Signs that you should not take a contract?

[Marlboro]

Guys,

What do people consider "Red Flags", or sign warning about a contract before accepting a job? Just wanted to see/learn from people's experiences. Some that I find

1 - Additional travel outside of the pre-agreed working location is included in the overall contract rate and cannot be expensed
2 - Requesting people do a face to face interview, even if they are more than 100 of miles away
3 - The rates is in a currency not commonly or useless in the working country, For example, USD for Europe, or Zimbabwe dollars for SA
4 - Where they want you to use their umbrella / accounting as part of the contract
5 - Where the client expectation of the skills does not reflect the market. Like " Looking for a consultant with 10 year experience in Netweaver 2010, speaks Welsh/Mongolian and plays the Banjo"

anything else?

[YuriT]

Whats wrong with No 2 and where did you get my CV summary in No 5?

[VLozano]

I saw once a job offer that read:
"we need a 16 years old apprentice with at least two years of experience"

Excluding the fact here is forbidden to contract people younger than 16, who the hell would contract someone who still be an apprentice after two years of experience?

Of course, the job offer was for a pub's waiter position... I can understand the two years experience needed, it's a hard and difficult job to learn... But under 16? I checked twice if the pub was Michael Jackson's... or a catholic church's one...

[bgamble]

Anytime I am asked to send in a picture of myself wearing only a bra and panties, I decline

[Marlboro]

I usually have telephone interviews that decided my fate and if they don't like me on day one, then I am out the door. I notice that companies that want a F2F interview and expect you to pay the travel, are not very serious in shortlisting their candidates. I know of one company that interviewed 10 people, with one of the candidates lasting for less than 30 seconds! i.e they did not read his CV beforehand!

[Marlboro]

Never understood why some countries wanted head shot phones to be attached with your CV. It is not like I look like Andrej Pejic

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/columns/ ... -love.html

[Snowy]

5 - Where the client expectation of the skills does not reflect the market. Like " Looking for a consultant with 10 year experience in Netweaver 2010, speaks Welsh/Mongolian and plays the Banjo"

I see that you have worked at Deloitte before...

[Al.]

I usually have telephone interviews that decided my fate and if they don't like me on day one, then I am out the door. I notice that companies that want a F2F interview and expect you to pay the travel, are not very serious in shortlisting their candidates. I know of one company that interviewed 10 people, with one of the candidates lasting for less than 30 seconds! i.e they did not read his CV beforehand!

I will always do an initial screen by phone but would 100% expect someone to have a f2f before hiring them as a contractor or a perm.

I would go further to say that any contractor who is not happy to do that is not serious about getting any work. If it is too far to travel for a f2f then don't apply for the role.

Time wasting works both ways. It wasn't long ago I arranged an evening phone interview (which I often do) to meet around someone's client work. I call at the appointed time and he asked me to call back in 30 minutes once he had finished his dinner.

I do agree with your other points though

[Craig]

I'm surprised more f2f's aren't done but I can honestly say, in the 15 years I've been doing this I can only remember a single F2F interview. And that was the one contract I didn't get!!!!! A good buddy of mine got that one so I can't really complain. He's a good consultant as well.

Several of my contracts were less than an hour's drive from home and they didn't want (need) a F2F. A few were within 20-30 minutes.

I have no problem doing F2F and have even suggested it but have been told there was no need.

That said, if a client wants a F2F I'm happy to do one. But if it involves air travel and overnights, I would expect the client to arrange that. That is the typical norm for the full-time hiring process in the US so I wouldn't expect anything different in a contract hire.

I do agree with Al, it does work both ways and I would never ask a prospective client to call me back after my dinner. Maybe the consultant wasn't all that interested in the project to start with. However, that is just rude on so many levels. I would have crossed him off my list immediately.

Craig

[Snowy]

I can only remember a single F2F interview. And that was the one contract I didn't get!!!!!

Maybe it's time to change your old "taped" glasses...

[Squarebear]

When you're all psyched up for the interview and no one rings.

Or is that just me? [sob]

[Craig]

I can only remember a single F2F interview. And that was the one contract I didn't get!!!!!

Maybe it's time to change your old "taped" glasses...

Had Lasix done quite a while ago. No more glasses! Actually it's been 11 years and its time to go back and get the other eye done now.

I think it was my haircut.. I hadn't had one in a while and my buddy sports a marine style short cut. I always seem to let the hair go a few more weeks then I should. Always seems to be something more important and seems like such a waste of time.. its just going to grow back.. *sigh*

Craig

[Snowy]

your hair looked like this dude?

[Craig]

Not quite that bad!! LOL

Craig

[Marlboro]

Or, not quite as good?