One of the things felons can do to ensure job search success is knowing where where to apply. Many nation-wide companies have been known to hire felons. Ex-offender and felon jobs will be easier to get when one knows where to look.
Are you an ex-offender or felon who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Man with dropped charges wants to have record expunged in Florida
Q: I live in Florida. In 2004 I was charged with a felony which resulted in a withhold of adjudication. I believe this case was sealed? In 2009 I was charged with another felony but this charge was dropped and shows as a Nolle Pross. Is there any way to have this second case removed from my record?
Thank you for your advice,
Brian
A: Hello Brian,
The only way to find out if the charge was sealed is to get a copy of your criminal history. You may want to get that anyway to be totally certain of your legal status when applying for jobs.
You can apply for sealing or expungement in Florida under certain conditions. You can get more information here:
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/content/getdoc/c83dd888-ef7a-448e-9a96-ba69fc4181f7/Seal-and-Expunge-Home.aspx
This site offers instruction about how to get this done, but I wouldn't try it myself. My suggestion is to contact your local legal aid office for assistance. Often ex-offender and felon job searches require a little legal assistance. They have attorneys that may assist you at little or no cost. They may also be able to get a copy of your criminal record.
I hope this helps.
Are you an ex-offender or felon who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
A: Hello Brian,
The only way to find out if the charge was sealed is to get a copy of your criminal history. You may want to get that anyway to be totally certain of your legal status when applying for jobs.
You can apply for sealing or expungement in Florida under certain conditions. You can get more information here:
http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/content/getdoc/c83dd888-ef7a-448e-9a96-ba69fc4181f7/Seal-and-Expunge-Home.aspx
This site offers instruction about how to get this done, but I wouldn't try it myself. My suggestion is to contact your local legal aid office for assistance. Often ex-offender and felon job searches require a little legal assistance. They have attorneys that may assist you at little or no cost. They may also be able to get a copy of your criminal record.
I hope this helps.
Are you an ex-offender or felon who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Ex-offender needs help finding a job in the medical field
Q: Hello,
I live in Florida. I have a worthless check charge which was a felony reduced to a misdemeanor. It doesn't make a difference because I cannot get a job in the nursing field. When they run a background check, they say I'm ineligible to be hired.
Val
A: Hello Val,
A misdemeanor bad check charge is not the worst charge in the world. First of all are you licensed or can you be licensed in the state of Florida? You can find out here:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/
Secondly is is possible that the place where you applied has a policy of not hiring ex-offenders or felons? That may simply be the policy of that one organization.
I suggest you contact the school where you were trained and speak to someone in their placement department. They often have contacts that hire their graduates. Often they know the hiring practices of the organizations they work with.
I also suggest going to the One-stop career center in your area. They have counselors who can assist you in finding a job. There will be other services that could be helpful to you such as employment leads from the state job bank, resume writing assistance and other helpful services. Often the counselors are experienced in finding jobs for felons and ex-offenders. You can find your local One-stop career center here:
www.servicelocator.org
I hope this helps.
Are you an ex-offender or felon who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
I live in Florida. I have a worthless check charge which was a felony reduced to a misdemeanor. It doesn't make a difference because I cannot get a job in the nursing field. When they run a background check, they say I'm ineligible to be hired.
Val
A: Hello Val,
A misdemeanor bad check charge is not the worst charge in the world. First of all are you licensed or can you be licensed in the state of Florida? You can find out here:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/
Secondly is is possible that the place where you applied has a policy of not hiring ex-offenders or felons? That may simply be the policy of that one organization.
I suggest you contact the school where you were trained and speak to someone in their placement department. They often have contacts that hire their graduates. Often they know the hiring practices of the organizations they work with.
I also suggest going to the One-stop career center in your area. They have counselors who can assist you in finding a job. There will be other services that could be helpful to you such as employment leads from the state job bank, resume writing assistance and other helpful services. Often the counselors are experienced in finding jobs for felons and ex-offenders. You can find your local One-stop career center here:
www.servicelocator.org
I hope this helps.
Are you an ex-offender or felon who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Felon in Illinois needs help finding a job
Q: I have an aggravated battery in DuPage county in Illinois. It happened in 1996 and have not been able to find a job in the past 6 months because of my background. I have been offered many positions and then after the criminal background check told they were looking for someone else. Is there anything you know of in Illinois that might help me?
