Felon has serious conviction and needs job search help
I love reading your blog. Thank you for this information. I have been looking for a job but I have a very serious charge and it is making it very hard for me to get a job. In 2002, I got into a fight with a guy. I didn't start it but the guy got beat up pretty bad and later died. I was charged with assault and involuntary manslaughter. I have done my time but I feel that this black mark is keeping me from getting a job.
I am not a violent person but this thing makes me look like a monster. What can I do?
Henry
Felon has serious conviction and needs job search help
Hello Henry,
That is quite a story. It's unfortunate that hings turned out the way they did. It certainly could have been a lot worse. You could have been the other guy. Your charge is serious but it is not the end of the world. I work with ex-offenders and felons everyday and I have had students with similar felonies and they are working to this day. To employers, theft, robbery and other crimes involving integrity are looked down far more than offenses like yours.
When you apply for jobs you should respond to the "Have you been convicted of a crime..." question this way. When answering this question you must list four things. You must list the location of the conviction (County, State,) the conviction, the date of the conviction and the disposition ( final outcome.) It should look
Cook County, Illinois, Involuntary Manslaughter (Isolated Incident,) June 2005, Time served, 13 years.
Notice the notation after the conviction "Isolated Incident." This tells the employer that this was something that was not planned, it was circumstantial. You will be surprised how well this works. When you get an interview, the charge will probably come up. You should begin your explanation of the incident with "I'm glad you asked that question because I want you to be comfortable hiring me......." then, most humbly explain what happened.
I tell every felon I work with that finding a job is a numbers game. The more jobs you apply for, the more interviews you will get. The more interviews you get, the more opportunities you will get to get hired. Apply for every job you feel you qualify for. Never eliminate yourself by not applying.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where Ex-offenders and Felons Can Find Jobs
Jobs for Felons: What Employers want on Applications
Are you a felon or ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: BelievePublications@comcast.net.
If you are really serious about getting a job or you want to help someone you care about get a job, check out this link: From Jail to a Job
