There are a number of situations when you may need a resume as a small business owner; here are a few examples of when a business owner’s resume is appropriate. But a resume for an entrepreneur isn’t the same as the one you had when you graduated from college or worked at a corporate job. It’s an entirely different beast. To get started, download the self-employed resume template we created of you. Then keep the following must-haves in mind as you customize the resume for your business experience.
Overview of Your Entrepreneurial Experience
The most important part of your business owner resume is the section that outlines your experience as an entrepreneur. You don’t have to write a book; one to two paragraphs may be enough — but focus on summarizing what your entrepreneurial journey has entailed. The goal is to close any gaps that may exist by detailing experience you had from the time you began your career to today. This might seem simple enough, but when you are writing the resume yourself it might end up sounding biased and subjective. To avoid this you should work with a professional resume writer that will assure to include only the important parts and present you in a proper way.
Highlights of Specific, Measurable Achievements
If the first section provides an overview of who you are as a business owner, then this section should dig into the nitty gritty. Include a bulleted list of specific and measurable things you’ve accomplished during your entrepreneurial career. The more specific and concrete your examples, the more powerful your resume will be. Try to use numbers, measurements and improvement details as much as you can.
Skills You’ve Developed as an Entrepreneur
During the time you have been a business owner, you have most likely developed a diverse set of skills; this is an important part of your small business owner resume. This section is where you can list the skills you have that make you unique. This section is all about providing a peek at what you can do and showing how much know-how you have under your belt. Make sure you include tools, apps and technology (like HTML, CSS, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, Google Analytics, etc.). You can also add a skill-based proficiencies section that includes skills such as SEO, social media marketing, graphic design, etc.
Corporate Background (If Applicable)
If you worked for someone else during your career, you should include those details in your resume. You don’t want it to be featured with primary importance since you are focusing on your entrepreneurial endeavors, but any jobs you had prior to starting your own business have played a role in shaping your experience. It’s good to include at least brief details about them.
Education and Certifications
Education, licenses and certifications are typically not as important on a business owner resume as they are on a traditional resume, but just like past jobs, your past education can tell a lot about your commitment to learning. List any special education and training to demonstrate how you’ve been proactive about bolstering your experience with structured learning.
If you haven’t already, grab your copy of our self-employed resume template that’s provided in Word so you can edit as necessary. It provides a great start to a small business owner resume. Good luck with your future endeavors!
