Getting a job after being self-employed

[christinarossetti19]

Is this even possible?

I've been self-employed for over 10 years and have legitimate reasons for seeking a job role now, which I explain in my covering letter.

Does being self-employed mean that you come across as unmanageable?

I emphasise all the work I've done with people and organisations (which my role was about) but I can understand I suppose why I'm not even getting interviews when I know that I've fulfilled the person spec and JD.

What's the best way to approach this?

What line of industry are you in and how many roles have you been turned down for

I did it! I was a self employed nail tech for 14 years, mainly to work around school hours, 2 years ago I decided to go back to employment. I made sure my cv demonstrated the wider skills I used running my business, so organisation, doing my own accounts, stock management, time management as well as ongoing training. I also made it clear what I'd done before that.

In my covering letter I explained that I was looking to return to employ and that I was adaptable and quick to learn. To be fair I applied for entry level admin jobs that I knew I was capable of.

When I got an interview I was really candid and at the end I made the point that I knew my recent experience wasn't very relevant and my relevant experience wasn't very recent but I felt I could do the job and I had a lot to offer. That was the job I was offered and accepted! And I love it.

Good luck

It helped me. And it wasn't even in a related industry.

I was going back, purely because I missed mixing with people and I didn't really enjoy being self employed that much.

I listed my skills and responsibilities. As though it was any other job. Not all people go self employed because they don't like working for other people. I, like pp above, did it because it worked for me at the time.

Then when the kids were older, I wanted to go back employed.

I went back to my old industry, in the same level, I was when I left. Not the same company though.

My husband has just done this. Self employed for 20 years, now just about to go back into PAYE jobs completely unconnected to self employment (mid life complete career change). He was completely honest in covering letter, explained why new career (he'd been doing some stuff which was related so did know what new career was about), and then we went through likely interview questions and prepped answers, based on what the interviewers were looking for, using his self employed / voluntary / etc experiences. Covering letter also pulled out person spec requirements where possible, to make it as easy as possible for someone reviewing his application to tick off their boxes.

It did take quite a few applications, but he was getting interviews (as opposed to flat out rejections), so kept on being positive about it. Get someone who interviews regularly to check your CV and cover letter, to make sure you're pulling out the skills / techniques etc that new career will be looking for, and to give you some interview practice.

That's good to hear throwa.

I was getting interviews but haven't for the last batch of applications that I sent out. I'm approaching the application and covering letter in the same way ie forensically going through the person spec and Jd and making sure that I've got something for every point. I also explain why I'm currently looking for a new role.

The only feedback I've had from interviews is that 'another candidate had more relevant skills and experience' which isn't something that I can do anything about.

Sometimes it's difficult to get past the recruiter especially if they're external. They really are looking for your last job to be for a competitor in same industry with same job title in same city. If your last job isn't all 3 of those they don't want to present you to hiring manager (unless of course there are no candidates who meet those criteria).

I'm going through job sites rather then recruiters.

My last paid job was many years ago so sounds like there wouldn't be any point in my trying.

I went employed last October after 12 years SE.
Apparently one of the reasons I got the job was that I knew how to run a business and didn’t need to be spoon fed. I work collaboratively with The CEO and she really likes and takes advantage of my past experience

Did it take you long to find something Hoppinggreen and is it in the same sector as you were SE in?