I know everyone does it, to a degree.

Anyway….I'm now finding myself in the fantastic position of applying for jobs. Its great.

I'm faced with a bit of a dilemma. I've been running my own business for 5 years. I get the distinct feeling (from feedback received) that as soon as an employer reads that then they won't touch you with a barge-pole. I can understand this to be honest.

So…. what do I do? What would you do.? I need to…ahem…. shall we say; 'embelish' things a little. I'm not on about producing the greatest work of fiction since shakespeare. Just a little careful re-phrasing.

As you lot are a fairly literary and imaginative lot, lets have some suggestions as to how you'd…erm… 're-phrase' this bit of my life.

Cheers

Need something to work from, not a blank!

Were you "self employed" through your own limited company? Hopefully the company name didnt include your own name(Binners Bin Cleaning Ltd)? See where I'm going? Further down the line who can give a reference for you? Your accountant would look a bit strange.

Speaking from a Recruiters perspective, embellishment can be very obvious and downright lies will find you out.

Successful entrepreneur seeks new challenge?

Lie all over it, that way someone whose actually honest will get the job.

And not everyone does it.. 🙄

Successful entrepreneur seeks new challenge?

Without wishing to sullen binner's reputation, I'm guessing if he was successful he wouldn't be in this situation.

KT – My business went bust because of the domino effect of a few of my clients going bump owing me quite large sums of cash.

Seeing as there seem to be a few recruiters here. What would you suggest? Seriously. I just need to get my portfolio (and me) in front of people, but I'm finding that this is putting off potential employers.

I've been dole scum for about a week now, And frankly, that's a week too long. I'm bored rigid

Ex-recruitment opinion here;
Don't lie. Simple. Not just because it's actually a criminal offence (Fraud) in the UK, but as mentioned above, it's pretty simple to spot the liars even before an interview!

Far better to stress the positives of your time being self-employed, and to explain how/why it went wrong (as above).

If you can, try and have some (good!) client references lined up, those can really help you!

Good luck!

You need to decide which characteristic your potential employers would be concerned about. Is it your un-manageability? Your need to take sunny afternoons off?

Whatever it is, first ask yourself if that would be a problem in the new job and if it isn't find some way to reinforce it.

Has it been your own business or is there a way of making you look like a director or manager or junior partner?

KT – My business went bust because of the domino effect of a few of my clients going bump owing me quite large sums of cash.

Bad luck, touch wood that hasn't happened to me yet.

As already said not everyone does it 😕

My thought is, are employers REALLY dismissing you, or do you just THINK they will dismiss you?

If a CV landed on my desk from someone who had run their own business and things went wrong as in your circumstances then I would have no hesitation in seeing them. Firstly, they will know what goes into running a company so should be less of a managerial problem, and are also more likely to be hard working and reliable 😀

I would include a short paragraph explaining what went wrong, and how you will bring the positive "business owner" attitude/mentaility to your employed role.

Good luck with it all.

Its interesting this. I've just had 2 phone calls this morning.

1 saying they thought I was ideal for the position, but had reservations about the fact I'd been running my own business. I can only assume its about manageability. I have asked the agency if they can get me some more feedback on this.

The second call, just now, was from another agency saying that they were interested BECAUSE of my experience running a business. I've got an interview next week 🙂 Looks like honesty is paying off so I'll stick with it. Thanks all!

As some have suggested, I think that sometimes a creative explaination is quite easy to spot by a recruiter.

It's a really difficult situation for you though as people who are employed view self employment as a warm sunny place where everything is glorious and you spend all day watching daytime TV. The reality of self employment is that the hours are longer, the stress is higher and cashflow can be fantastic at times yet sticky at other times.

I don't know how you could phrase it, but my suggestion would be to be loud and proud about your successful times self employed. Let's face it, for more than 4 years you were successful, but due to circumstance and a client of yours going under and oweing you, you have had to call it a day. Small business has really suffered in 2009 and credit lines have been pulled by banks. 2 years ago if you had had a set back, there would have been a chance that a bank would have been prepared to cashflow your business until you caught back up again.

My suggestion would be to focus on the success and lead into how you are positive about the situation and moving forwards in your career, and that your new employer will benefit from your huge experience gained. You are 'probably' easier to work with now than before as you have had to be more adaptable over the recent years.

I don't think there's any harm in suggesting that employment is a 2 way street and that nobody is doing anybody any favours for the sake of it, it is a business transaction, you are exchanging your experience and skill for more stable and less erratic cashflow, and the employer is gaining someone with huge skill probably for less money than that skill level deserves. There are possible trade-offs for you both, but you are exchanging positive benefits with each other.

I would try not to put too much detail in the CV, but attach a killer covering letter that is very specific to the company. Do some research on them and let your cover letter inform them that you understand more about their business than all the other applicants.

What do you do out of interest?

Good luck.

Stu.

MMM what does Hora do …is he as fickle at recruiting as he is at fork choices?
I assume you have been employed before so stress that as well

As above depends on the employer but remember you have to fit in as well IMHO no point lying your @ss of to get a job and then being a round peg in a square hole.

Stu.

Thanks for that. Very sound advice. I was honest with the agency and said I'm a designer and I want to get back to spending my days designing. Because I bloody love what I do! Rather than spending all my days chasing invoices, consulting lawyers about recovering money from debtors etc etc…. which seem to have been occupying all my waking moments of late

KINGTUT – Member

Successful entrepreneur seeks new challenge?

Without wishing to sullen binner's reputation, I'm guessing if he was successful he wouldn't be in this situation.

Hence the 'seeks new challenge' bit! 😉

Binners

Employers will be naturally suspicious of your motives – be straight and work at the positives is my rule. The business probably enjoyed good times and bad, there may be very valid/obvious reasons for the bad, beyond your control.

Good luck with it

Recruiters opinion here.

Don't lie, just don't mention everything. You may be the owner of Binners Bins Inc and did all of the bin collection, but on your CV you were working on the bin collections for Binners Bins.

Simple, no lies at all and it may help.

Knew a girl that was in selling to pharmacies and had done so for 10 years for one of the big drug companies. Then she took a couple of years off and travelled. Came back to the UK and tried to get a job in the same sphere with no success. Then she made up a few A levels and a degree on here CV and suddenly got loads of offers and took a good job. She's been there for 10 years now so presumably no probs!

It did get a bit sketchy once when sent to a client and her boss said 'you will have no problems in there with your academic background……'

C

List your achievements, not just what you "did".

If that makes sense.

KINGTUT – I drove past your premises on Saturday. I'd come to you to be recruited!

I'm off to the Jobcentre 'Plus' for the first time now. It should be an interesting and educational experience

Or, I suspect, should provide me with some motivation never ever ever to go back there ever ever ever again

I took on one of my staff because he had run his own firm, his wife was expecting child No3 and he needed a consistant income and to be away from home less.
Its worked out very well & he's one of the most valued members of our department.

Thought Steve might have got you a job fixing doors 😉