Ryan,
A: Hello Ryan,
First of all, like I tell all ex-offenders and felons applying for jobs - always be honest! If the the question is asked on the application, answer honestly.
Many felons opt to apply for jobs at smaller companies. Smaller companies often don't do extensive background checks as a means to save money.
Secondly I would seek legal counsel to have this conviction downgraded possibly to a misdemeanor. This will make it easier to work with. Often felon job searches begin with legal assistance. Contact your local legal aid office. You may qualify for low cost or no cost assistance to get this done. You may find more information here:
http://www.lafchicago.org/content/view/17/45/
Thirdly, I would visit the local One-stop Career center. There are many services as well as counselors that can help felons get jobs. You can find the center near you here:
http://www.servicelocator.org
I hope this helps.
Ryan,
A: Hello Ryan,
First of all, like I tell all ex-offenders and felons applying for jobs - always be honest! If the the question is asked on the application, answer honestly.
Many felons opt to apply for jobs at smaller companies. Smaller companies often don't do extensive background checks as a means to save money.
Secondly I would seek legal counsel to have this conviction downgraded possibly to a misdemeanor. This will make it easier to work with. Often felon job searches begin with legal assistance. Contact your local legal aid office. You may qualify for low cost or no cost assistance to get this done. You may find more information here:
http://www.lafchicago.org/content/view/17/45/
Thirdly, I would visit the local One-stop Career center. There are many services as well as counselors that can help felons get jobs. You can find the center near you here:
http://www.servicelocator.org
I hope this helps.
Are you a felon who is having difficulty finding a job? You can have your questions answered on this blog. Just send your questions to
adogzheart2@gmail.com.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Felon in Atlanta needa help finding a Job
Q: Hello my name is Ronald I have 3 felonies on my record, 2 drug charges and a burglary. Are there any programs to help me find a job - not how to get the job because I have no problem getting jobs, I just can't get past the background. I'm really trying to change but it seems like the world don't want me to. I'm in Atlanta, GA and I need help.
A: Hello Ronald,
My suggestion to you is to contact the United Way in Atlanta. Unknown to many, the United Way funds a multitude of community based programs that aid a wide group of people including ex-offenders and felons. You can get more information here:
http://unitedwayatlanta.org/pages/SearchResults.aspx?k=ex-offenders
I hope this helps.
A: Hello Ronald,
My suggestion to you is to contact the United Way in Atlanta. Unknown to many, the United Way funds a multitude of community based programs that aid a wide group of people including ex-offenders and felons. You can get more information here:
http://unitedwayatlanta.org/pages/SearchResults.aspx?k=ex-offenders
I hope this helps.
Are you a felon who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You can have your question answered right here. Email your question to:
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Felons must properly prepare for the job search to be successful
Felons stand a greater opportunity to get hired when they properly prepare for the job search.
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Ping your blog
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Felons can use Newspaper Want Ads to get Jobs
Many felons turn to the newspaper help-wanted to find jobs. Help wanted ads are a good sources of listings, especial for jobs listed by local employers who don't advertise nationally. Though there are often many jobs listed there, the odds of getting a job this way
is against them .
Consider this:
A typical want ad will get between 200 and 500 responses. There will a lot of competition for each job.
Jobs listed in the newspaper account for less than 10% of all available jobs. Some advertised jobs don’t exist. In some cases, the opening may have already been filled but
the company must advertise it because of some requirement.
A job that is constantly advertised may be so bad or pay so poorly that the employer may have trouble keeping
employees.
Want ads are not a waste of time. There are advantages to using the want ads to get a job.
Want ads are fast. Respond to an ad right away, and you could be hired quickly.
For many felons and ex-offenders, answering want ads is less stressful than asking others for help finding a job.
Want ads easily let you know what the job qualifications are. The job requirements are
right there in the ad, so you can tailor your resume, cover letter and interview to what the employer is looking for.
Look for “entry-level” positions. Entry-level jobs generally don’t pay much but they offer felons the chance to build a work history and get valuable experience. It may be a good idea to apply for an advertised job if you have at least 75% of the qualifications listed in the ad.
Read all the ads, not just those in the category for which you're interested. The reason is that job openings will many times be in a completely different section than where you'd expect. For example, if you're looking for a truck driver's job, you should look in the "transportation" section of the want ads. You may even want to look in the "Retail" section. Go through all the want ad sections because you never know where you next job may be listed.
