My name is Lamar. I was on your site today about jobs for felons. Being that I have not found a job even throw I just finished culinary school to become a chef but I also would like to start my own catering business some day as well being that this is what I like doing.
Felon Chef needs a job
Hello Lamar,
Vocational schools usually have a placement department that find jobs for their graduates. I suggest you contact that department and put them to work. Next, you should go to your nearest One-stop Career Center. Each state has a network of centers that offer a variety of free services that can assist you in finding employment. In addition, these centers offer a wide array of services that can help a felon get jobs. Some services available are:
Counselors for One-on-one Assistance
Workshops (Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, and related topics.)
Computers with internet access and word processing
Lists of thousands of job listings
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 that could help ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs.
You can find the nearest location of the One Stop Career Center in your local phone book or on the web at:
Many people are looking for jobs. Please do not give up. Meanwhile I suggest getting your local telephone book and make a list of all of the restaurants and bars/grilles in your area. Contact each one of them, in person if possible, and inquire about open jobs. Even if they don't have any openings, leave your contact information or personal business card and make yourself available for on-call work. Frequently restaurants are in trouble when employees for some reason or another can't make it to work. You could fill in on an as needed basis. I'm sure if you do a good job, you will be at the top of the list when an opening arises. Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs can find them with hard work and the right attitude.
I hope this helps.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where can Ex-offenders Find Jobs
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record
Jobs for Felons: Ex-offenders and Felons can get
Jobs
Getting a job is hard. Getting a job with a criminal record is
definitely harder. Having a criminal record is no reason to give
up hope. There are felons being hired everyday. Those who know what to do get hired. Those that don't will have a tougher time. Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobswill have greater success by developing
a plan using these important steps.
Find Companies that Hire Felons
Dress Like a Professional
Get a Personal Contact Card
Always be Honest
Use Resumes and Cover Letters
Build a Good Network
Build a List of Good References
Always be on Time
Practice and Prepare
Get Ready to Work Hard
Find Companies That Hire Felons
More and more employers are hiring felons. With the unemployment rate at its lowest in a long time, employers are having a hard time finding qualified applicants to fill open positions. Only a short time ago, ex-offenders and felons were shut out of jobs. Now there are many companies that can say that they offer employment opportunities to people with criminal records,
Finding companies that hire felons is half of the battle. Take a look at this long list of employers that may hire felons. Click Here
Dress like a professional!
There is no substitute for a powerful first
impression. If ex-offenders and
felons looking for jobs want to be treated like
professionals, they ought to look like professionals. A fact of
life is that most of us will be judged at least partially, by the
way we look. Meeting someone for the first time, you should
look as professional as possible. A nice suit, a light colored shirt, a tie and nicely shined pair of shoes wold do the trick. At the very least, you should have a light colored shirt, dark slacks, a tie and once again shined shoes. You may not own clothes like these, but you should do your best to get them. You should look like someone who is serious about getting hired. You will never get a
second chance to make a first impression.
Get a personal contact card
Nothing will set you apart from the competition like having your
own contact card! A professionally done contact card will leave
everyone you meet with a powerful, professional, lasting
impression. Your card should include your name, address,
telephone number and email address. If you have a
particular profession or skill, it should also be on the
card. Your local printer can help you put one together. You
will be amazed just how affordable this powerful little tool can
be. If you have a computer. you can make your own. You can get card paper from Staples or Office Depot and you can make your own professional looking card.
Always be honest
I encourage ex-offenders and felons to
always be honest when searching for jobs especially on
applications and interviews. There is often a temptation to lie
about criminal pasts. I have know many people who have not
been honest on applications and gotten jobs, only to get fired
later when background checks are done. It is always better
to be honest. In this high-tech computer age, it is relatively easy to do a background check on virtually anyone, so don't count on your record not being found.
If you are asked about criminal records on interviews, you should
briefly speak about it but focus on what you have learned and why
having a job and working hard is important.
Use resumes and cover letters to get jobs
Ex-offenders and felons will have more success getting
hired if they can get their resumes into the hands of people who
can hire them. Sending a resume with a cover letter will
give them a huge advantage. A well written cover letter will introduce you
and help you ask for an interview in a professional way.
Often when ex-offenders and felons inquire about jobs this way,
the question of criminal records never comes up. If you
don't know much about writing a cover letter, find someone who
does and get it done properly.
