Some basic job application questions. (employee, applying, interviews, profit)

[armourereric]

Basically, I am applying for a job for the first time in 17 years. Fir the last 10 years I have both been self employed at 2 positions at the same time: A medieval armour making shop and running my own profitable duck farm, plus I was a ranch manager for a free range, organic poultry ranch where i was compensated in exchange for free rent for a small cottage and a large workshop.

The farm has closed, I have lease optioned a small farm south of Morganton NC and have about 4 months worth of bills in the bank. I just arrived Sunday night and want to apply for many local employment options in hourly retail.

How do I quantify the pay for the barter ranch job?
How do I cover my concern for a bad reference since said boss went broke, and has publicly expressed disdain for some of the places I am applying to (he has gone on talk shows saying Walmart should be banned by the government)

[Hemlock140]

That's an interesting predicament. If you use market rent value of the cottage and shop as your pay, but the employer calls that boss for verification, he will likely tell them that it was free rent. I would just be totally honest, say that the pay was free rent, and give some detail about your businesses to demonstrate success. Things like number of employees, annual sales increases, etc. The other problem is the lack of experience that would apply to hourly retail jobs. It doesn't sound like your previous work involved much customer service, but emphasize any that you did. Depending on the need for workers and the available supply of applicants, you would certainly look a lot better than a kid out of high school with no work experience.

[armourereric]

Thank you for the reply, I did also own 2 of my own businesses and had plenty of customer service experience from that. The problem I am encountering is that these online applications can only handle a set amount, no explanations.

[armourereric]

A local grocery store chain is asking for a quick summary resume for their positions. Here is what I composed:

June 2009-April 2016
Ranch Hand, Womach Ranch Farms, Boulevard CA

Was Responsible for the day to day feeding and care of 800 chickens and 150 head of livestock. Duties include maintenance

of farm infrastructure, collection, preparation and packaging of harvest products, primarily chicken eggs.

March 1984-Present
Owner, James River Armoury

Manufacturer of medieval armour for the Hollywood film industry and reenactor community. From 2003-2008 was one of the

largest on-line sellers of madieval armouy in the US via venues such as ebay. Duties include. Maintaining adequate

material supply, keeping to strict defined product manufacturing goals and deadlines and after sale customer satisfaction

follow-up.

June 2012-April 2016
Owner, Boulevard's Fines Ducks, Boulevard CA

Producer of free range, organic duck meat and eggs. Was responsible for the care ,feeding, breeding, collection of

harvest products and shipping of same for a flock of 350 ducks producing 18000 eggs a year.

[TestEngr]

My experience, since I have had a company for 15 years in engineering, is people who have never had their own employment and have always been an employee will never respect the former self employed. I like what you wrote and good luck with the position but just understand there are some of these 100% employee all their life that don't understand when you talk about running a business. They never did that and simply can't relate. You are doing a good job on the writeup and hopefully it overcomes the issue I have found multiple times, being you are talking to people who have always been employees and won't understand. Plus some may think something wrong even.

[Hemlock140]

I agree with TestEngr, as I was self-employed 16 years before getting the job I have now in 2009. There was some skepticism, but I was able to overcome it. In fact, I found out later, the hiring manager didn't want to take me, but others involved in the interviews from other departments talked her into it. I would add a bit more about the customer service if you can.

[armourereric]

Another question: How does one financially quantify the pay rate for a position that was barter for free housing, and in this case also free light industrial workshop space. My guess is to treat it as salary and break it down to a weekly amount.

At my new home I am specifically looking for entry level, even at age 52. My new mortgage can be covered with 30 hours a week at minimum wage and I still have a good ebay/etsy presence. And right now I want a job that I don't take home with me so I can have time to learn about the new area more, fix up my home/farm and put down roots.