Finding a Job after being an Entrepreneur …

Last few years I have noticed that with the high-scale retrenchment across industries, more and more employees moved to being consultants or entrepreneurs. Of course some moved because they felt they had a great business opportunity. But with improving economy, I see more and more professionals wanting to get back into the employment game again. It is not easy. For one there is a younger, hungrier, already active lot ready to take the job you are looking for. Also the employers have gotten used to working with more efficiency.

 So gear and prep yourself for the next innings..

 Believe: You started a business and you have decided to close it down. That is ok. Only you have walked in your shoes and there is no shame to accept a change. Do not lose your confidence and your optimism. That will show in your personality so believe in yourself.

 Set a goal: Instead of making a long list of things you have done in corporate or in your business, first decide what you would like to do and where your skills acquired would be best utilized. You need to tell a recruiter how to market your CV or an employer where to slot you. You have the greatest stake in this not them, so be proactive and clear.

 Making a CV: A mistake most candidates make is either they try to load a lifetime in 3 pages (a myth somewhat followed by all job-seekers) or else make it into a thick thesis on their life history. Decide the relevance of information and its impact on your earlier set goal. Precisely and emphatically put down your achievements. Do not forget, this is your 15 seconds window and you do not want to lose it. Only you can market yourself.

 Format of a CV: Natural progression and same strain of thought shows organization and clarity. Bullet points, formatting, using two/three size of fonts, using a single font helps. Make your key points bold. But remember to follow the adage - for something to shine rest needs to be duller.

 Expectation of Compensation: Quite often I find people make a mistake of thinking that doing your own thing means you can still get back in the job-market and demand the salary equivalent to an unbroken service. It is often not so. Do not compare with your colleague who has moved on. Do not compare with another guy having the same experience as yours. Face it. Until proven otherwise, you are goods from the warehouse with an unsure expiry date. You need to prove all over again. So take a hit in your salary if you have to – it is temporary only until you find your feet. Then if your employer is smart he will increase your salary on his own to what you deserve or else you can always move on. But this step back to leap is necessary -- take it. 

 Sending the CV: It helps to call the recruiter and take the email Id, send only to the particular person and not to undisclosed recipients or CC. You need your recruiter to feel special. That extra rapport will make the recruiter push. The recruiter does have more power than what some job seekers think :) If you are directly connecting with the employer, do not go on a fishing expedition. Ensure to speak about specific opportunity and where you fit in. 

 Follow up: Call to check if the CV is received and if there are any appropriate opportunities. Create a rapport with the recruiter if possible. You want them in your court. If there are opportunities a recruiter will come after you. If not move on and find another, no one wants a pest following relentlessly. It only makes you that much unattractive to a recruiter. Give a gap of 20 days - month or so before calling again. But do call - there are no databases as real as top of mind recall!!

 Social Media: Writing “Looking for opportunities” in your social media profile will not get you a job. It may repel some though. There is a lot left unsaid when you say in your tagline that you are actively looking. Recruiters/Employers may put their own unfavourable conjecture. Also putting your number or “interested” in open invitations by some unscrupulous recruiters shows you are desperate at best and daft at worst. They are only collecting data. You will be better off connecting one-on-one with recruiters/employers from your domain and communicating.

 In the end : Find your niche - look around. Maybe your skills can be used on something you have never done. Do not limit yourself. I found a niche as a recruiter after 12 successful years in Finance.

 Finally – do not lose hope. You did a very difficult thing – starting your own business. Working for someone is a piece of cake :) :) All the best !