Even though the odds are against getting a job this way, a little hard work will increase a felons chances of getting a job.
Even though there are many listings in the newspaper, for felons, the want-ads may not be the best choice to find the next job opportunity.
is against them .
Consider this:
A typical want ad will get between 200 and 500 responses. There will a lot of competition for each job.
Jobs listed in the newspaper account for less than 10% of all available jobs. Some advertised jobs don’t exist. In some cases, the opening may have already been filled but
the company must advertise it because of some requirement.
A job that is constantly advertised may be so bad or pay so poorly that the employer may have trouble keeping
employees.
Want ads are not a waste of time. There are advantages to using the want ads to get a job.
Want ads are fast. Respond to an ad right away, and you could be hired quickly.
For many felons and ex-offenders, answering want ads is less stressful than asking others for help finding a job.
Want ads easily let you know what the job qualifications are. The job requirements are
right there in the ad, so you can tailor your resume, cover letter and interview to what the employer is looking for.
Look for “entry-level” positions. Entry-level jobs generally don’t pay much but they offer felons the chance to build a work history and get valuable experience. It may be a good idea to apply for an advertised job if you have at least 75% of the qualifications listed in the ad.
Read all the ads, not just those in the category for which you're interested. The reason is that job openings will many times be in a completely different section than where you'd expect. For example, if you're looking for a truck driver's job, you should look in the "transportation" section of the want ads. You may even want to look in the "Retail" section. Go through all the want ad sections because you never know where you next job may be listed.
Even though the odds are against getting a job this way, a little hard work will increase a felons chances of getting a job.
Even though there are many listings in the newspaper, for felons, the want-ads may not be the best choice to find the next job opportunity.
Are you a felon who is having difficulty finding a job? You can have your questions answered on this blog. Just send your questions to
adogzheart2@gmail.com.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Female Felon Seeks a Job
Q: Hi,
My name is Melissa I'm from Philly I do have a criminal record. I got into some trouble when I was 18 years old and was found guilty of aggravated assault, possessing instrument of a crime, simple assault, criminal conspiracy, reckless endangering another person. I was given 11 months jail time. I thought I needed to better my self because I knew it wasn't gonna be easy trying to find work so I went back to school when I was 26 and got my high school diploma and went to school for cosmetology and completed it also in '07. I'm 28 now single mom of 2 year old twins my question is on my record there are a lot of charges that I wasn't found guilty of and next to them it says nolle prossed. Is their any way that I can get those removed because it looks really bad with all these charges on there and I think this might be the reason why my luck hasn't been good. Is there a program out there that has job leads only for ex-offenders if so please put me down.
A: Hello Melissa,
I' sorry you are having so much trouble. As I suggest to ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is to apply to small companies. Surely there are hundreds of small salons in Philadelphia that can used a hard-working person with a cosmetology degree. You may have to be willing to start off at the bottom, perhaps shampooing and cleaning up. It may not be what you want right away but it's a start. Pick up the phone book and start making a list of salons to visit. Have some business cards made up and leave them with salon owners advertising that you will work on an on call basis if there are no permanent positions available.
You may be able to get job search assistance from mayor Michael Nutter's Reintegration Services for Ex-Offenders.
You can get more information here: http://www.phila.gov/reentry/
As far as your record,
I hope this helps
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
My name is Melissa I'm from Philly I do have a criminal record. I got into some trouble when I was 18 years old and was found guilty of aggravated assault, possessing instrument of a crime, simple assault, criminal conspiracy, reckless endangering another person. I was given 11 months jail time. I thought I needed to better my self because I knew it wasn't gonna be easy trying to find work so I went back to school when I was 26 and got my high school diploma and went to school for cosmetology and completed it also in '07. I'm 28 now single mom of 2 year old twins my question is on my record there are a lot of charges that I wasn't found guilty of and next to them it says nolle prossed. Is their any way that I can get those removed because it looks really bad with all these charges on there and I think this might be the reason why my luck hasn't been good. Is there a program out there that has job leads only for ex-offenders if so please put me down.
A: Hello Melissa,
I' sorry you are having so much trouble. As I suggest to ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is to apply to small companies. Surely there are hundreds of small salons in Philadelphia that can used a hard-working person with a cosmetology degree. You may have to be willing to start off at the bottom, perhaps shampooing and cleaning up. It may not be what you want right away but it's a start. Pick up the phone book and start making a list of salons to visit. Have some business cards made up and leave them with salon owners advertising that you will work on an on call basis if there are no permanent positions available.
