I was in exactly that situation a couple of years ago. It definitely closed some doors for me. At every single interview I was grilled about my desire to start another company. It definitely cost me a job I really wanted. They freely admitted that I was well qualified, but their concerns over my bolting for another run at my own thing kept them from hiring me.
Of course, they were right. I was out on my own again within 6 months:)
It's all in the presentation. If you write 'programmer for xxx.com' on your resume that's one thing, if you put 'CEO of startup xxx.com' on there then that's quite another.
In both cases you do the same work but the first is not going to raise too many follow up questions.
If they don't ask you are under no obligation to volunteer.
As a rule though, those that have worked for start-ups and/or were founders will not normally go back to big-corp to do a 9 to 5, and in the age of google even if you don't disclose it you may be found out anyway.
Yes, that's illegal in plenty of places but it happens quite frequently regardless of that.
I've found you get questions about anything non-standard you've done for any institutional like job. I used to teach English in China, it was fun, but I'd never do it again. Still, it's come up in a negative light in interviews years after the fact: "How do we know you won't just leave for China?"
(I want to be generous and think it's because in large companies the how-we-do-it-here knowledge has to be taught, so it's more valuable than the how-to-get-it-to-compile knowledge and they need long tenures)
If you don't mind sharing, what kind of position was it? My feeling is that being a founder and then going back to apply for an engineering job is difficult, but trying to go from founder to a "higher level" position the experience might be advantageous. A lot of upper managament positions are looking for people with technical background and P&L experience, now with a failed startup you have a lot of L experience but I think it would help.
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I was in exactly that situation a couple of years ago. It definitely closed some doors for me. At every single interview I was grilled about my desire to start another company. It definitely cost me a job I really wanted. They freely admitted that I was well qualified, but their concerns over my bolting for another run at my own thing kept them from hiring me.
Of course, they were right. I was out on my own again within 6 months:)
It's all in the presentation. If you write 'programmer for xxx.com' on your resume that's one thing, if you put 'CEO of startup xxx.com' on there then that's quite another.
In both cases you do the same work but the first is not going to raise too many follow up questions.
Then when you are asked about your work as a programmer for ___.com, do you entirely neglect to mention you were the founder?
If they don't ask you are under no obligation to volunteer.
As a rule though, those that have worked for start-ups and/or were founders will not normally go back to big-corp to do a 9 to 5, and in the age of google even if you don't disclose it you may be found out anyway.
Yes, that's illegal in plenty of places but it happens quite frequently regardless of that.
As a rule though, those that have worked for start-ups and/or were founders will not normally go back to big-corp to do a 9 to 5,
You'd be amazed how things change when you get into your 30's and start having kids. ;)
> You'd be amazed how things change when you get into your 30's and start having kids. ;)
Yes, that's pretty much my situation, only you can add another decade.
I've found you get questions about anything non-standard you've done for any institutional like job. I used to teach English in China, it was fun, but I'd never do it again. Still, it's come up in a negative light in interviews years after the fact: "How do we know you won't just leave for China?"
(I want to be generous and think it's because in large companies the how-we-do-it-here knowledge has to be taught, so it's more valuable than the how-to-get-it-to-compile knowledge and they need long tenures)
If you don't mind sharing, what kind of position was it? My feeling is that being a founder and then going back to apply for an engineering job is difficult, but trying to go from founder to a "higher level" position the experience might be advantageous. A lot of upper managament positions are looking for people with technical background and P&L experience, now with a failed startup you have a lot of L experience but I think it would help.