Part of being a contractor means taking risks, you don't know how long you may be without work between contracts, you do not know how long the contracts will last, you do not know if your clients will pay you in a timely fashion, and you don't know what they are going to be like to work for.
In general there is nothing you can do about most of these things, unless you know someone who has worked at that company before, in which case you can at least answer some of those questions and choose whether or not you want to work for that company.
So just as companies give references for their ex-employees, it is only fair for us to do the same and give references for our ex-clients/employers. So if you are thinking of working for any of the companies listed below, feel free to email me for a reference.
Please note: This is not intended to be malicious, and I am not implying that the below companies are bad, simply that I have worked for them and thus am able to provide a reference.
- ICLP
- Trinity Mirror
- The Economist
- Fire Chaser
- The Berkeley Group
May 27, 2008 at 3:29 PM I hope this will be like an Employer to Employee Reference you can refuse to give a reference but not give a bad reference.
Else it's not really fair is it?
Maybe we someone should do one for contractors as would you hire again?
May 27, 2008 at 3:36 PM Well I do not know whether there is any law regarding the giving of bad references, but companies certainly do give them regardless.
May 27, 2008 at 3:59 PM A lot of people / companies will not give a bad reference. Mostly because it is hard to give a bad reference without defamation unless there is proof. And if there is proof, it may be more effort than it is worth to provide the proof or support it if they are sued.
http://www.expertlaw.com/library/personal_injury/defamation.html
Generally, lack of a great reference is a big red flag.