How to list self-employment on a resume (multiple businesses)

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I'm trying to avoid a gap on my resume. After leaving my previous employer I've been working on multiple businesses concepts over the course of two years. I researched each business individually before finding the one that worked and launching it.



I have only been working on the successfully launched business for less than a year, but I've been paying my own way (self employed?) for the entire two years while working on those other business concepts which didn't pan out.



What is the correct way to list this time span on a resume?



Do I attribute the entire two years to the current business?







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  • 1




    Are they a similar industry? If they are essentially similar then I would wrap them up together.
    – Jane S♦
    Jun 16 '15 at 11:50
















up vote
2
down vote

favorite












I'm trying to avoid a gap on my resume. After leaving my previous employer I've been working on multiple businesses concepts over the course of two years. I researched each business individually before finding the one that worked and launching it.



I have only been working on the successfully launched business for less than a year, but I've been paying my own way (self employed?) for the entire two years while working on those other business concepts which didn't pan out.



What is the correct way to list this time span on a resume?



Do I attribute the entire two years to the current business?







share|improve this question
















  • 1




    Are they a similar industry? If they are essentially similar then I would wrap them up together.
    – Jane S♦
    Jun 16 '15 at 11:50












up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











I'm trying to avoid a gap on my resume. After leaving my previous employer I've been working on multiple businesses concepts over the course of two years. I researched each business individually before finding the one that worked and launching it.



I have only been working on the successfully launched business for less than a year, but I've been paying my own way (self employed?) for the entire two years while working on those other business concepts which didn't pan out.



What is the correct way to list this time span on a resume?



Do I attribute the entire two years to the current business?







share|improve this question












I'm trying to avoid a gap on my resume. After leaving my previous employer I've been working on multiple businesses concepts over the course of two years. I researched each business individually before finding the one that worked and launching it.



I have only been working on the successfully launched business for less than a year, but I've been paying my own way (self employed?) for the entire two years while working on those other business concepts which didn't pan out.



What is the correct way to list this time span on a resume?



Do I attribute the entire two years to the current business?









share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked Jun 16 '15 at 11:45









noodles

255




255







  • 1




    Are they a similar industry? If they are essentially similar then I would wrap them up together.
    – Jane S♦
    Jun 16 '15 at 11:50












  • 1




    Are they a similar industry? If they are essentially similar then I would wrap them up together.
    – Jane S♦
    Jun 16 '15 at 11:50







1




1




Are they a similar industry? If they are essentially similar then I would wrap them up together.
– Jane S♦
Jun 16 '15 at 11:50




Are they a similar industry? If they are essentially similar then I would wrap them up together.
– Jane S♦
Jun 16 '15 at 11:50










2 Answers
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Just because you weren't working on a viable product the whole time doesn't mean you weren't working the whole time. It's all part of being self-employed/entrepreneurial.



Presumably, your research included getting at least a little bit deeper than amateur level in the things you considered, and you should know a whole lot about why some things wouldn't be viable for you to build a business on.



On your resume, list the whole time as self-employment, and describe the experience, knowledge and skills you gained in the process of research and development. The only way this could raise a red flag for a potential employer is if they don't believe you were actually doing that the whole time (for example, if your 'research' consisted of surfing the Internet for a couple of hours a day, then 'testing' video games the rest of the time). As long as you can talk in detail about your work, and demonstrate that you understand it well, and can apply your skills to their business, and will fit in with their culture, you'll be fine.






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    You were self employed. The fact that small business X had an official start date that you registered with the government is irrelevant. Put the entire time you spent deciding what to do and assign it to the small business. Don't feel that you had a gap.



    If you want to stress the business development process you could say you has three jobs that overlapped: business development, the small business and your freelancing work.






    share|improve this answer




















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      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

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      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes








      up vote
      2
      down vote



      accepted










      Just because you weren't working on a viable product the whole time doesn't mean you weren't working the whole time. It's all part of being self-employed/entrepreneurial.



      Presumably, your research included getting at least a little bit deeper than amateur level in the things you considered, and you should know a whole lot about why some things wouldn't be viable for you to build a business on.