You may be able to get job search assistance from mayor Michael Nutter's Reintegration Services for Ex-Offenders.
You can get more information here: http://www.phila.gov/reentry/
As far as your record,
In Pennsylvania, under some circumstances, you may be able to have a criminal record expunged, which means that information is removed from your record.
If you are eligible to have your records expunged, you may petition the court for an order of expungement. I suggest seeking legal assistance from a qualified attorney. You may be able to free or low-cost help at your local legal aid office. You can get more information here:
http://www.clsphila.org/Content.aspx?id=579I hope this helps
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Felons Should Try Smaller Companies to get Jobs
Q: Hello,
I have a criminal record and I can't find a job. I have been filling out applications everywhere. Do you have any advice for someone who has made some mistakes?
A: I hear this from felons all the time. Please don’t quit. You get nothing when you give up. You may just have to change your strategy. If I am an employer, I probably want to hire someone without a record before I hire someone without one. Most applications will ask about criminal convictions. If you are honest, as I recommend, an employer may not want to hire you.
A good strategy for finding job openings is to apply to employers directly. Once you have decided on the type of work you would like to do, the next step is to choose employers that could use your services. Felons stand a better chance of being hired by small companies rather than larger ones. The owners or managers of smaller companies usually make the hiring decisions. Make a list of employers in your chosen field. Contact each one of them to see if there are positions available and how to apply. The telephone is the best method of contacting employers. You may even get job leads from people you know. Another advantage to applying to small companies is they are less likely to run background checks because they can be expensive.
If you get an interview, make a point to mention the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. To a small business, this mat be an incentive to hire a person with a criminal record. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is offered to employers as an incentive to hire any one of nine targeted groups with barriers to employment, felons included. An employer may receive a credit of as much as $2,400 for hiring a felon. You can find more information here: http://www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax/
I have a criminal record and I can't find a job. I have been filling out applications everywhere. Do you have any advice for someone who has made some mistakes?
A: I hear this from felons all the time. Please don’t quit. You get nothing when you give up. You may just have to change your strategy. If I am an employer, I probably want to hire someone without a record before I hire someone without one. Most applications will ask about criminal convictions. If you are honest, as I recommend, an employer may not want to hire you.
A good strategy for finding job openings is to apply to employers directly. Once you have decided on the type of work you would like to do, the next step is to choose employers that could use your services. Felons stand a better chance of being hired by small companies rather than larger ones. The owners or managers of smaller companies usually make the hiring decisions. Make a list of employers in your chosen field. Contact each one of them to see if there are positions available and how to apply. The telephone is the best method of contacting employers. You may even get job leads from people you know. Another advantage to applying to small companies is they are less likely to run background checks because they can be expensive.
If you get an interview, make a point to mention the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. To a small business, this mat be an incentive to hire a person with a criminal record. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is offered to employers as an incentive to hire any one of nine targeted groups with barriers to employment, felons included. An employer may receive a credit of as much as $2,400 for hiring a felon. You can find more information here: http://www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax/
Are you a felon who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You can have your question answered right here. Email your question to:
If you are really serious about getting a job with a criminal record or helping someone you care about get a job, check out this link: From Jail to a Job
Monday, February 8, 2010
Federal Bonding Program helps Felons get Jobs
Employers might have concerns about certain job applicants and perhaps hesitant to hire them because they have criminal records, little or no work backgrounds or recovering alcohol or drug addicts. Some employers are reluctant to hire ex-offenders or felons because they feel their backgrounds make them more probable to steal, commit fraud or be dishonorable in other ways. Many felons are not able to be bonded. A bond is an insurance policy issued by an agency that protects an employer against money or property loss due to employee dishonesty. Certain criminal convictions make many felons unqualified for private bonding. Felons, including anyone with a record of arrest, conviction or imprisonment, and anyone who has ever been on probation or parole, are considered "at-risk" job applicants.
Federal Bonding Program is sponsored by the Department of Labor. Bonds are issued for those who are unable to be bonded privately. The bonds are issued at no cost to the employer and could be an incentive to hire an applicant. Criminal records become less of a concern to employers if they are assured that they are protected from loss of money or property due to theft.
