Entrepreneurs and The Intimidation Factor
I ditched a $100K + career in sales to start my own business. Having sold the business almost six months ago, I am still finding that any established company will not touch me with a ten foot pole with the fear that I'll take a good idea from them and launch another business. This was my one idea and I have no plans on doing it again. How does one promote the successful start-up and sale of a business venture on a resume?
—Andrew
Answer
Transitioning from an entrepreneurial venture to an established company is a career change and a culture change, so it is understandable that the company is double-checking your motivation to do both significant changes.
If you were hiring a seasoned big company employee for your start-up, you would (or at least should) have similar hesitations. So accept that this is happening and, with as positive an attitude as you can muster, tell a compelling story about why going from entrepreneur back to sales makes sense and why that big company you are interviewing with is the perfect match for you.
You should be doing what I advise above in any case, but you should also check whether your hypothesis “that I'll take a good idea from them and launch another business” is correct. Have you been asked this question outright? Or do you just anticipate it or assume it and therefore enter an interview situation with a defensive, even hostile posture? You need to ensure that your inner mental games are not sabotaging your search from the start. In sum, have a complete and authentic story for why you sold your business and are looking to get back to big company sales, and then make sure you yourself believe it.
—Caroline
Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart, a firm that equips young professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to launch six-figure careers. Caroline, an expert in career changing, is also a partner at Redseeds Consulting, a recruitment firm specializing in management consulting, and teaches professional development at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
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