(Former) Small Business Owner Resume Examples for 2024

Many of us at one time or another dream of quitting our jobs and opening our own businesses. Who wouldn’t love to be their own boss?

Unfortunately, the entrepreneurial and small business life isn’t for everyone, and experts estimate that somewhere between 50% to 80% of new businesses fail within ten years. That low success rate scares off most would-be entrepreneurs. Still, millions of brave souls attempt the feat anyway.

So, what happens to them when their business and their dreams fail? Many go back to more traditional jobs in the workforce, of course. But that return can be a struggle in many instances. Here are some small business owner resume tips for returning to the workplace.

The challenge is real

Make no mistake; for small business owners returning to the workplace, many difficult challenges await. It can be difficult to properly frame business ownership within a resume, and some employers are skeptical about hiring entrepreneurs for non-executive positions. These and other challenges can complicate the job search process.

That’s why the small business owner's resume is so critical to any job search. If your cover letter and resume are not carefully crafted, your odds of getting a job interview are dramatically reduced. That’s true regardless of whether you’re creating a construction business owner resume or any other entrepreneurial small business owner resume. For while being self-employed has its advantages, it can be problematic for your professional resume. 

Just consider:

• How do employers verify the accuracy of your skill and experience claims?

• Can you verify that you managed your own business? Have you maintained accurate financial records and tax filings that will stand up to a background check?

• How do you convince the employer that you’re even open to taking direction from the company?

• Will the employer question your commitment to the workplace? You left one job to start your own company. Will it happen again?

Obviously, you have a lot of work to do to answer these questions and provide the assurances needed to motivate any employer to give you a chance.

Former small business owner resume tips

The following tips can help small business owners returning to the workplace craft a great resume.

1. Choose the right format

Be sure to choose a format that is appropriate for the job requirements and responsibilities, and capable of highlighting your skills and achievements. A functional business owner resume may be one way to accomplish those goals since it can help to focus attention on your competencies and value, while minimizing your employment history.

However, we typically recommend a reverse-chronological resume for most job candidates. Even if you’ve been self-employed for a lengthy period, this option is still one of the most effective ways to format your resume. It also has the advantage of being most employers’ preferred resume format, and the one that is least likely to draw skepticism.

To use this format, you need to list your employment history in reverse order, beginning with your current or most recent job. So, if your most recent position was as a business owner, then that should be the first job you list in your work experience section. You can then list other relevant positions in reverse order, going back ten or fifteen years.

2. Choose your resume structure

You’ll need the right structure for your small business owner resume too. Fortunately, the reverse chronological resume format is well-suited for a simple, easy-to-follow structure that separates distinct types of employment information into their own sections. Those sections typically include:

• Contact details: Include your name, location, phone number, email, and LinkedIn URL here.

• Job title or headline: This should be the job title you’re seeking, along with descriptive language that can help you stand out from the crowd.

• Summary statement: Create a brief three to five-sentence paragraph that highlights your key skills, experience, and achievements. It’s a resume version of a sales pitch.

• Core competencies: This section includes your skills, in bullet point form. Try to align them with the required skills from the job posting.

• Work experience: Put your job experience information here. Usually, you will want to limit yourself to no more than three jobs.

• Education: List your school, dates of attendance, degree or certificate earned, and any additional education you’ve acquired.

3. Pick the right job title

Instead of referring to yourself as a small business owner, you could emphasize the role (or one specific role) you had within the company.

Many small business owners are involved in most (if not all!) aspects of the business such as sales, marketing, product development, customer service, and fulfillment. Your resume should emphasize the experience you have in that function.

For example, if you are applying for a position as a marketing director, you can claim to have filled that role within your own company.

Don’t lie, of course. Just don’t be afraid to give yourself the right title to fit your job-seeking needs. If you filled that role in your own company, then the title fits. You aren't limited to one title, either: you can be the Founder and Marketing Director if that seems more accurate to you.

You should also match the title of your resume to the job you’re seeking. This is different from your job title because it aims to describe all your career experience, not the experience of one role.

4. Use a summary statement

Don’t forget to use a summary statement on your resume that details the value you can offer. Small business owners returning to the workplace often neglect the summary, since they’re not accustomed to focusing on other companies’ needs. A compelling summary statement can capture an employer’s attention and get them asking that all-important question: “Can I afford not to hire this superstar?” For example:

Experienced construction company project manager with excellent customer management, resource allocation, budgeting, and quality control skills. 8+ years of experience with commercial and residential projects, leading a team of as many as eight workers, with a 92% on-budget, on-time record of success.

5. Focus on your core skills

For small business owners returning to the workplace, skills are the biggest selling point. Chances are that you fulfilled many roles in your own company, such as marketing, social media, operational planning, customer service, leadership, business management planning, project management, financial management, training, education, customer service, and manager.

• Focus on the skills you used to manage your own business and cite examples of how those skills benefited the company on your resume.

• Including relevant hard skills on your business owner resume also helps you get past the ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) that over 90% of employers use. NOTE: Job seekers who don’t meet the qualifications are rejected by the software and the resume is never seen by a human.

• Remember, relevant skills are those that fit the job you’re trying to get. So, all those technical construction skills you developed over time may not be of much use if you’re applying for a job as an IT manager. Carefully evaluate the job posting to identify those relevant skill qualifications.

• Don’t forget to include transferable soft skills in your core competencies list. You should always assume that other candidates will have similar hard skills listed in their resumes. The soft skills that you choose to include could be the deciding factor in determining whether you get a chance to interview for the position.

6. Get your work experience section right

Your former small business owner resume may not be filled with examples of your time working for other people, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have an employment story to tell. You just need to ensure that you craft a narrative that emphasizes the type of value you’re capable of offering to any prospective employer.