Bond issuance applies to any job at any employer in any state, and covers any employee dishonesty committed on or away from the employer’s actual job location. Any full or part-time employee paid wages (with Federal taxes automatically withheld) can be bonded, including persons hired by temporary employment agencies. Unfortunately, self-employed persons cannot be covered by these Fidelity Bonds. Fidelity bonds can help felons get jobs and can also be issued to cover already employed workers who need bonding to prevent being laid off or to secure transfer or promotion to a different job at their company.
An applicant can be bonded the same day the job offer is made. You can find more information about the program by contacting the addresses below:
Federal Bonding Program, ETA/DOL
1725 De Sales Street, NW Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
1 (800) 233-2258
Federal Bonding Program
P.O. Box 293535
Lewisville, TX 750229
1 (888) 266-3562
You can also get information on the internet at http://www.bonds4jobs.com/state-coordinators.html
Jobs for felons will be easier to get with a little help from programs like this.
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Federal Bonding Program is sponsored by the Department of Labor. Bonds are issued for those who are unable to be bonded privately. The bonds are issued at no cost to the employer and could be an incentive to hire an applicant. Criminal records become less of a concern to employers if they are assured that they are protected from loss of money or property due to theft.
Bond issuance applies to any job at any employer in any state, and covers any employee dishonesty committed on or away from the employer’s actual job location. Any full or part-time employee paid wages (with Federal taxes automatically withheld) can be bonded, including persons hired by temporary employment agencies. Unfortunately, self-employed persons cannot be covered by these Fidelity Bonds. Fidelity bonds can help felons get jobs and can also be issued to cover already employed workers who need bonding to prevent being laid off or to secure transfer or promotion to a different job at their company.
An applicant can be bonded the same day the job offer is made. You can find more information about the program by contacting the addresses below:
Federal Bonding Program, ETA/DOL
1725 De Sales Street, NW Suite 700
Washington, DC 20036
1 (800) 233-2258
Federal Bonding Program
P.O. Box 293535
Lewisville, TX 750229
1 (888) 266-3562
You can also get information on the internet at http://www.bonds4jobs.com/state-coordinators.html
Jobs for felons will be easier to get with a little help from programs like this.
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Felon needs a Job
Q: My husband has a felony and he is trying hard to get a job. He made some mistakes but he is sorry and he wants to work and take care of his family but it is hard because no none wants to give him a chance. What can he do? I'm afraid he is getting depressed.
Kelly, Madison, WS
A: Hello Kelly,
Here are some suggestions for your husband.
Often, the felon job search will begin with some legal assistance. First, talk to a lawyer about the possibility of getting his record expunged/sealed or reduced. He can contact the legal aid office in your area for help. He may not be eligible for these processes but he can check.
Contact the United Way agency in your area. They could put him in contact with agencies that provide services for ex-offenders and their families. They may also have contact with companies that hire felons.
He may have to take whatever job he can get to start rebuilding his experience and credibility, He may have to take a "dirty' or minimum wage job and work his way up. Fast food, manufacturing, supermarket or warehouse work may be the way to got to get back into the working world.
I suggest he look to personal contacts and friends to help him get a job," Kendall asserts. He should contact everyone he knows to inquire about open positions.
He should look for employment with small and local companies. Local businesses may be more willing to give him a chance.
If he has a parole or probation officer, he should talk to that person to see if he knows of businesses that hire felons.
I suggest to all felon to contact the One-stop career center in their areas. See the video below:
I hope this helps
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Kelly, Madison, WS
A: Hello Kelly,
Here are some suggestions for your husband.
Often, the felon job search will begin with some legal assistance. First, talk to a lawyer about the possibility of getting his record expunged/sealed or reduced. He can contact the legal aid office in your area for help. He may not be eligible for these processes but he can check.
Contact the United Way agency in your area. They could put him in contact with agencies that provide services for ex-offenders and their families. They may also have contact with companies that hire felons.
He may have to take whatever job he can get to start rebuilding his experience and credibility, He may have to take a "dirty' or minimum wage job and work his way up. Fast food, manufacturing, supermarket or warehouse work may be the way to got to get back into the working world.
I suggest he look to personal contacts and friends to help him get a job," Kendall asserts. He should contact everyone he knows to inquire about open positions.
He should look for employment with small and local companies. Local businesses may be more willing to give him a chance.
If he has a parole or probation officer, he should talk to that person to see if he knows of businesses that hire felons.
