IT Contractor Blacklist
This article about whether there should be an IT Contractor blacklist is from the now defunct www.ComputerContractor.net where recruiters and IT contractors both used to post.
Blacklisting IT Contractors
The problem with all blacklists is that they are very prone to error and people can misuse them.
What is to stop anybody from blacklisting anybody else simply because they don‘t like them, or have a personal grudge of some kind? This is certain to happen.
If clients wanted to blacklist any contractors they would want to blacklist those they associate with a failed project of some kind. Just like they want to give bad references of contractors who they associate with their failed projects.
But, this is no reflection on the contractor at all. Lots of projects fail for all sorts of reasons.
Blaming contractors for it is almost universal and rarely ever justifiable.
Agency Use of Contractor Blacklist
If agencies wanted to use blacklists they would blacklist the contractors who they associate with failed agency/client relationships.
But again, an agency’s relationship with a client can fail for all sorts of reasons. It’s not just because they engage the wrong contractor.
It may suit the recruitment consultant to blame the contractors and to blacklist them out of spite.
Regulation of Industry and Working Practices
If blacklists were used by agencies then it would lead to only one thing – regulation of the industry that would restrict working practices.
A blacklist can be a ‘restraint of trade’ and is not just illegal but could leave the agency open to litigation for damages – and that’s if they’re lucky.
It could lead to all sorts of other bad things too.
So, what do you think? Should there be an IT Contractor blacklist?
Post your comments below.
