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Here’s the situation: I have owned my own company since I was 19. I am a very hard working, dedicated young business owner. We’ve had a combination of successes and failures and after 8 years I feel that I have had many experiences that most professionals my age are unfamiliar with. In many ways I have condensed many years of organizational experience into just a few. Now at 27, I am looking for a change; I would like to transition into a steadier and more predictable pattern of work and pay and of course I would like to move into an organization where I can have room to grow.

While a transition like this seems straight forward, I have found that it is not. I cannot get a job! You may be wondering if this is because I am not academically qualified, well I have an AA, B.Sci. in Business and am finishing my Masters in Organizational Leadership, in many cases I feel that I may be overqualified yet I still get turned down or never receive a call for even an interview. What is going on? I have heard a rumor that hiring managers are reluctant to bring on folks who have solely worked for themselves.

Can anybody speak to the rumor I have been told? Is it completely bogus? Should I just disregard the last eight years of work and just take an entry-level position – I have actually been offered a few of these which start at 1/3 of my current pay but they don’t support my addiction to food, clothing, and shelter. I am a very personable, intelligent, and hard working individual; how can I overcome this impasse and present myself as an experienced professional and not just the owner of a small mobile detailing company?

wendii's picture
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Hi Packer.. Pack.. 64?

In my experience it isn't true that hiring managers wouldn't take on someone who only worked for themselves - you've got dedication, focus, follow through, business knowledge - all sorts of things going for you. That said, I can understand why they would be wary - how do they know you are manageable for a start.

So starting from the beginning:

My first thought is that they arn't rejecting YOU, they can't be, they havn't even met you, so they must be rejecting your resume. Have you listened to the resume cast yet?

If you have, pm me and I'll have a look.

If you do get an interview - and I don't think there's a cast about this yet - and you're not getting the job, then you arn't selling your skills well enough - convincing the hiring manager that your skills are transferable and that you have a good reason for changing your situation.

If you give us some more information on what you're applying for, we may be able to help there too.

HTH

Wendii

Mark's picture
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What Wendii said. She's right about your resume. If you're not getting interviews, it's your resume.

And, keep in mind that while you have many strengths from your background, as with any background, there are many obvious weaknesses. All that you have said is true, but it is not complete. Even if they have drawn the conclusions you want them to, they have also perhaps determined that you are a loner, that your business may be failing, that you really don't WANT a job with them, but HAVE to have one, that you don't REALLTY want to work for someone else...

At this point, though, all this is conjecture. Depends on the resume.

Mark