Start by focusing on your most recent job. List your job title and the name of the company, along with your dates of employment. Then, add as many as five or six bullet points below that job listing to highlight the things you achieved in that role.

Each of these accomplishments should showcase relevant skills needed for the job you’re seeking. In addition, you should try to include real numbers that quantify those achievements. That can help the reader visualize the type of value you will be able to bring to their organization.

7. Don’t be afraid to cite your business accomplishments

If you don’t sing your praises, who will? Trumpet your professional achievements, with real numbers that demonstrate value. Employers need to hear about your accomplishments so that they can imagine how you might benefit their companies. Your accomplishments can include anything you did that provided value to your company. For example:

• Created an efficient accounting system that reduced budgeting and payroll time by 50%.

• Hired and trained more than 40 employees over 4 years.

• Located and contracted with a team of freelance professionals to create and launch the company website, increasing customer engagement by 75%.

• Created company culture that fostered employee empowerment and personal initiative, contributing to 95% employee retention rate over a 3-year period.

• Oversaw upgrades to computer network that reduced downtime by 88% while providing a 22% boost in productivity and accurate data management.

8. Create your education section

Your education section may not get the most attention from hiring managers, but it will be read – especially if there are educational credentials included among the core job qualifications. 

Always include all the information any hiring manager might need to see to fully understand your educational achievements. In addition to the details listed above, you may also want to include relevant fields of study, coursework, and even extracurricular activities that could help you perform the job.

Clean up your social media

If you have a LinkedIn page, you will want to clean it up and remove entries that focus on your business ownership. If you have a title that reflects that business ownership, consider changing it. In other words, update everything that may pose an obstacle to your efforts to get a job. While you’re at it, remove anything controversial as well.

Emphasize your desire to work within an organization

Finally, use a cover letter to wrap up your business owner resume’s highlights and drive home one simple message: You want the challenge of working in a company environment. You need to stress your desire to enjoy the camaraderie and shared feeling of accomplishment that comes from team collaboration and professional development.

Remember, small business owners returning to the workplace cannot hide their previous business ownership. You can, however, emphasize the lessons and skills learned during that period in your life, while minimizing the fact that you once wanted to be your own boss.

Former small business owner resume example

It can be helpful to have a business owner resume example as a template for your own resume.

As you return to the workplace, feel free to use the following business owner resume example as a guide to help you create a resume that works. With some modifications to meet your individual needs and circumstances, this former small business owner resume example can help you overcome some of the challenges you’ll face in applying to new roles and help you land the job you want.

John J. Smith

Anytown, Anystate | 555.555.5555 | johnjsmith@fakeemail.com | LinkedIn URL

Marketing Director with expertise in strategic development, team building, and client acquisition

Dynamic and results-driven professional with a solid record of deploying marketing and sales initiatives that consistently achieve client satisfaction, preserve brand integrity, translate product vision, and connect with diverse audiences. Collaborative and energetic leader who infuses modern tools (CRM, SEO, Google AdWords, SalesForce) and emerging technologies into compelling sales and advertising plans that exceed performance goals in high-volume, rapidly evolving environments.

CORE PROFICIENCIES

__________________________________________________________________

Project Management & Execution | Internet & Digital Technology Proficiencies

Multi-Tasking Under Heavy Deadlines | Verbal, Written, and Presentation Skills

Design & Delivery of Training Systems | Metrics & Quota Attainment

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

_________________________________________________________________

ABC Corporation                                                                  2017 to Present

Owner and President

Subject matter expert (SME) on proactive sales techniques who builds integrated programs and service delivery directives that meet short and long-term objectives, capture record-breaking revenues, new pipeline/channel/lead generations, and adoption of advertising products.

• Provide elite customer service to cross-industry small business (SMB) advertisers by calmly responding to shifting priorities and resolving escalated problems, potential risks, and conflicts.

• Collaborate with clients and employees to manage contractual requirements valued at more than $20 million and team performance metrics while encouraging open communication and brainstorming innovative ideas.

• Provided coaching and mentoring for a team of forty-two agents, team leaders, trainers, reporting analysts, and QA analysts with effective recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, appraisals, and goal-setting methods that return high productivity, low turnover, and strong team morale.

• Manage department operations by allocating resources, scheduling deliverables, delegating daily responsibilities, evaluating challenges, and designing processes, policies, and procedures that advance continuous improvements to operating coordination and workflows.

Additional Experience:

Marketing Manager | Dynamic Marketing, 2011 to 2017

• Oversaw team of 48 agents responsible for managing client accounts worth more than $80 million.

• Successfully negotiated fifteen major campaign expansions, adding $23 million in revenue over six quarters.

Marketing Assistant | Excellon Communications, 2009 to 2011

• Conducted market research and analysis, crafting more than three dozen comprehensive market plans for client accounts valued at more than $4 million.

• Led team that revitalized Excellon’s marketing workflow, improving efficiency by 33%.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

____________________________________________________________________

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Concentration in Marketing, University of Anytown 2008

Coursework included Marketing, Advertising, Quantitative Research, and Communications

Bachelor of Arts in Literature, University of Othertown

Certified Marketing Management Professional (CMMP), IIMP

Create a powerful small business owner resume

Getting back into the traditional workforce is hard, but writing your resume doesn't have to be. Use these tips to write a stellar former small business owner resume that focuses on your skills and value. If you do your job properly, your final resume product should include skills and experiences that align closely with the qualifications you find in the job posting and role description. That can help to ensure that you present yourself as the most qualified person for the job!

When you're done, you can submit your resume for a free review from our experts. Our team will help you ensure that your former small business owner resume delivers the compelling narrative you need to make a powerful first impression on any prospective employer.

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