What part of the hiring process does the recruiter play?

Which companies have you applied with?
Don't you have any tax records to show you were self employed? Didn't you file income taxes all those years? If so, that covers it.

 

Being a business owner is most certainly being employed! Of course if the business was not exactly legal, you could have a problem.
But assuming, which I am, that you're talking a legitimate business, then show it on your application.
Where it asks NAME OF BUSINESS, list the business name, and where it asks POSITION list owner. This shouldn't be a problem. You sure aren't the only one they will have seen. And as Chinatown said, you must have some business records that will back you up, if needed.

 

OKAY now that I rambled on at length, maybe I should address your original question. Recruiters will not have the final say, in fact they have very little say in the final decision. Look at them as "preliminary screeners." Their job is to weed out obviously unqualified wannabes, but their primary purpose, and what they are usually paid to do, is to fill chairs at orientation.
This is where they weed out folks who can't pass a drug test, and where they actually check your references. (It is amazing how many applicants show up, that don't pass the pee test.)
Doesn't matter which comes first, application or recruiter. All your paperwork is going to be routed to HR for final approval.

 

Which companies have you applied to so far?
Just name your company and the dates and as Big Don said list yourself as the owner.
Don't submit any paperwork on the business unless specifically asked.

 

I had the same issue because I couldn't account for the last two years where I wasn't working at all.

However, Schneider had no problem with my inactivity. I picked out a job on their website that interested me, submitted an online application and heard from a recruiter right away. After going over a few things with her she scheduled me for a phone interview. It was the interviewer who explained the orientation process, made the decision to offer me a job and scheduled the drug test.

 

Your not hired until they hand you the keys.
Lots of guys got let go,weeks into school,for small infractions,they forgot about.
My trainer at school,received higher pay,the longer his students,stayed employed.
Not sure how the recruter gets paid..but by the lies Ive heard..most likely by head count only.

 

It's never too late to file federal income taxes on your business. Just show you were self-employed with a minimal income. That will take care of company requirements.

Good luck.

 

At Swift recruiters are paid a commission after the recruit delivers their first load (after training and going solo if they need training). Any recruit that quits or is washed out results in bubkas. It's in the best interest of a recruiter not to fill orientation with the obviously disqualified or under motivated.

During orientation is when they really get into your background check. About half of recruits don't make it through orientation. Some fail or refuse the drug test, some fail the drive test, and some fail the background test. Half of newbies make it through training and go solo, so a recruiter will make commission on about 25% of recruits that get to orientation.

Regarding documenting work if you ran your own company, I was in the same boat. Tax returns or W2's issued by your company to yourself will suffice. If you failed to file tax returns, then you still show the work history and get an accountant to start the process of filing your tax returns.