Stephen

A leading business data provider operating in 100 countries

Stephen began his IT career in England, and when he decided to move to the U.S., "I was more than a bit nervous, but despite what you see in the movies about big businesses in America being all corporate and political, I found that there was more of a sense of teamwork, than the departmentalized culture in the UK. I feel like I get more support at work in the U.S., than I do in England." Stephen previously worked with this client in 2000, and five years later was hired on again through Rose. "Everyone remembered me! I loved working for [the client], and my project got to an international level where I was liaising with Europe and Singapore." When his contract finished in 2011 Stephen said he was sad to see it end, "That is how it goes though; it is funny, I started there on a 40-day contract in 2007."

When Stephen contacted Rose, "I found the experience to be quite painless even though I am a foreign national who, though having previously worked at length in the U.S., needed to ask lots of questions and required the odd bit of kind reassurance." Stephen found that working with Rose meant he could focus on his work, instead of devoting his time and effort to navigating working as a foreign national. "When I arrived here, it was my first time in the U.S. in 10 years. You [Rose] knew a lot more about working as a contractor in the U.S. than I did. It was nice that you answered all my questions, led me by the hand through all the steps and whenever I had a question; I was not made to feel stupid."

Stephen chose to work with Rose because, "Rose seemed a lot more interested in me than other companies. The team would check up on me just to make sure things were going well, and you did your job so that I could do mine." He particularly enjoyed how Rose simplified the sometimes-complicated work involved with being a contractor, "you were there in my corner doing the paperwork. Two years in, [the client] needed some paperwork that was in a box in England. I told Rose, and someone got on the phone with HR, and Rose got them to understand the situation." Stephen also appreciated how efficiently Rose handled payroll, "You guys seem to work in the 21st century; you did not ask me to fax you timesheets signed by two managers who might or might not be there on a Friday. I could use the program and submit my timecard. It was all authorized, and I was paid on time. If I ever needed to speak to a human being, I could call them, and they would answer my weird questions."

To others considering consulting in the U.S., Stephen offered this advice, "The fact that you can say 'help me,' and Rose will get you set up to work means you do not really need to be a professional contractor. Rose worked for me, rather than the other way around. I did not have to be a small business owner taking care of lots of business paperwork. Instead, I got to focus on my work, and Rose did all of that." Overall, "you have managed to streamline an often-frustrating process that enables your clients, at both ends, to get from initial request, to useful employee with the minimum amount of fuss and paperwork."