I would love to have your opinions on this. I took a career break sometime in 2014 for my MBA, upon finishing I tried to find a job but nothing was coming up so I decided to start a growing online retailing business while at it in 2015. I was at the same time volunteering for a non profit organisation to help coach SME's which I am still doing on the side for free. I now have a 17 month old baby with no support so I'm having to look after my child alone and cannot afford full-time day care for her nor afford to hire a nanny as hubby has taken time off work for study abroad so financially things are down. I'm looking to get back into work, but numerous applications have failed, my side business is not generating profit yet enough to take care of needs, part of it is because I'm not promoting it as I should due to fear of potential employers finding out as I still want to go back to paid employment. I'm considering starting a coaching service to sme's & startups to earn some money. My question is how will recruiters and employers view this? Should I continue to wait to get a job which I don't know when? Hopefully by the end of next year when hubby is done we can get a nanny or have baby go to full time nursery. The coaching service will still require me to go online since most businesses success now depends on the internet to grow. Recruiters ask me about the gap in my CV and I explain but some are not willing to go forward due to this - I never mention my side business, I talk about my voluntary service to the non-profit organisation. Please I need advice from anyone who has run a business and went back to work or from HR managers, hiring managers and recruiters. Will my side business and coaching service hinder me from getting the job I want? Should I promote my business online that will require my personal brand to be active to support the business as well.
Speaking from purely an HR lens, much depends on the jobs you're applying to and the relevancy of your side business(es).
Many people have gaps in their resume. If it is relevant to the job you apply to, no one bats an eye. For instance, taking time for your MBA for some jobs is a win, yet for others not so much. Taking time to raise a family is a reasonable gap, I would just call it out. The only fear they will have is whether you're 'current' with skills so if you have been volunteering in your chosen field, all good, put both - you can explain in the interview focusing on your awesome skills in time management, juggling competing demands and dealing with ambiguity :)
I took 9 years to raise my family! I know....9!! In that time I also started my own HR consulting business and then when I was ready I applied to do the very work I did on my own in HR. So I showed the business AND home maker in my resume. That is some years back now but I've seen many do the same quite successfully.
Your side business COULD be seen as detrimental if the employer perceives you still will continue to work on the side while gainfully employed - you're likely to get passed over then. Unless the job you're applying to is in the same field and the work has been keeping you current, it is all in how you write it up.
Last thing I would say is if you're promoting your side business online, expect a future employer will find it. Find a way to incorporate it...don't try to hide it. We really don't like fabrications and I have terminated people for misrepresentation.
At the end of the day, your resume is the data they have to figure out whether you "can do the job" they are at search for. Ask yourself how relevant is your information for the job? Stick with being honest or it will bite you down the line.
Hope that helps, happy to chat further.
Answered 6 years ago
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