There is a lot of talk about whether someone who has been self employed can successfully enter the workforce again.
Because of my raw blog posts over the years, I’ve said I was “unemployable.” That is, if a potential employer saw stuff I have written, they might think I wasn’t going to be a good team player (or something like that). I’ve been very outspoken on workplace and hiring issues.
If you came to me and said “I’ve been working for myself for 15 years, but want to settle down into your company,” what am I to think? I am quick to judge, like pretty much everyone (even you)… I might think:
Wasn’t good enough to make it on your own?
Is your business dying, and how much of the blame falls on you?
Are you looking for less responsibility, and to slow down? Because we are ramping up!
What are you hiding from me?
As someone who’s gone from corporate to self-employed, I feel that a self-employed person has “tasted of the forbidden fruit,” and going back to a cubicle day job would be almost impossible, if they were successful on their own. There might be scheduling issues (“but I’m used to being able to go to my daughter’s dance recitals whenever I want!!”) to money issues (“I just made this huge sale and all I get is a $200 bonus?? Before, I would get all of the profit!!”) to working-with-others issues.
Am I right? Perhaps not! Those assumptions are judgmental, and might not be accurate at all.
BUT THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH STEREOTYPES, JUDGEMENTS, ETC.
They happen based on a lack of information.
So, let’s go back to the “can you go from self-employed to hired” idea.
Can you do it? YES YOU CAN!
But you have to help the interviewer/hiring manager understand you can, and get through their own preconceived ideas (which may or may not look like my issues above).
Want a second opinion, and some meat? Go check out Ask the Headhunter’s post on this. Nick Corcodilos puts it very plainly, and the comments below are very, very interesting. His post is titled: You’ll never get hired if you’re self-employed
