Recently a friend of mine – an entrepreneur with numerous successes and over 20 years’ experience – went job hunting…
Having just sold a business and yet to find her next passion, she thought she might give the corporate world a go. After two months of day-after-day job hunting, my friend called me with this insight: “I think I’m unemployable”.
That one statement led to hours and hours of conversation among my friends and business colleagues who also own their own businesses. Are we all unemployable?
The answer to that question, it seems, is a resounding yes. I’ve also personally been down the track of trying to find a corporate position between businesses, as have a number of my entrepreneurial friends – all to no avail.
Interestingly, as an entrepreneur we probably have more cross-department skills than most people who work in a corporate environment. There’s nothing like owning a business to hone your skills – or skill you up, and quickly. Many of us have worked across all areas of our businesses and know how marketing affects sales, operations, finance, web strategy and vice versa.
We’ve had to manage people at the same time as managing cashflow, stock, deliveries, ad campaigns, online strategy and sales, yet apparently we’re not good enough for most corporates.
It frustrates me to see my friend (who, I might add, could run several rings around most of the friends and acquaintances I know who work in the corporate arena) getting rejection after rejection from companies who can’t recognise the enormous value of bringing in an “outsider” and the new perspective and skill set they might add to their business.
And entrepreneurs aren’t the only ones prejudiced by this point of view. Gen Y is up against the same problem – the argument used for them, however, is “lack of experience”. Believe it or not, that can be a benefit to most businesses. Imagine bringing in someone who doesn’t have a “that’s not how we do it here” attitude; someone who may offer perspective on how things could be done differently (and better?)
In the corporate world it seems all that counts is experience – working at a competitor so that you can keep doing what you’ve always done, just for a different company.
With change happening at a rate of knots, the time has come for some new age thinking about how, why and where to do things. The best place to get that is from people who can bring a fresh perspective to your business.
Entrepreneurs have a skill set that’s enviable for any business, plus enthusiasm in bucket loads (a must to run your own business). Yet it seems once you go down the road of becoming an entrepreneur you render yourself (apparently) useless to other companies.
Like the gentleman I met a couple of weeks ago. This late-20-something has had two tech startups, both of which have been sold successfully for very big dollars. He’s now starting his third because, in his words, “the corporates just won’t hire me”.
There’s something very wrong with this picture. Perhaps it might explain the increasing number of big-name corporate collapses we’re seeing – businesses that are struggling to keep up with the changing times.
Entrepreneurs have the benefit of being quick on their feet – you have to be to build a successful business – and this is something the big guys need to realise if they want to keep up with the rapidly-evolving corporate landscape.
I’m not sure how many of us have tried or would want to work in a corporate environment – perhaps the stagnancy and/or politics would drive us crazy – but it seems the choice is out of our hands.
Fiona Anson is Co-Founder of HireMeUp, Australia’s fastest growing job website for the part time workforce. A serial entrepreneur, Fiona has owned her own businesses for over 20 years. To contact Fiona or book her to speak, email media@hiremeup.com.au
Peter Vroom said on July 6, 2012
Having worked in a 'corporate' environment for several years before founding my first venture (and a number of others since) I would ask why on earth would you want to go back to the 'comfort zone' attitudes and politics that are part of most companies with more than a hundred or so employees?
Even 'consulting' to larger entities, which I have done some of, can prove frustrating. As a mentor (a long standing customer who was also the founder his company) said to me, 'I think you may be disappointed (in consulting)... you can lead them to water, but you can't make them drink'. How true.
My suggestion take a break, 'regroup', and come back ready for that next venture!
Peter Vroom said on July 6, 2012
Having worked in a 'corporate' environment for several years before founding my first venture (and a number of others since) I would ask why on earth would you want to go back to the 'comfort zone' attitudes and politics that are part of most companies with more than a hundred or so employees?
