

BS, move on mate, its gone.

Exclusive or not if they haven't responded since May then its time to look for something else...

This^

Harsh, but true.

[Torran]

BS, move on mate, its gone.

Exclusive or not if they haven't responded since May then its time to look for something else...

[jmo21]

Those who know how banking really works know why RBS are doing very well right now.

I'm sure they are, but that is irrelevant to this thread.

[jmo21]

You mean the NatWest parallel universe, I wish the "Big Bang Theory" would poke fun at that.

No, I am not a troll, I am happy to respond to a Moderator offline with specifics as long as my private business remains with that moderator.

Earlier you claimed (to SimonMacs post) you didn't know of any possible reason why your role might be delayed/on hold/whatever. That is why I wondered if you were a troll.

[BrilloPad]

Come on, this has to be a troll!!?!?!

If not, how can you expect to work in banking if you are not aware of why RBS might be struggling to get back to you right now.

Those who know how banking really works know why RBS are doing very well right now.

[BS1397]

Its not exclusive. There is a drive for people at the moment. Lorien are the main supplier. If you havent heard back, you havent got the job. ALL agencies are the same - dont expect a call to let you know how your interview went etc.

If what you say about exclusivity is correct then I have been clearly mislead in direct conversations by both Lorien & RBS. I am not losing sleep over this.

[cojak]

We don't care, knock yourself out.

HTH.

[BS1397]

Come on, this has to be a troll!!?!?!

If not, how can you expect to work in banking if you are not aware of why RBS might be struggling to get back to you right now.

You mean the NatWest parallel universe, I wish the "Big Bang Theory" would poke fun at that.

No, I am not a troll, I am happy to respond to a Moderator offline with specifics as long as my private business remains with that moderator.

[BS1397]

Hang on.....are these Permie roles? IF you get an offer you will also have to wait at least 14 days for PES.

Contract work, Both in Front & Back Office Desktop Support areas that I know about, there might be more that I don't know about.

[jmo21]

I am not sure, I can't point any fingers with any certainty because it may well be that RBS lost focus, or early summer holidays, or being overwhelmed by applicants, or whatever... But with no real feedback then I as a candidate can only judge by conversations, timing and events so far and that is less than OK.

Basically I get the feeling that I am being offered a Poison Challis so I should really be sure that RBS will be worth the wait. I just don't know anyone in RBS to give me an idea how they are like with Contractors. Front & Back Office area in Bishopsgate.

Come on, this has to be a troll!!?!?!

If not, how can you expect to work in banking if you are not aware of why RBS might be struggling to get back to you right now.

[BS1397]

I would ordinarily say that if you haven't heard within 24 hours of an interview for a contract position that the gig's going ahead, you can forget it. I have been called back months later for banking gigs, though, typically when I'm well into my next project and no longer available. I always wondered who they get to do the work with an approach like that. It is pretty quiet right now, but in the normal run of things most people just don't spend that long on the bench. In this case, there's no option but to wait it out, and in the meantime keep looking.

I agree. So I am keeping my self busy but on very short disposable ad-hoc work, not very well paid but with me it is about not losing that mental momentum of being in some sort of work.

I think the delay in feedback is more likely that they want their spreadsheet to fill up so they can compare all candidates and decide which one to offer which role and only then release the list to Lorien with a specific (Go Live) date. So if I am right about this then I might be offered a different role if successful? (Well I have to feel positive).