I suggest to all felon to contact the One-stop career center in their areas. See the video below:
I hope this helps
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Should a felon lie on applications to get jobs
Q:
I have a friend who tells me all I have to do to get a job even with a record is lie. He said That an employer has to get written permission to legally run a background check on anyone. So according to him, if they don't ask for permission, just lie about my record. I want to do things the right way. What do you think?
Thanks,
Ricky
A:
Hello Ricky
A lot of employment applications have a Certification/Release Statement that the applicant must sign before the application is considered. This statement may also be called an Authorization. The employer is asking you to certify with your signature that all of the information you have given is correct. Part of this certification is a release that gives the employer access to information provided by past employers, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions and other organizations that may have information about you. This is usually in fine print at the very end of the application.
Some believe by being honest on applications they don’t have a chance at getting a job. The fact is an employer cannot legally refuse to hire you because you have a criminal record unless the conviction is directly related to the job for which you are applying. I have spoken with former inmates who have lied on applications and gotten jobs, only to lose them later when background checks were done. Some have been encouraged to use the response “Will discuss at interview.” In my opinion, these are not good practices. The best advice I can give is BE HONEST! Employers have a responsibility to know as much as possible about prospective employees. There have been employers who have been found guilty of negligent hiring when employees who have criminal pasts committed acts that resulted in harm to others. Those situations could have been avoided by careful screening through background checks. Employers will ask directly on applications about criminal convictions as a means to protect himself, his business, and others.
In many states prospective employers may not ask about arrests that do not end in convictions. Pay careful attention to the wording of this question. It may vary from application to application. Typically the question will ask about convictions of crimes and/or felonies and not misdemeanors.
There is one exception to this. Before you answer the question "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" look for the certification/release statement. If there is none, leave the space blank. It is often overlooked by being left blank and you won’t have to address the question at all. If it is noticed, and you are questioned, always answer truthfully.
Larger companies will almost always have a release to sign. Ex-offenders and felons stand a better chance of being hired by small companies rather than larger ones. Smaller companies usually won't spend money on expensive background checks. Also the owners or managers of smaller companies usually make the hiring decisions. Jobs for felons and ex-offenders will depend on being honest on employment applications.
I hope this helps.
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
I have a friend who tells me all I have to do to get a job even with a record is lie. He said That an employer has to get written permission to legally run a background check on anyone. So according to him, if they don't ask for permission, just lie about my record. I want to do things the right way. What do you think?
Thanks,
Ricky
A:
Hello Ricky
A lot of employment applications have a Certification/Release Statement that the applicant must sign before the application is considered. This statement may also be called an Authorization. The employer is asking you to certify with your signature that all of the information you have given is correct. Part of this certification is a release that gives the employer access to information provided by past employers, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions and other organizations that may have information about you. This is usually in fine print at the very end of the application.
Some believe by being honest on applications they don’t have a chance at getting a job. The fact is an employer cannot legally refuse to hire you because you have a criminal record unless the conviction is directly related to the job for which you are applying. I have spoken with former inmates who have lied on applications and gotten jobs, only to lose them later when background checks were done. Some have been encouraged to use the response “Will discuss at interview.” In my opinion, these are not good practices. The best advice I can give is BE HONEST! Employers have a responsibility to know as much as possible about prospective employees. There have been employers who have been found guilty of negligent hiring when employees who have criminal pasts committed acts that resulted in harm to others. Those situations could have been avoided by careful screening through background checks. Employers will ask directly on applications about criminal convictions as a means to protect himself, his business, and others.
In many states prospective employers may not ask about arrests that do not end in convictions. Pay careful attention to the wording of this question. It may vary from application to application. Typically the question will ask about convictions of crimes and/or felonies and not misdemeanors.
There is one exception to this. Before you answer the question "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" look for the certification/release statement. If there is none, leave the space blank. It is often overlooked by being left blank and you won’t have to address the question at all. If it is noticed, and you are questioned, always answer truthfully.
Larger companies will almost always have a release to sign. Ex-offenders and felons stand a better chance of being hired by small companies rather than larger ones. Smaller companies usually won't spend money on expensive background checks. Also the owners or managers of smaller companies usually make the hiring decisions. Jobs for felons and ex-offenders will depend on being honest on employment applications.
I hope this helps.
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: adogzheart2@gmail.com
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