The first step to landing a job is always the resume. It’s at this stage that most former entrepreneurs stumble, says Elizabeth Kingston, the executive manager of Kingston Human Capital.
She’s helped plenty of entrepreneurs reintroduce themselves to the corporate world, and says one of the biggest mistakes is when entrepreneurs hide what they’ve learned.
“With plenty of resumes, they’ll have an exceptionally detailed career history while they were working in corporations. But then, they’ll journey out on their own, and they’ll just put ‘White Rabbit Pty Ltd – owner’.
“There’s no expansion on that, no explanation of context, customer segment or revenue figures. Contextually, it can look very odd.”
It can be impossible to detail the myriad of job duties a business owner has in a few dot points. But Kingston says business owners need to expand where it’s relevant to the job they’re applying for.
“Don’t just put in ‘marketing’. Explain what kind of marketing. Did you do marketing sales calls? Did you design media campaigns? Did you do online social media? You really need to elaborate on the general points and communicate in more detail.”
“The sole purpose of your resume is to win you a face-to-face appointment. It’s an unfortunate tool – it’s hard to explain your sum total of skills and experiences on six pages – but it needs to be done. Customise it for every role, and always flesh out exactly what you mean.”
If the resume hits the mark, the interview is next.
One of the questions entrepreneurs may face from hiring managers is how they will react to being boxed into a role, no longer able to influence or manage the broader business.
Kingston says it’s important for job-seekers to have a well thought-out reason for why they’re applying to a job. “’I’m just ready for a change’ doesn’t cut it anymore,” she says. “You really need to convey a diligent, well-explained reason as to why you want to take the next step in your career.”
One underused trick she recommends is simply to ask employers whether they have any concerns.
“You could phrase it like, ‘Do you have any concerns about someone who has run a successful small business working in your organisation?’
“Depending on how the interview’s going, it might be appropriate to strike that conversation up. Try and have that dialogue, and address any concerns the decision-maker might have.”
It’s difficult for entrepreneurs to go back into the industries they left to start their own businesses, but it can be done, Kingston says.
“Lots of our clients love hiring entrepreneurs because of their deep understanding of cost control,” she says. “Honestly, entrepreneurs are one of the most under-recognised talent pools out there, and have so much to offer to businesses.”
Booth adds that even though there’s plenty of reluctance to hire entrepreneurs, businesses should take a leaf out of the recruitment practices of the most successful companies in the world.
“The Yahoo’s and Google’s of the world actively go after the entrepreneurs,” he says. “They like them because they have the drive, hunger and creativity to make things work.
“Entrepreneurs understand the financials, they understand the business drivers, they’re creative and they have a different way of thinking from people who’ve worked in run-of-the-mill organisations. They care about the outcomes and not just their wage. And that’s why I’d go with the entrepreneur every time.”
This is part two of a two-part series. Read part one (Position vacant entrepreneurs need not apply).
Myriam Robin is a reporter for SmartCompany and its sister site LeadingCompany. She has degrees in economics, international studies and journalism. She likes writing about businesses taking risks and doing new things.