Build a good network
Most people get jobs through people they know. Who you know
is often just as important as what you know. Finding job leads
from people you know is called networking and it is without
question the single most powerful way to get a job. Many jobs are
never advertised because they are often filled by personal
referrals. In fact, employers would rather hire somebody referred
to them instead of looking through piles of resumes and
applications.
Contact as many people as you can think of and ask if they know
of anyone who is hiring. Ask for the person who is in charge of hiring and try to get an application or try to arrange for an interview. The more applications you can get to people in charge, the greater your chances to get a job.
Build a list of good references
A lot of
applications ask for personal or professional references. A
reference is someone who would say something positive about you
or your work performance. Past teachers, previous employers,
ministers, and other prominent members of your community would
all be great references. Please ask people if they would be a reference
for you before you list them. If they agree, get their addresses, phone numbers, email addresses or other contact information.
Always be on time!
You should always plan to arrive at least 15 minutes
before all interviews and other
appointments. Arriving early will allow you to relax and make any
final preparations. You must know exactly how long it would
take to get to the interview location. If you don't know,
make a dry run to the location a day or so before to gauge your
travel time. There is absolutely no excuse for ever being
late.
Practice and prepare!
Getting a job with a criminal record will depend on how well
you prepare. Practice everything on your job search from filling
out applications, shaking hands, body language and
interviewing.
Like
anything else, interviewing well will take practice. The more you
practice, the better you will get. Practice your body
language in front of a mirror. Predict the interviewer’s
questions and practice answering them until they sound natural.
Don't memorize your answers but practice making them complete
thoughts in your own words.
Get friends and family members to take turns being the
interviewer. Practice the whole interview from beginning to
end. If possible, make video recordings of your practice
interviews so you can see and hear your responses to questions
and your use of grammar and body language. The more practice you get, the better you will get at everything.
Get ready to work hard!
Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs must realize that they are playing a game of numbers.
More job leads mean more interviews. More interviews mean more
opportunities to get hired. It's that simple. Getting
enough quality jobs leads will result in a job .
Finding a job with a criminal record will require a huge
commitment in time and effort. Put your time in making phone
calls, filling out applications and digging for leads. Effort in
practicing, and preparation will have to go with putting the time
in. Every minute you take off leaves an opening for someone
else to get a job instead of you.
There are ex-offenders and felons
getting jobs everyday. Work hard and prepare well and you
could be one of them!
You can be bonded free of charge!
The federal government offers felons free bonding. When you get an interview you can tell the employer that you can get bonded at no charge to you or the employer. If the employer has concerns about you being an honest employer, you can say "I can be bonded." A bond insures the employer from loss of money, merchandise or services due to employee dishonesty. This may be the difference between getting a job or not getting a job. You should speak to your state's department of labor representative at your local one stop career center. You can find out more about the Federal Bonding Program and how it helps ex-offenders and felons get jobs here: Federal Bonding Program
Ex-offenders and Felons
can get Jobs
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons:
Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record
Jobs for Felons: The Facts about
Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons (2020)
Jobs for Felons: Five Places
Felons Can Find Jobs - Get a Job Quickly!
My son is 29 yrs old and has two theft felonies in his background. But thanks to a good woman and two wonderful sons age 7 and 4 he has turned his life around. For 2 1/2 yrs he has gone to the methadone clinic, no longer hangs with any of the drug friends, went to Kaplan college and got his electrical technician certificate, has 6 years experience framing/roofing/plumbing/remodeling/tree trimming but just can't find work that lasts for more than a few days at a time. All he wants is a chance to earn enough money to feed his children and pay his electric bill. We have put out applications everywhere but the minute he is truthful and tells the employer of his criminal record (which is has a written copy he can show them) they just treat him like he is dirt.
Where can we turn? He is a hard worker.
Nancy
Skilled felon is looking for jobs
Hello Nancy,
Your son is ahead of most ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs. Even though things might seem tough, people with criminal record might have to thing outside-the-box when it comes to looking for work. He has skills in electrical work and carpentry. He could start a home handyman business the he can can use to build a good income. If he is willing to put in a little work, he could turn odd jobs into a full time home handyman business. You'd be amazed how many people can't put in a light switch or fix a leaky faucet. You could offer to do small jobs at a fraction of what big time contractors charge while guaranteeing quality work.
Starting his own business will be a lot of work. He would have to be prepared to work long hours finding customers and promoting his business. The least costly way to start is to print up flyers with tear off tags, and post them on community bulletin boards. Post them in grocery stores, laundry rooms, community recreation centers, bus stops, and churches. Highlight the quality of his service and his dependability. He should always include phone number tear off tags on the flyer, so interested people can just take one phone number.
