Felon in Ohio needs help finding Jobs

Hello. My name is Mikee and I am 21 years old. I was recently charged with felony possession of methamphetamine for drugs that my (now) ex-husband left in my car. I did not know he was on drugs and now it has ruined my life and future.

I'm having a terrible time finding a job. My biggest problem is that I am not qualified to do anything, really. I only have one year of experience in retail sales. I do not have a college degree, but I did graduate from high school and complete a year in community college. I have many skills: computers, customer relations, fluency in Spanish; my town (Columbus, GA) is just not a good place to find a job, even with a clean record. I have tried Goodwill with little success. They look at me without much hope when I tell them I have a felony, but I have tried to keep my spirits up regardless and keep searching.

I would very much appreciate if you could help me with some resources for felons without much experience. I am not picky about jobs, I cannot afford to be. I just want someone to give me a chance, let me get my foot in the door. I spent two months in jail. The crime has been paid for, even if I was not the one to commit it. Please, I live with my parents again now and they are threatening to put me out. They do not understand how hard it can be for felons. Thank you for providing such a wonderful resource for felons. You are doing good work here.

Mikee.

Felon in Ohio needs help finding Jobs

Hello Mikee,

Thank you for your kind words. Let me suggest a very underutilized resource that ex-offenders and felons can use to find jobs, One-stop Career Centers . Each state has a network of centers that offer a variety of free services that can help ex-offenders and felons get ready for jobs and assist them 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 employment.

You mentioned that you are in Columbus, Ohio. The center in Columbus is COWIC.

You can find the address and a list of available services here:

COWIC

1111 East Broad Street
Suite 102
Columbus, OH 43205

Also in Columbus there is the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services where you will find job search assistance and and other services and resources that can help your family.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
30 E. Broad St., 32nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

www.state.oh.us/odjfs/index.stm
I hope this helps. The best of luck to you.