Even 'consulting' to larger entities, which I have done some of, can prove frustrating. As a mentor (a long standing customer who was also the founder his company) said to me, 'I think you may be disappointed (in consulting)... you can lead them to water, but you can't make them drink'. How true.
My suggestion take a break, 'regroup', and come back ready for that next venture!
Doyle Buehler said on July 9, 2012
Yes, an interesting paradigm to say the least. Unfortunately "entrepreneurship" to many corporates equates to "boat rocking"; they will usually take the easy way out. I believe that they are just somewhat unclear as to what an entrepreneur can actually do for their business. It's not necessarily about running a business, but more so in the way that you think - creatively, intuitively, operationally.
Fiona Anson said on July 10, 2012
I wonder whether entrepreneur = boat rocker is the assumption that the corporate market makes or whether it's the "lack of relevant experience" argument they use most often. Certainly the higher the corporate ladder you go (in my experience) they more they want someone from a competitor - which, by design, leaves me thinking that it's very specific industry experience they're after rather than general business experience. I have, however, heard and heard others experience the "you'd be bored here" argument. They're probably right. And then there's the corporate politics which, I'm guessing, none of us want to play!
Anthony Agius said on July 9, 2012
I've been in a similar boat, attempting to get work between my own businesses and have constantly been told, "you're great, but you won't stick around"
Anna Butler said on July 9, 2012
I'm inclined to agree with the previous posters. While entrepreneurs may have a fantastic skill set and be very motivated self-starters, this could be interpreted as a threat to existing staff within a corporate environment, who may have been quite comfortable getting by doing the minimum. And those who push hard are more likely to threaten those higher up the ladder when promotions come around.
Peter also made a great point about company politics. Certainly one of my biggest frustrations working for other people was finding better ways of doing things, but being shot-down because "that's not the way we do things here".
As an entrepreneur you're free to explore different things, try fresh ideas and travel in new directions. There is very little room for this in corporate world, which is probably why entrepreneurs aren't seen to be a good fit. Chances are you may well be excellent at the job, but when corporate politics quash your ideas and passion chances are you'll also want to move on again. Quickly!
Anna Butler said on July 9, 2012
I'm inclined to agree with the previous posters. While entrepreneurs may have a fantastic skill set and be very motivated self-starters, this could be interpreted as a threat to existing staff within a corporate environment, who may have been quite comfortable getting by doing the minimum. And those who push hard are more likely to threaten those higher up the ladder when promotions come around.
Peter also made a great point about company politics. Certainly one of my biggest frustrations working for other people was finding better ways of doing things, but being shot-down because "that's not the way we do things here".
As an entrepreneur you're free to explore different things, try fresh ideas and travel in new directions. There is very little room for this in corporate world, which is probably why entrepreneurs aren't seen to be a good fit. Chances are you may well be excellent at the job, but when corporate politics quash your ideas and passion chances are you'll also want to move on again. Quickly!
Trevor Rose said on July 10, 2012
I think it is a good question.. but no, we are not unemployable... however, i think we are unmanageable but i also think THAT IS A GOOD THING ... the problem comes up because employers want to stick people in boxes, and what they don't understand is the idea of bringing someone into their organization and asking them: "what can you change here, why should it change, and what do you need in order to change it?" ... then giving them a budget & authority to act, getting them to do it... but on top of that, if you have had the good fortune to employ an entrepreneur / innovator / inventor, what you should also do is STOP TRYING TO KEEP THEM... if they want to leave your group, and you can't find an enticement to get them to stay, let them go! ...after all, these are the kinds of people who can transform your business more in 3 months than someone else might be able to do in 10 years, so what difference does it make how long they stay if they leave your company in better condition than when they found it?
Paul M said on July 10, 2012
It's great to see others in the same boat! Another issue I encounted was to sell myself during an interview. The corporate world expect you to be some some of expert in a particular field or area of the business for the role you apply for. But as an entrepreneur I find it kind of hard to "narrow down" my skills during the talk just for the sake of saying something they want to hear!
