How to present your entrepreneurial CV?

What's special about an entrepreneur's CV?

Unlike a conventional CV, in which you list your training, qualifications and the various positions you've held, an entrepreneurial CV requires you to highlight your experience as a self-employed worker, so that it forms part of a coherent career path.

Today, hardly anyone stays with the same company for their entire career, and professional life is often fragmented. As a result, a move into the world of entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly common. Having left the workforce for a few years is not a decision that works against you; on the contrary, it gives you many advantages over other applicants.

That's why it's important to take stock of your entrepreneurial years before you start writing your CV, so you can make the most of your experience by introducing it naturally into your overall career path.

Take stock of your successes

Just because you've decided to give up entrepreneurship doesn't mean you should consider it a failure.

Indeed, even if your business hasn't produced the results you'd hoped for, you've successfully completed many of the stages that are essential for setting up or taking over a business. You've drawn up your business plan, you've worked out the financial arrangements for your project, you've chosen the status best suited to your situation... These various essential phases before starting up a business bring to the fore many qualities that are always sought after by employers, namely :

• determination ;
• organizational skills ;
• versatility ;
• perseverance;
• creativity;
• rigor...

This list is far from exhaustive! Take the time to think about all the skills you've used in your freelance career, to make sure you don't forget any when you write your CV.

This preparatory work will also help you write your cover letter, and it will help you find a catchphrase to place at the beginning of your CV. It's an effective way of appealing to the person reading about your professional life, and immediately sets you apart from other candidates with less atypical backgrounds than yours.

Cleverly incorporate your entrepreneurial experience into your career

When the recruiter reads your CV, he or she will certainly try to understand your reasons for abandoning your entrepreneurial status in favor of salaried employment. If your profile interests him and he calls you in, he'll be sure to ask you about this precise point. You'll feel more comfortable answering them if you've anticipated such questions by clearly explaining the reasons for your change of direction in your cover letter.

That's why it's vital to build bridges between your freelance activity and the job you're currently applying for. Rely on your entrepreneurial qualities, because even if you've decided to change sectors completely, there are still links between what you were doing and what you want to do.

How to present your entrepreneurial CV?

A CV is not presented in the same way if you're applying to a start-up or a more traditional company. It's also a good idea to adapt the presentation of your CV to the field of activity of the recruiting company.

Be aware that while creativity is generally appreciated, a CV that is too sophisticated in its presentation (unless you're looking for a job as a graphic designer!) is not what is expected of you.

Here are a few essential rules to follow to make your CV attractive:

• Keep your choice of fonts, colors and illustrations simple. A contractor's CV, like any other CV, must be clear and concise.
• Go straight to the point, and avoid overloading, because your CV has to speak for itself at first glance. You must never forget that the recruiter often has dozens of CVs to read, and must quickly decide whether or not to retain yours.
• Present your skills using rating scales, bar charts or pie charts. This allows you to see at a glance the areas in which you perform perfectly and those in which you may need some additional training.
• List your qualities, putting first those that are most relevant to the position you are applying for.

Finally, one last piece of advice: don't write your CV with the mindset of a failed entrepreneur, but with the certainty that your experience is an additional asset for your future employer. Self-confidence can be felt in words, but also in writing.