      On your resume, list the whole time as self-employment, and describe the experience, knowledge and skills you gained in the process of research and development. The only way this could raise a red flag for a potential employer is if they don't believe you were actually doing that the whole time (for example, if your 'research' consisted of surfing the Internet for a couple of hours a day, then 'testing' video games the rest of the time). As long as you can talk in detail about your work, and demonstrate that you understand it well, and can apply your skills to their business, and will fit in with their culture, you'll be fine.






      share|improve this answer
























        up vote
        2
        down vote



        accepted










        Just because you weren't working on a viable product the whole time doesn't mean you weren't working the whole time. It's all part of being self-employed/entrepreneurial.



        Presumably, your research included getting at least a little bit deeper than amateur level in the things you considered, and you should know a whole lot about why some things wouldn't be viable for you to build a business on.



        On your resume, list the whole time as self-employment, and describe the experience, knowledge and skills you gained in the process of research and development. The only way this could raise a red flag for a potential employer is if they don't believe you were actually doing that the whole time (for example, if your 'research' consisted of surfing the Internet for a couple of hours a day, then 'testing' video games the rest of the time). As long as you can talk in detail about your work, and demonstrate that you understand it well, and can apply your skills to their business, and will fit in with their culture, you'll be fine.






        share|improve this answer






















          up vote
          2
          down vote



          accepted







          up vote
          2
          down vote



          accepted






          Just because you weren't working on a viable product the whole time doesn't mean you weren't working the whole time. It's all part of being self-employed/entrepreneurial.



          Presumably, your research included getting at least a little bit deeper than amateur level in the things you considered, and you should know a whole lot about why some things wouldn't be viable for you to build a business on.



          On your resume, list the whole time as self-employment, and describe the experience, knowledge and skills you gained in the process of research and development. The only way this could raise a red flag for a potential employer is if they don't believe you were actually doing that the whole time (for example, if your 'research' consisted of surfing the Internet for a couple of hours a day, then 'testing' video games the rest of the time). As long as you can talk in detail about your work, and demonstrate that you understand it well, and can apply your skills to their business, and will fit in with their culture, you'll be fine.






          share|improve this answer












          Just because you weren't working on a viable product the whole time doesn't mean you weren't working the whole time. It's all part of being self-employed/entrepreneurial.



          Presumably, your research included getting at least a little bit deeper than amateur level in the things you considered, and you should know a whole lot about why some things wouldn't be viable for you to build a business on.



          On your resume, list the whole time as self-employment, and describe the experience, knowledge and skills you gained in the process of research and development. The only way this could raise a red flag for a potential employer is if they don't believe you were actually doing that the whole time (for example, if your 'research' consisted of surfing the Internet for a couple of hours a day, then 'testing' video games the rest of the time). As long as you can talk in detail about your work, and demonstrate that you understand it well, and can apply your skills to their business, and will fit in with their culture, you'll be fine.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Jun 16 '15 at 12:19









          Kent A.

          19.2k75575




          19.2k75575






















              up vote
              1
              down vote













              You were self employed. The fact that small business X had an official start date that you registered with the government is irrelevant. Put the entire time you spent deciding what to do and assign it to the small business. Don't feel that you had a gap.



              If you want to stress the business development process you could say you has three jobs that overlapped: business development, the small business and your freelancing work.






              share|improve this answer
























                up vote
                1
                down vote













                You were self employed. The fact that small business X had an official start date that you registered with the government is irrelevant. Put the entire time you spent deciding what to do and assign it to the small business. Don't feel that you had a gap.



                If you want to stress the business development process you could say you has three jobs that overlapped: business development, the small business and your freelancing work.






                share|improve this answer






















                  up vote
                  1
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  1
                  down vote









                  You were self employed. The fact that small business X had an official start date that you registered with the government is irrelevant. Put the entire time you spent deciding what to do and assign it to the small business. Don't feel that you had a gap.



                  If you want to stress the business development process you could say you has three jobs that overlapped: business development, the small business and your freelancing work.






                  share|improve this answer












                  You were self employed. The fact that small business X had an official start date that you registered with the government is irrelevant. Put the entire time you spent deciding what to do and assign it to the small business. Don't feel that you had a gap.



                  If you want to stress the business development process you could say you has three jobs that overlapped: business development, the small business and your freelancing work.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered Jun 16 '15 at 12:09









                  mhoran_psprep

                  40.3k462144




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