Felon in Tenn Needs help Finding a Job

 Felon needs job and career direction

Q: Hey,

I found your website and ur email and I live in Nashville TN, Link Antioch to be exact and I have one felony theft charge on my record. It all happened years ago and I am having trouble finding a job anywhere... even places like Burger King. If you know of any places in the Antioch / Nashville area that would be a good place for me to look I would be greatly appreciated.... I just turned 25 have a son that will be 6 in April and I need a job desperately. I have applied to so many places and Ive even tried lying on the application checking no in the felony question box to see if that would help.... Before my felony charge I worked at a Wal-Mart for a while and before that I used to help a buddy of mine laying floors. Carpet, hardwood, tile etc.... If you could help me at all I would really appreciate it. Thank you.

A: Hello,

Frequent readers of my blog know, my first suggestion to ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is the nearest One-stop Career Center. These are very underutilized resources that can not only help ex-offenders and felons get jobs but may help them find careers and vocational training.


In addition, these centers provide a long list of valuable services. 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 in your immediate area

Job postings and referrals

Printers, fax machines, phones, and copiers to use to 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 nearest One-Stop to you is:

Tennessee Career Center at Humboldt

1481 West Mullins Street
Humboldt, TN 38343
phn: 731-784-3552

You can Find more information here:

Tennessee Career Center at Humbold

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.

If you are really serious about finding a job with a criminal record, or you want to help someone you care about, visit my website From Jail to a Job

Real Help for Ex-offenders and Felons Looking for Jobs

Sister of a felon wants to help him get a job

Can Withheld Adjutication hurt my chances to get jobs?

Will a withheld adjudication keep me from jobs?

Hello,

I am a mechanical engineer and I have not worked in over 5 years. I apply for up to 66 job postings a day and I rarely get a call back. I have a felony but it is "adjudicated withheld" which means I really do not have a felony. However, I discovered how easy it is to view my record online recently and I feel I am having trouble getting a call back because of it. In light of this, would it be advisable to include something on my resume or cover letter so I can at least survive the first round cut and get a return call?

I am too late in my career to throw it away and the idea of working for UPS or at a warehouse is not appealing.

Please tell me what I should do.

Thank you,

David

Hello David,

Frequently I get questions regarding Withheld Adjudication.  In Withheld Adjudication, there is an initial plea of guilty. The prosecuting attorney will offer a deal where certain conditions will placed on this plea. It is my understanding, once the conditions of the deferment are met (commonly a fine and probation,) the charges are officially dismissed. Because there is no conviction, you can legally answer “no” when the question is asked “Have you been convicted….” This will still stay as a charge and will appear on background checks as a charge and not a conviction. To absolutely certain of the status, you should check with the prosecutor or the probation officer associated with your case.

Regarding making reference to your charge on your resume or letters, I would suggest that you do not. Only talk about your charge if you are asked directly. If you are, you answer that the charges were dropped.

As I encourage all ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs, pay careful attention to the wording of the application. If it asks for convictions, you only have to list convictions. If it asks for arrests, you must list all arrests. If the charge is still a concern to you, you may qualify for expungement in your state.

I strongly suggest that you seek legal advice concerning this as I can only offer general information. You can contact your local legal aid office. You may be able to get low-cost or even free advice about deferment as it relates to your state. 

I hope this helps

 

Real Help for Ex-offenders and Felons Looking for Jobs

Will Withheld Judgement bar me from jobs?