Advice to help a felon get a job
Q: Hi,My name is Sue. I live in Maryland. While working for a cleaning company I was pulled over in my personal car while with a coworker on the way to the next job (had been asked by the company owner to use my personal car for the day due to the company car being in the shop). She started getting antsy as soon as the officer walked up, he asked her to step out and searched her. He found over 20k in gold jewelry in her possession. I later found out she had stolen from every house we had been in. None was found on me, but some had fallen out of her apron, in between her seat and the door. I was charged along with her, and later convicted of felony grand theft. I had been facing eviction and had money troubles (single mom of two working 40 hours and barely making enough to pay bills) plus I had pawned jewelry a couple weeks earlier. With this and my co worker saying I knew what she was doing was apparently enough to convict me. I was given probation while she received jail time. I was working at a bank when I got convicted and was fired as soon as they found out. My problem is, I can't find a job now, and having never been in prison I don't qualify for most of the reentry programs. I'm still a single mother and am close to losing everything. Is there anything that may be able to help me? I feel like I got a life sentence. I'm going to lose everything if I don't find a job quickly, but I can't find a job because of the felony. How am I supposed to keep going when there is no where to go?
Sue
A: Hello Sue,
That's quite a story. It is my experience that ex-offenders and felons convicted of any kind of theft are usually no considered for positions where valuables are at risk. You may have to concentrate your efforts toward jobs that do not include the exchange of money or goods. You may have to think about doing work you have never done before. This may even be an opportunity to get training for a new career.
I suggest you try your local One-stop Career Center. Each state has a network of centers that offer a variety of free services that can get you ready for work and assist you in finding employment. In addition, these centers offer training programs that may prepare you for a career. Some services available are:
Career planning and counseling
Workshops (Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, and related topics.)
Computers with internet access and word processing
Daily access to thousands of job listings
Job-related magazines and local newspapers
Job postings and referrals
Printers, fax machines, phones, and copiers for job search use
There are counselors there whose function is helping citizens gain employment. Many of them have experience working with ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs.You can find the nearest One-stop Career Center here:
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
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
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