Can You Use Entrepreneurial Drive to Land a Great Position?

Summary: Learn whether or not your entrepreneurial experience will complement your resume.

Question: I’m a junior majoring in finance and international studies at Indiana University. I’ve heard about the importance of internships, but is experience owning and operating a small business also appealing to employers? I’ve operated an asphalt maintenance and repair company for the past four years. Will my lack of experience in a corporate setting make me less appealing to prospective employers?

Answer: Your experience operating your own business and your participation in a study-abroad program nicely complement your major of finance and international studies and should produce a marketable combination. While corporate experience is desirable, operating a small business offers you insight that isn’t always accessible in a more traditional internship. You have experienced profit-and-loss responsibility and know all about both big-picture concerns and all of the details that go into making a business work on a day-to-day basis.

Read up on organizational development issues, and think about how your experience and flexibility will enrich the corporate environment. Try creating a functional skills section on your resume, briefly highlighting your accomplishments in core business areas. A graduating senior with first-hand experience in budgeting, marketing, operations and customer service should attract progressive employers, particularly those with an entrepreneurial bent.

See The Successful Entrepreneur’s 10 Daily Habits for more information.