I just don't think we fit in the corporate world.
Lindsay said on July 10, 2012
Interesting, I once employed someone who had to help me set up a small company and she certainly made life easy. Having been there for three years she felt she wanted to learn more so went to a corporate but found out everyone came to her when they wanted information as she had covered every aspect of a business so there was little more for her to learn but she could impart knowledge.
Paul Kenny said on July 10, 2012
I have worked for myself for over 25 years, I have started a number of companies, sold two, bombed on one and invested in others. Knowing what a major pain I can be when I don't get my own way on issues that I care about, knowing that I have never been able to keep my mouth shut when I have an opinion and knowing how totally single minded I can be, I wouldn't offer my self a job if I was a corporate recruiter.
It's pretty easy to see why recruiters may see entrepreneurs as "boat rockers". Even if your friend is none of these things stereotypes rule in corporate recruitment.
Perhaps she should put the experience to good use and set up a business advising recruiters how to attract and manage entrepreneurs, or perhaps a recruitment consultancy placing entrepreneurs in interim roles as change agents. Just an idea!
Gene Stark said on July 11, 2012
Excellent article on the challenges entrepreneurs face in "going back" to the corporate world and the opportunities being wasted by the big corporations in ignoring this amazing talent pool.
I couldn't agree more with most of the comments and certainly hold a similar opinion - why would you want to go back to the world of the cubicle, politics and inefficiency?!
Where is the ROWE? The Results Only Work Environment passionately illustrated by the likes of Dan Pink? Where are the realistic job previews?
What most frustrated me last time (almost 7 years ago) I 'looked for a job', and still does when in any way dealing with corporates and listening to friends complain about them, is the lack of real understanding of what it takes to get the job / project done, that is they do not TEST the skills to do the job but rely on simplistic Q&A and personality/aptitude tests to cover their ass if the new employee doesn't work out! And if your resume doesn't have the 'pulling power of big employer brands' then you have no way of proving your worth, even though you may have better skills than the person with the better resume.
Here's an extract from a great article in the HBR blog written by Michael Schrage, a research fellow at MIT Sloan School's Center for Digital Business and I can't wait for this to happen:
"Resumes are dead. Interviews are largely ineffectual. Linked-In is good. Portfolios are useful.
Projects are the real future of hiring, especially knowledge working hiring. No matter how wonderful your references or how well you do on those too-clever-by-half Microsoft/Google brainteasers, serious firms will increasingly ask serious candidates to do serious work in order to get a serious job offer.
Call them "projeclications" or "applijects." World-class talent will engage in bespoke real-world projects testing their abilities to deliver real value on their own and with others.
Forget the "What's Your Greatest Weakness?" interrogatory genre; the real question will be how well candidates can rise to the "appliject" challenge and help redesign a social media campaign, document a tricky bit of software, edit a Keynote presentation, produce a webinar or peer review a CAD layout for a contract Chinese manufacturer."
Amorrock said on July 24, 2012
I needed to step back from my business for personal & health reasons and just wanted a short term contract (at a lower skill level) to re-group my direction and recover from burnout. I struggled even to get lower level contract roles and some were even open about their concern that I had my own business. I knew what I would be up against. You see I used to be that HR Director with other Directors in 'Corporate' that thought entrepreneurs or business owners looking for a job must have 'some thing wrong with them' that they can't succeed or would try and come in and take over the place, upset teams and then move on. Of course this mind set exists because it does happen and this is what they have experienced. I know us entrepreneurs have developed broader skills (and mindset) that would really help these companies, however if your intention is to be employed 'in between businesses or your next venture' rocking the boat doesn't do anyone favours. Grin and bear it and keep your sights firmly focused on the future entrepreneurial delights to look forward to. There are other entrepreneurs or business owners who may need to dip in and out of employment for various reasons coming behind you. Let's make it easier for us all.