to put my self employment on my CV?

[CopperHandle]

I have run my own small business for almost 3 years which has been somewhat successful and has provided for me since mid 2014, when I was last employed FT.
DP has recently completed his PhD and in order to pursue his career we will need to move to Central London, effectively tripling our expenses. This is an exciting opportunity for both of us and I'm really looking forward to it, however there is no way the business will make enough to support a life there - I think its reached its maximum potential and I really want to join a company and work my way up.

However I'm staring at my CV which without the business, has a very large 2.5 year gap. I have a good amount of experience in administration (senior positions though nothing managerial) and the skills I developed with my business are vast and very transferable - but I'm worried about putting it down. I did everything within the business, from customer service, to merchandising, to shipping, to marketing etc etc. Lots of hats worn. I also employed people on and off (freelancers though, not through payroll) so have some managerial experience.

I feel like any recruiter will just look at my CV and see "failed business" or "candidate without commitment" and even if they don't, I can't think how to write about it anyway. I don't even know what to put as my job title, "director" sounds really wanky when its for a tiny company

AIBU to think my self employment has made me far less employable? Is there anything I can do about that ?

Handing day to day running over to staff

I've been talking to my mother about her taking it over - which I'm sure there is a less casual way of phrasing that.

Noted about the hats thing, DP made the same point.

I'm looking through lots and lots of job adverts, and I'm getting quite overwhelmed - I've got a lot of experience in loads of different areas but there is a distinct sense of "Jack of all trades, expert in none" about my CV.

I never got careers advice at school, I wonder if thats something I can get as an adult, without breaking the bank. I'm studying with the OU, I know they offer careers advice sessions

Handing day to day running over to staff

I've been talking to my mother about her taking it over - which I'm sure there is a less casual way of phrasing that.

Noted about the hats thing, DP made the same point.

I'm looking through lots and lots of job adverts, and I'm getting quite overwhelmed - I've got a lot of experience in loads of different areas but there is a distinct sense of "Jack of all trades, expert in none" about my CV.

I never got careers advice at school, I wonder if thats something I can get as an adult, without breaking the bank. I'm studying with the OU, I know they offer careers advice sessions

You need to tailor every aspect of your cv to the job you are applying for - and that will take care of the Jack of all trades aspect because you'll play up the relevant bits as you need to.

And definitely put it on - you could even put "successful small business, date to date" as bullet point and then if any one wants to know why you're closing it, you say "newly moved to London, it's a great business but not scalable so looking forward to working for an employer again". Everyone in London knows that means "can't afford to live here on its wages".

Address it in a cover letter if you think you need to, too.

Turnover, profitability. Your long form narrative reads a bit like an attempt to avoid those aspects - I'm sure it isn't but that's what I'd suspect. I don't care how wide your skill sets are if you can't demonstrate success in using them. (In a terrible hurry so this is brisk rather than mean - good luck)

Of course you should put it on your CV! I don't think it makes you seem less employable at all and if you spin it, it will be a positive that will impress prospective employers.

If it were my CV I would put something like

2014 - current date - Proprietor of XX Business - online retailer and manufacturer of xx product.

Duties include

• dispatching to over 21 countries worldwide and 43 USA states

• customer services
• merchandising
• marketing
• shipping
• finances/accounts
• managing staff

I achieved a turnover of XX K after only 3 years, and learned how to make vital decisions and analyse data in order to maintain a successful business.

Bullet points and keep it simple

I'm still gobsmacked by this thread. A cv is not a past history of employment, it's a summary of your skills and experience. Obviously running a business is part of your skills and experience. I don't even really understand the reason why you'd think it was appropriate to leave it off!!