Having been self-employed for over a decade, I recently decided to go for the stability of a permanent job. I've been lucky enough to have been called up for interview next month, and I'm suddenly panicking as I feel fairly out of touch with the whole office dynamic thing and working for other people. Do you think that my freelance history might work against me? Do you have any tips on how I might prepare myself? What do you look for in an employee?
I do think it's fair to say that if I was interviewing someone who had come from a lone position, I would spend a lot of time in the interview process finding out how they worked with other people because there's something that made them want to be self-employed. But if you are going for the right job, then it shouldn't be a problem. You should be looking for a job that fits your strengths. If your strength is self-motivation, then say why you want to get back into working for a company (back on a career path, more stability, etc), but it doesn't stop you from being a self-starter.
There are two people in the interview process, and the same old perfect interview is not nearly as impressive to me as when someone turns the tables on me and makes me think of something I haven't thought of. It's that type of person I'm looking for — a boundary pusher, and you should be doing just this in the interview.
Deborah Meaden is author of Common Sense Rules, £18.99
BUY IT HERE: Common Sense Rules: What You Really Need to Know About Business
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