Felon mom in Fl needs a job

 Felon needs job and career direction

Hello,

I came across the blog about "How Felons can get jobs"; I hope maybe you can give me some advice. I am a 35 yr old single mother of 3 from Polk County, Fl. When I was younger (my teen yrs into adulthood) up until I was 23, I rebelled. I always had a bad temper and I was the know it all who wore my heart on my sleeve. When someone attacked me, I would attack back in which I earned myself 1 night in jail and 3-4, misdemeanors (not at the same time).

After having my children, I grew up and gained control of myself. I have stayed out of trouble for 10 yrs now but I am having an awful time gaining employment. I have a security clearance approved by the government but still most companies will not hire me. I have been recently laid off in security due to the economy. I spend everyday applying for jobs, sending out my resume and going on interviews. During the interviews employers love my credentials, my skills and want to hire me right away, but once I mention my past or the background comes back, they shut the door in my face. I have applied to big and small companies, temp work and even fast food. I get the same with all. I have NO felonies and the misdemeanors I have were never committed again. I have proven that I have learned from my past. I've put in the education, so what else can I do to get past my past? Thanks for reading and have a blessed weekend.

Best Wishes, K

 

Hello K,

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble. Frequent readers of this blog are familiar with my next suggestion. I encourage all ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs to visit their local One-stop Career Center. One-stop Career Centers are very underutilized resources that ex-offenders and felons can use not only to get jobs, but to get career counseling and training. In addition, these centers provide a long list of valuable services. There are 24 Regional Workforce Boards in Florida which are responsible for implementing the employment programs in their regions. Services available include referrals to employment, career counseling, assistance with job search and placement, access to computers/internet, resume preparation, phone/fax machines, copy machines, interest, aptitude and basic skills testing and other special programs tailored to meet employment needs of those facing barriers to employment. 

Where can ex-offenders and convicted felons find jobs

Each center has trained counselors that provide one-on-one assistance. Many of them have experience assisting ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs. The counselors can also assist you with with the Federal Bonding Program. Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs can be bonded through a program offered by the federal government. It would make it easier for those with criminal records to get hired if employers are insured against theft or fraud.

You can find more about the Federal Bonding Program here:
http://www.bonds4jobs.com/

 

You can find out about the One-stop Career Centers in Florida and how to find the nearest center to you here:

Workforce Florida

 Jobs for felons

Felon wants Job as Chef

Advice to help a felon get a job

I have a 22 year old daughter that is very intelligent,(which upsets me more about what she did) and a dedicated worker who knew she wanted to be a cook since 8th grade. Over the past year, she was dating a whack job that threatened her with a gun. One day while he was working, she went to his apartment and took his gun. Not a bad idea if she threw it in the river; however, stupidly she hocked it using her friends ID. the felony charge is not for taking the gun but using false id to hock it. She graduates the end of the month and cannot find work. 

This is kickoff time for AZ but the big hotels that doing the hiring are doing thorough background checks. She had a great job lined up with Wigwam. In fact, the HR director told her--this is a great company and a ache to work any where in the world. That Friday she was supposed to go to orientation. Unfortunately, the HR Dir. called her and said because of her felony change they cannot hire her. She did a stupid thing--no question there; I told the judge that regardless that we are from New Jersey the closest she had come to seeing a gun was by a policeman and not Tony Soprano. She is really in the dumps. She is seeing a psychiatrist and works with a psychologist.

Do you have any suggestions to help her get her career going?


Thank you for time,

 
All is not lost. As I often suggest to ex-offenders and felons who seek jobs in the culinary arts, large corporate outlets may not be the best choice. They often have hiring practices that are determined at the corporate level. She may be better off looking for jobs at independent restaurants and catering companies. Check your local telephone directory and start calling.

