Self Employed For 5 Years...is This Gonna Be A Problem?

Well I've been reading as much as I can and I so very much want to do this. The only problem I have is I have been self-employed the last 5 years after being in the work force for 20 years. Is this going to be a problem getting into a company sponsored training program? I am waiting on a phone call from Prime recruiter to probably tell me what I don't want to hear. Now I am so bummed out. So do I need to go get verifiable employment for a time in order to pursue a driving career. Help!

Well I've been reading as much as I can and I so very much want to do this. The only problem I have is I have been self-employed the last 5 years after being in the work force for 20 years. Is this going to be a problem getting into a company sponsored training program? I am waiting on a phone call from Prime recruiter to probably tell me what I don't want to hear. Now I am so bummed out. So do I need to go get verifiable employment for a time in order to pursue a driving career. Help!

Need to document.

If you were (for example) cutting lawns for cash - need to get some letters from clients.

If you were running a Sub-S or Sole Proprietor type of business - then tax returns and perhaps letters from clients.

I've been self-employed (IT work) with a Sub-S Corp. I have W2's and Personal/Corporate Returns for the last 20 years, plus my "references" are long-time friends/clients.

Let us know how you progress.

Rick

Kimberly, I was self employed for thirty years before I started this career. I had corporations, and so I had my W-2's because I was on the payroll. I thought that would be sufficient, but it wasn't, so I had to provide ten years worth of tax returns. You can document your self employment one way or the other. Like Rick said, you may have to have notarized letters from former customers, but it can be done. If you have tax returns that support what you were doing then that should be all you will need.

Lordy lordy....I have been selling on eBay for 7 years . My profit was so pathetic I am embarrassed to even have documentation. I guess it was more fun that profit. Are all companies pretty strict about verifiable employment? The only proof I have is sales reports. I was a fire alarm technician until 2010 then my husband wanted me to pursue the eBay business which I was pretty good at. I worked for 20 years before that. I got a divorce now I need a real paycheck. I am so bummed about this. I have wanted to drive a truck since I was a teen. I raised my kids so now I'm free to do just that...or at least I thought. Thank you guys for your quick replies.

I've been self employed for 18 years and am halfway through company sponsored school right now. Every recruiter I spoke to assured me that my tax returns with my Schedule C and Schedule SE would be sufficient.

It wasn't a problem for me. I'm headed for Prime on the 7th of March.

My recruiter asked for just 3 years of tax returns showing my name and the DBA I used; Form 1040 sufficed.

On the Prime Orientation packet, they say 3 years of verifiable job history in one place, and 5 years on a different page. My recruiter said my tax forms I used for her would be fine, but maybe have a couple phone numbers of previous clients going back 5 years (I was a web designer).

Because I'm paranoid, I went ahead and tracked down one client from 10 years ago, one from 4 years ago, and one from last year, and had them all write and NOTARIZE letters of recommendation / job verification. All of their websites I built are still online, too, so I should be cool.

In your case, as an eBay seller, something from your tax returns and maybe some invoices from sales should suffice.

Good luck.

I know prime has more strict rules for previous employment. I couldn't get a pre hire with them because I didn't have proof of my employment. But I was getting paid cash. Roehl was ok with it but they had to contact my previous employer for verification.