Reply to: UK wide contractor and applicant DB

[DoctorStrangelove]

Contracting looks really awful these days. Rather glad I'm a retired old fart.Good luck to you not so ancient lot.

WXogS.

[xoggoth]

But the market today is not like it was 10 or 20 years ago. The only agents who are phoning round these days are offshore ones, looking for local resources to fill in while they sort out visas for their lower cost teams to come in. Contractors need to be proactive - get on the phone with agents you know, don’t just send emails. Phone up about job adverts when you see them. Contact old clients. Contact other contractors you’ve worked with in the past.

Contracting looks really awful these days. Rather glad I'm a retired old fart.Good luck to you not so ancient lot.

[albertramsbottom]

Cheers

I still think that SCOM run one as they asked me develop one for them

Cheers

[GigiBronz]

Check out the date.

So probably did invent it but some time ago. Fair enough.

In term of databases I have been thinking the same, considering the amount of data different parties collect on us I would be surprised if there was not only one but multiple.

As someone said above, ability to win a contract in the past is more relevant. And some of the places around are snake pits so any information from there would be irrelevant anyway.

Market is probably the worst many people have seen in years and that is the indisputable truth.

No matter what it happens you have to remember that life is not only about work. Try to keep an open mind to it.
When you get yourself into the right mindset you'll find yourself in a better position.

The truth could be closer than you think, the way you are presenting yourself, slightest mix of words in the conversation might put agents off. They feel insecurity as dogs feel fear when they walk by.
Rule of nature, survival of the fittest, call it as you may.

[Old Greg]

Did you just invent the term?

Check out the date.

[GigiBronz]

It's a well known phenomenon, but more likely you're on a greylist.

Urban Dictionary: greylist

Did you just invent the term?

[Old Greg]

It's a well known phenomenon, but more likely you're on a greylist.

Urban Dictionary: greylist

[SueEllen]

And I find the term blacklist offense. Please refer to it as 'The list of no particular colour' in future.

"The list of the damned" is more appropriate

[northernladuk]

And I find the term blacklist offense. Please refer to it as 'The list of no particular colour' in future.

[WTFH]

There’s really only two types that will “blacklist” you:
1. Agents you took to court. (Note, this works very well the other way, because other agents find out and may advise clients that xyz was taken to court for fraud/breach of contract/making false claims about a client)
2. Contractors who really didn’t like you. And they have very little influence outside of the clients they work for.

But the market today is not like it was 10 or 20 years ago. The only agents who are phoning round these days are offshore ones, looking for local resources to fill in while they sort out visas for their lower cost teams to come in. Contractors need to be proactive - get on the phone with agents you know, don’t just send emails. Phone up about job adverts when you see them. Contact old clients. Contact other contractors you’ve worked with in the past.

[GJABS]

You like a ram's bottom? Join the club

To answer your question, no I've never heard of any such database. Given the independence of agencies from each other, and even the independence of agents within agencies, I don't believe there is any significant motivation to act in the common good, so to speak, in protecting clients from known "troublemakers".

I think it gets a little more incestuous the higher up in a company you go though.

[Zigenare]

Ignore them, of course there's a blacklist, send me £50 and your details and I'll remove you from the database!

[northernladuk]

Usually the problem is a lot closer to home....

[Cirrus]

Many people's experience is even the same agency will not ' blacklist' you. In fact they are highly likely to contact you again. They don't value so much the fact you left prematurely or got sacked as much as they value the fact you won the contract in the first place. Their number one aim is to get someone in. Staying is just a bonus.

[northernladuk]

No there isn't. Market has changed considerably year on year. This time 5 years ago there were multiple ads a day for what I did. Recently there is one a week at best.

There is also all the crap that's going on with the April changes.

It's not you, it's the market and it's going yo get considerable worse in coming months.