1

I have spent the last 6 months building out a crypto currency mining operation that is now operating hands off. I look at statistics at the end of the day and don't have to spend any time running the day to day business but it is an actual company in the United States that I own and am the sole employee. What is the best approach to explain this to potential employers in a completely different industry? I feel most employers would not be comfortable with me owning my own company on the side.

Improve this question
8
  • Is the company just yourself (legally structured as a company) or do you employ other people? Possibly related: workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/164358/…?
    – seventyeightist
    Jul 6, 2022 at 18:28
  • 1
    @seventyeightist The company is just myself, no employees.
    – SDH
    Jul 6, 2022 at 18:41
  • 5
    If the mining operation goes down during the middle of your work day how are you going to respond? i.e., work on it or let it go until after hours?
    – Steve
    Jul 6, 2022 at 20:11
  • 4
    @SDH - then that's the answer to your question right there
    – Steve
    Jul 6, 2022 at 21:17
  • 4
    Frame challenge, some employers will think less of you for helping kill the planet. So maybe don't mention it.
    – Gregory Currie
    Jul 7, 2022 at 1:55

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
5

What is the best approach to explain this to potential employers in a completely different industry?

You say it's a completely different industry, and you also tagged . Thus, including such information in your resume will only take up space that you could use to include other, more related information.

If this ever comes up during interviews (like "do you have any other projects or companies"), which I doubt, explain it as you did here: mention you have this automated process which involves no time from you.

As a side note, it makes me wonder why you chose the word "company" to describe an automated crypto mining process... do you have employees? is this project registered as a company or similar?

Anyways, the fact that you own a project/company has nothing to do with the skills you have and the things you can bring to the potential employers (and their company) you will eventually interview with.

Improve this answer
3
  • I included the resume tag more as a way to show some use of the time after my last consulting gig late last year. I added some additional information in the OP but it is an actual company and I am the only employee.
    – SDH
    Jul 6, 2022 at 20:20
  • okey, thanks for clarifying. I hold my answer
    – DarkCygnus ♦
    Jul 6, 2022 at 21:12
  • 2
    And owning a company for tax purposes and owning a company that you RUN are entirely different things. Nobody cares about the first one, and they'll care a lot more about the second.
    – Nelson
    Jul 7, 2022 at 4:22
3

I feel most employers would not be comfortable with me owning my own company on the side.

It's actually not that unusual. In some cases it may actually help you since it shows that you can work independently and have some initiative.

Just list it in your resume (founder and owner) and put a sentence in the cover letter that it takes little of your time and won't interfere with any job responsibilities.

Many companies do have policies around it: "it's fine as long it's not competition", "needs explicit permission" "Nope", etc. You won't be able to get into the "nope" companies, but there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

Improve this answer
1
  • 2
    Maybe even spin the "doesn't take much of my time" as a positive, such as "successfully developed and automated..."
    – electronpusher
    Jul 7, 2022 at 2:17
3

The answer is that you don't mention this enterprise on your resume nor in any conversation. This is no different than if you owned income property and were the landlord, as many people with jobs do. The mining operation is none of their business, and frankly how you manage your time outside of work hours isn't their concern unless there is a bona fide conflict of interest (i.e. you're a vendor or competitor).

If you need to justify the time away from work, then you state that the time was for "personal development". Do not volunteer details of exactly what that means. Steer the conversation back to your qualifications for the job at hand.

Improve this answer
1

I have spent the last 6 months building out a crypto currency mining operation that is now operating hands off. I look at statistics at the end of the day and don't have to spend any time running the day to day business but it is an actual company in the United States that I own and am the sole employee. What is the best approach to explain this to potential employers in a completely different industry?

Explain to them that this company is operating hands off other than looking at stats at the end of the day.

Explain that you don't spend any time during work hours on it.

I feel most employers would not be comfortable with me owning my own company on the side.

Some wouldn't be comfortable, many wouldn't care.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .