Extreme Career Change: Self-Employment to Employment

Many small business owners face difficult times when the economy heads south. In hopes of regaining financial security, some look for employment that provides regular paychecks. The self-employment-to-employment career change is sometimes difficult, not only because jobs are scarce, but because it's not easy to have a boss once you've been top dog.

Here are five tips for making a smooth transition from self-employment to employment.

1. Seek a position where you can either work independently (for example, as an outside sales rep), or where you can be a leader (for example, project manager).


2. Privately, give yourself a timeline for working at your new job (for example, two years), with the understanding that during that time, you'll give 100 percent of your professional energy to your employer. Your commitment (even if you don't tell your employer about your timeline) will help you be an earnest employee, knowing you haven't committed to be at that job forever. Meanwhile, the timeline will hold open the possibility of going back into business for yourself, should you decide you want to in the future.


3. Stay in touch with your former business network if possible, being careful not to cross any ethical lines with your new employer (for example, don't take on clients for your new employer with the expectation of taking them with you, should you decide to go back to self-employment).


4. If you're closing your small business and looking for employment, ask one of your former customers if she would serve as a reference to your potential employer.


5. On the resume for your new role as an employee, avoid referring to yourself as owner of your former company. Use a job title such as General Manager or President – something that demonstrates your skills without saying, "I'm going to be hard to manage because I like being the captain of any ship I'm on."

Financial security is hard to find in this economy. If making a career change from self-employment to employment is what you need to do, check out these posts on handling self-employment in the work history section of your resume:

From Self-Employment to Employment
Listing Self-Employment on Resume

Part-Time Job Vacancies Look Pretty Good

Looking for a part-time job isn't such a bad idea these days. In tough economic times, many employers hire part-timers and contractors because they cost less to employ.

If you're on the hunt for part-time work, write a resume that... Continue reading

Entrepreneurial Mom Returns to Workforce

Question
I've been a stay at home for approximately 2-1/2 years. I went back to work for a short time (3 months) about 1-1/2 years ago. During that time, I started a cake baking business. Re-entering the workforce is now a must for me.

Having worked for 3 months in 2007, how do I explain the gap from 2006-2007 and then from 2007-2009? Other gaps in my work history are present as well, however, this is the longest gap. How do I put my best foot forward in explaining the 3-year gap?

Answer
by Garla Smith, Smart Moms®, LLC, smart-moms.net and smart-moms-online.com

Dear Cake Business Entrepreneur,
Congratulations on your decision to return to the workforce. In actuality you have already done the best thing for your resume by launching your cake baking business along with the other tasks I am sure you have been doing while at home. These tasks might include volunteer work, PTA support, tutoring in the classroom, or coordinating activities for the school band.

I see two options. One would be to show your “Entrepreneur – Owner of Cake Baking Business” for the longest period (if you indeed kept it running for that period). Then have another line entry for your work as a Mom such as “Volunteer, PTA Vice-President, and Full-Time Parent” for the shorter period.

The other option would be to consider lumping the 2006 – 2009 under one job heading but have several job titles such as Entrepreneur, Volunteer, Full-Time Parent.

I would use years to show time frame but no months. When you make it to the interview you can explain in further detail if asked.

You were not idle while you were at home. The key now is to communicate that in your resume. What skills did you acquire in all of the positions (paid on unpaid) that are valuable to employers? Perhaps bookkeeping, marketing, management, or administration.

Employers are changing their perceptions that moms are simply at home doing nothing. Many women are mastering organizational skills and communication techniques. They're applying financial strategies and cost savings that are valuable in the work place. They are able to multi-task, be extremely efficient in completing tasks, and bring a level of professionalism to a business that a person just entering the job market may not yet possess. It's important to communicate that in your cover letter and resume; and be ready to provide examples in the interview. Your examples should demonstrate real benefits that resulted from the use of your skills.

Best of luck to you in your job search!