Also she may seek assistance from independent temporary employment agencies. Often temporary assignments turn into full time jobs. There are temporary agencies that primarily work with the service industry. Smaller independent temporary staffing agencies are not bound by discriminatory hiring guidelines as larger nation-wide agencies and can hire anyone they choose.

Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs may have to put in extra work to get hired.

I hope this helps.

 

Felon needs job and career direction

Felon with Many Skills Needs a Job

Felon needs advice about jobs

Seven years ago in 2004 I committed a Felony 4 Theft . I was convicted but no jail time, I was placed on probation which I have completed. In 2006, I was given another Felony for Unemployment Fraud again no jail time and amount paid back before court hearing. These two Felonies were huge mistakes in my life and very humiliating for me everyday of my life. I went from a $70,000 a year job in Dayton, Ohio with great benefits to a $40,000 a year job with little to no benefits and currently unemployed.

Through these past seven years I have lost my family of two wonderful children and a great wife who has been by my side through all of this humiliation. I lost my home and my dignity We all live from my mistakes and I keep trying to get back into the career I am very good at but can not get past the background checks that many companies require before they hire a person. Twice, I made it all the way to actually going to the new work place and working over 5 hours before the HR department came down with a delayed background report and the bad news that I can not work for this company due to background convictions.

I am so tired of having to live each day in humiliation, not being able to provide for my family and have a place to call my own home. I have learned many things these past seven years and have seen how less forfeit people survive on little to no income. I have an education and so many technical skills and can get hundreds of jobs at or around $80,000 a year and could provide for myself and my family and their futures for college and retirement. but I get shutdown with one question, “have you ever been convicted of a felony”.

I am asking you to please help me in any way you can to be able to get these two mistakes off my background. I am sincerely sorry for all my mistakes.

Please, any advice would be helpful. I am losing hope and faith!

Thank You,

G.S.

Hello G.S.,

Finding a job with a criminal record often isn't easy. Ex-offenders and felons stand a better chance at getting hired by applying at smaller businesses. Smaller businesses are less apt to spend money on expensive background checks. One out-of-the-box suggestion I have is, if the the application on paper, leave the question that relates to having a criminal record 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. Hopefully you will get an interview where the employer will get a chance to meet the man behind the application and you can sell yourself.

I often suggest to ex-offenders and felons looking for employment is to apply for temporary employment. There are clerical or other jobs that would put you in an office environment. Often companies end up hiring their temporary help. There is a twist for ex-offenders and felons when it comes to applying for temporary assignments. They should apply at smaller independent temporary employment agencies. Independent agencies don't have to deal with restrictions larger agencies may have placed on them by their parent companies as they relate to hiring ex-offenders and felons. They are free to hire anyone they choose. You can find listing in your local telephone directory and apply as you would any other job.

Where can ex-offenders and convicted felons find jobs

I hope this helps.

Advice to help felons get  jobs

Felon in Colorado seeks Expungement

Expungement could be an option for felon

Hello,

I found your site looking for help with expungment. I received a first time felony, due to the fact that I was using meth. I was lost and did things that I really had desperate means to find more. I caught a charge in Colorado and did time for felony burglary 2 of building. I picked up my number and finished my time, but am finding it hard to get a job. I changed my life have a house a wonderful wife and child. I would like to know how to, if I am able to, expunge my record out of Colorado. Can it be done and if so how? I managed a tire shop out of Colorado with my felony, and now live in MN. I'm trying to obtain a job with another tire company that has a background check and would like to know how I should approach this matter could you help with this? Please let me know what steps I should take if there are any?

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Anthony



Hello Anthony,

I am not a legal professional and therefore not prepared to give legal advice but my understanding is that expungement is only available in Colorado for cases that have been dismissed.

If your conviction is more than ten years old, you may apply for a pardon. Unfortunately, pardons are rare.

Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs often require legal assistance. You may find low-cost legal help at your local legal aid office. You can find the office nearest you in you local phone directory.


I hope this helps.

Can expungement help ex-offenders and felons get jobs?