How to deal with working a family business for 5yrs, and going to interviews,with it on your resume?

Question

Hello all..... Here's my delima, i'm entering the corprate job world again. I was running a family business for 5yrs, and have it on my resume. So when i'm going out to interviews, how would you address this when your asked about it by a prospective employer? How do companies look at this as compaired to working for a company? The owner was a family member......my dad, and i thought it was bad practice to put a family member down as a contact for previous employment?

Any suggestions/ addvice? Thanks in advance.
JS

Answer 1

Hi JS,

I'm a former HR professional and now work with folks in career/job transition. My advice to you:

First, change your own perception of yourself. A family business is a legitimate business like any other, and the work you've done there is as important as if it had been done in a corporate environment. Believe in your own value and you will project confidence and high self-worth.

A prospective employer cares about your experience, your work ethic and your ability to enhance the bottom line. Period. You're absolutely right -- DON'T use your dad or any other family member as a reference. It is your current CLIENTELE that can provide your employer with the best verification of your ability. They can offer invaluable information about your strengths and the quality of your service. Contact a few of your best customers and ask if they'd be willing to provide a reference.

As an aside, JS, you should probably work a bit on your spelling, and be sure to have your resume reviewed by a professional or someone you know who has a great one.

Best of Luck!

Answer 2

First off, you were working for a company by working for the family business. This is not a detriment. Highlight your responsiblities, your reasons for working with the family business, and what you did to make a difference to the business. Just as you would with any other employer. You must list your father as your contact for previous employment because he was the CEO or owner, whatever he referred to himself as. It would be different if you had another job and wanted to list a family member but in this case, the family member is the contact. You might also list someone else who handled the HR and would have more day to day with you in the job you held. If it wasn't your dad, this would be better. Since you were aiding in the running of the business a new prospective employer would want to know what your daily duties were, how and if you inacted effectual changes, who and how many reported to you and in general what you did that made the company better. They also will want to know why you are now looking for outside employment. Did you help out when your father needed you due to health issues or other reasons. This will show character. Whatever you did while you were within your family business can easily be a power point for another corporate position made stronger by what you accomplished in your five years with your dad.