Career Gap on Resume

Question
I was a Landscape Architect with over a 15 years experience, licensed and educated with a degree in the field. (It is a fairly narrow profession). I faded out of that career in 2001 and became a self-employed, on-line bookseller with every intention of not going back into L/arch.

However, I have changed my mind! I am eager to re-enter the profession because I miss the challenge, the people and working on creative projects.

My question is: Do you think I should "expose my gap" in L/arch in the cover letter, in my resume or at the interview?? There is no way I can hide this fact, nor do I want to... In the architectural field we usually show a portfolio at the interview and I have nothing to show after 2001... Being a bookseller does not mean I was unemployed, it's just that most of these firms will want to know who I am presently working for and what projects I am working on. Personally, I do not consider it a working gap, but a career gap. What do you think? -- Cliff

Answer
Cliff, you are right to consider this a career gap, not an employment gap. Here's what I suggest you do:

Use the chronological resume format. As the first entry at the top of your Experience section put:

2001 - present, Freelance Landscape Architect (concurrent with online sales venture)
- Mention a few landscape projects that you've done during this time (I'm sure you didn't keep you hands out of the soil or off the drawing board!) The projects can be ones at your own home or ones you volunteered for in the community. Don't forget to include interesting projects you consulted on like that hillside landscaping in your neighbor's backyard, the redesign of your aunt's rock garden, and other projects you gave advice for.
- Briefly refer to administrative aspects of your online business that are relevant to working for a landscape company. Maybe you designed marketing pages, used your database skills, or your customer service talents to enhance business.
- If your online book business specialized in selling landscape-related books, include something about that.

Taking this approach on your resume will show the employer that your love of landscape architecture is very much alive. There's no need to bring up the online business in your cover letter. The issue may arise in your job interview so practice how you'll talk about it then, keeping the emphasis on the thread of passion for landscaping.

In the meantime, try to get some freelance work in the field so you can continue to build your resume as you conduct your job search.

Good luck!

Listing Self-Employment on Resume

Question
I've been self-employed. How do I talk about that in a resume?

Answer
Whether or not to state self-employment on your resume depends on your job objective.

If you're going for a full-time salaried position and you've owned a business, don't say you owned the business on your resume. In the hiring world, it's often thought that once someone has worked for himself, he'll never make a good employee. Of course that opinion isn't necessarily true, but it is an assumption frequently made by employers, since the self-employed person usually likes being the boss and is driven by profit. A way around revealing your self-employment is to give yourself a job title in your business, choosing a title such as "General Manager" or "Engineer" (instead of "Owner") that supports your current job objective.

On the other hand, if you're asking for a consulting gig, your self-employment might enhance your chances of getting the job since a consultant is frequently a self-employed person who needs to deliver high quality in order to build his clientele. If that's your situation, put down "Self-employed," "Consultant," or "Owner" on your
resume.

Resume for Vibrant 50-Year-Old

Question
I just turned 50 and have been looking for a new position. My tenure with the 4 companies I have worked for are 2, 4, 11, and 10 years (last to first). I only listed the last 3 positions on my resume (due to space limitations). This doesn't make me look as long in the tooth (15+ years experience vs. 25+) but it doesn't look as stable with my last 2 positions lasting a shorter duration. Should I make room to add my first position to my resume?

Also, it has been about 6 months since I resigned from my last position. I have a computer services company I have run part-time for 10 years and have been working at it more since I have been out of work. Should this be added to my resume (as my current position) or should I just explain what I have been doing when asked?
--- Growing Old in Texas

Answer
by Vivian VanLier, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP, CCMC, CPRC, Certified Career Coach / Resume Writer

Hi “Growing Old in Texas”... First of all, let’s change that to “Staying Young and Vibrant in Texas!!” Haven’t you heard: 50 is the new 30!! On my 50th birthday, I went out and bought myself a t-shirt that said “50 Happens!” and wore it proudly!

With an average of 35 years added to our life spans since the turn of the last century, you have plenty of time to start a whole new career if you want!

