Everyone deserves a second chance.
The dreaded check-the-box-question, Have you been convicted of a crime in the past 10 years?
can be a huge obstacle.
Change to this approach by employers has been slow, but change is happening.
Employers can still inquire about criminal history, including a background check, after a conditional offer is made.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Most people leaving prison dont have a permanent address or phone number.
That process can take several weeks, making it even harder to find work immediately.
Did you know?
Theyre viewed as dishonest, lazy, unintelligent or simply not worth investing time in.
So how do job seekers with criminal records overcome these inherent obstacles?
How to Find a Job With a Felony
1.
Use word-of-mouth.People without criminal records use their data pipe, friends and family to find jobs.
The same applies for people with felony convictions.
That tends to be where Ive seen people get jobs the fastest, Sanders says.
Maybe somebody from your church is looking for a receptionist.
Hes a good guy.
Adding that personal angle is a definite advantage when trying to overcome an obstacle like a criminal record.
Sanders says COVID-19 also greatly affected employers willingness to hire felons.
Theyre willing to take a chance because they just need people, he says.
He adds that theres no need to go into great detail about the conviction on the front end.
If you could become a good salesman, it literally doesnt matter what your background is in many cases.
Sales is just a valuable skill to have in general, regardless of whether you have a criminal record.
Sanders says the key to finding a job as a felon is just having the right mindset.
Its not easy, but a lot of people have done it.
it’s possible for you to do it, too.
Just keep your head up, keep pushing, and something will come along.
Some of the more prominent companies include:
Seethe full list of companiesthat signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge.
Robert Bruce is a senior staff writer at The Penny Hoarder covering earning, saving and managing money.
He has written about personal finance for more than a decade.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