Now some statistics to put your concerns into perspective: According to recent studies (and the Bureau of Labor Statistics), by age 40, most people have had 10 jobs! Transition is the new “normal.” So job changes aren’t at all unusual. Again, according to statistics, the average job lasts 2 ½ to 3 years. So, if you average your last two jobs, you’re right on track!

The old career / work paradigm was one job, one industry for life. Well, that began changing back in the 80’s with the first wave of downsizings. This trend has only accelerated and today’s savvy careerist understands that ultimately you work for you! You package your talents, skills and experience into a cutting-edge marketing tool (your resume) and when you land a position, you stay as long as it’s a good fit for you. Today’s employer retains team members as long as it’s a good fit for him/her. When it’s no longer fitting your life and goals, it’s time to re-package your talents and move on to the next opportunity. Of course, you don’t want to do this too frequently, but, again 2 ½ – 3 years is average.

The other concern is regarding appearing “young” on your resume. Resumes are actually great equalizers. You should only go back 10-15 years (17 is fine) on your resume regardless of how long your work history is. Prospective employers are interested in what you have done lately. Thus the resume will not disclose age. (Senior Executives can go back a longer time because they have obviously earned their stature over time.) Don’t include dates on your education if it wasn’t recent. So, “Young and Vibrant in Texas,” you were right on track with the dates.

You can use a title such as “Computer Consultant” for the independent work to show that you have current experience. In fact, if you are transitioning into the computer field, you could show consulting services going back 10 years (concurrent with full-time employment). By the way, don’t bother with months on your resume; state years of employment only. (The only time I include months on the resumes I write, is for students or recent grads when they have held internships and seasonal or part-time positions.)

I hope this helps... And keep staying young!!! It’s all in your state of mind!

From Self-Employment to Employment

Question
I have had a sporadic and unproductive work life. At 43 I have no children or a marriage as an excuse.

I have worked independently as a massage therapist and yoga instructor for the past seven years. Now, I want very much to do something else.

I am working on a resume to submit to Stony Brook University to do something managerial. Considering I had my own business [massage/yoga] what would I head that work experience as?
-- Valerie

Answer
by Richard Yadon, Health Career Professionals, President/CEO

Your question is as much about resume writing as it is managing your career. Let’s tackle the resume question for now.

Keep in mind that your resume is really nothing more than your marketing brochure. You are the product and the salesperson. Your resume has to quickly, very quickly, grab the attention of the hiring manager or human resources representative. If they can’t readily find a connection between what they need and what you offer they will move on to the next resume in their stack. How you head and describe your past business experience is dependent upon what the University is looking for.

For instance:
If they are looking for someone to manage clerical people you might want to list the heading like this:
Manager/Owner, Massage & Yoga Business

If they want someone to manage a specific program, you might list the heading like this:
Program Manager/Owner, Yoga Therapy Programs

I recommend you take the following steps:
1) Try to find out to whom the position reports.
2) Call this person, tell them you are interested in the position, but you’d like to know more about the duties and responsibilities. Listen carefully because you will learn the needs of this hiring manager. If you can’t talk with the hiring manager, see if Human Resources can give you this information.
3) Make a list of your business ownership responsibilities and compare it to the duties of the job to which you are applying.
4) Find the correlations between the two lists and construct a heading that will grab the attention of the hiring manager or HR representative. Your heading must demonstrate experience with the kind of management they need.

Richard Yardon's firm, Health Career Professionals, is an executive search and employee development company focused in the healthcare industry. If you'd like Richard to help with your job search, email him.

Susan Ireland's Two Cents
Valerie, I searched online to find some good posts/articles about entrepreneurs switching to employment. They were hard to find! There were a gazillion articles about transitioning from employment to self-employment but very few on the reverse. Yet, I know you are not alone. Many consultants and other self-employed folks are moving back into employment because self-employment simply isn’t the right thing for them.

Here’s a comment by Repique to a post on Ask the Readers: Find the Right Career?, which I think says it well.

Job Lounger, do you have a question? Email (joblounge@aol.com) it to me and I’ll post your question and an expert’s answer here in The Job Lounge.