Another interesting option is to make a list of local contractors and offer to himself out as a day laborer. There are probably quite a few contractors in your area looking for day laborers as a way to keep their own costs down. He could get a list of contractors that have recently been issued building permits at your local municipal building. This is public record so he should have no trouble getting that information.
Still another option is to find landlord with multiple rental properties. Landlords need dependable people to keep the properties up and do repairs that tenants need done. If he finds one with enough rentals, it could be a full time job that would pay well. One great way to find a long list of property owners is contacting your local office of Housing and Urban Development. HUD pays subsidies to landlords on behalf of tenants. In order to get payments, the properties must meet HUD standards and are inspected frequently.
If his dream is finding regular employment, he shouldn't give up and he could earn a living in the meantime.
My husband has been released from prison after ten years about 3 months ago. Since than time we're finding it very hard for him to find employment. I mean extremely hard and he has become very depressed. He has gone to target, walmart, meijers, home depot, best buy, Kroger's, McDonald's, kfc, you name it we have filled out applications. He has called them on several occasions to check back about employment. He has two violent felonies and has had many doors slammed in his face. He just feels like giving up. I don't want him to do anything drastic at this point. I really don't know how much more to help him. Is there any advice you can offer us? It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Concerned Wife
Wife of felon wants to help him get a job
I'm sorry your husband is having so much trouble. Having two violent felonies makes getting a job difficult. It's time for some out-of-the-box thinking.
My suggestion is for him to contact his parole or probation officer. Often they know of employers who hire felons. They also have felons on their caseloads who have gotten jobs. perhaps the officer can point him in the direction of these employers.
Another strategy that often works is to have your husband contact the judge who sentenced him. Judges are influential people with many contacts. He can express to the judge how important getting a job is and his desire to stay on the right side of the law. He should ask the judge for any assistance he can offer. You will be surprised at how effective this will be.
I hope this helps.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Ten Steps to getting a Job with a Criminal Record
My boyfriend has a criminal background and he needs a job. I wouldn't say that he's a convicted felon because he never actually got sentenced to do time in a state prison just time in the county prison. We live in New Jersey and I wanted to know where should he start to look for a job.
Felon needs to know where to look for a job
Hello,
I believe you are a bit confused. If he was sentenced to serving time in the county jail, he was convicted. Generally, county sentences are limited to 364 days. Anything longer is served at state prison. He needs to find out if he was convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor. Ask him to take a look at his disposition (release papers.) This is important because he has to know how to answer the "Have you been convicted of a crime?" question. If he was sentenced to do time, pay a fine or probation, the answer is "yes." Knowing how to properly complete employment applications will make the felon job search more successful.
As far as where to look for a job. Take a look at the video below. It outline several resources a felon can use to get a job. I always suggest the local One-stop Career Center. There are many services there that an ex-offender or felon will find useful.
There is also a link below to a list of employers that hire ex-offenders and felons.
Where can ex-offenders and convicted felons find jobs
Jobs for Felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record
I have a criminal record and I can't find a job. I have been filling out applications everywhere. Do you have any advice for someone who has made some mistakes? I hear this from felons all the time. Please don’t quit. You get nothing when you give up. You may just have to change your strategy. If I am an employer, I probably want to hire someone without a record before I hire someone without one. Most applications will ask about criminal convictions. If you are honest, as I recommend, an employer may not want to hire you.
A good strategy for finding job openings is to apply to employers directly. Once you have decided on the type of work you would like to do, the next step is to choose employers that could use your services. Felons stand a better chance of being hired by smaller companies rather than larger ones. The owners or managers of smaller companies usually make the hiring decisions. Make a list of employers in your chosen field. Contact each one of them to see if there are positions available and how to apply. The telephone is the best method of contacting employers. You may even get job leads from people you know. Another advantage to applying to small companies is they are less likely to run background checks because they can be expensive.
If you get an interview, make a point to mention the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. To a small business, this may be an incentive to hire a person with a criminal record. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is offered to employers as an incentive to hire any one of nine targeted groups with barriers to employment, felons included. An employer may receive a credit of as much as $2,400 for hiring a felon. You can find more information here:
Also remind any prospective employer that you can be bonded by the Federal Bonding Program. The ability to be bonded will be a big plus. A felon can be bonded free of charge. You can get more information on the federal bonding program here:
I have a question. I am currently in the process of applying to work for the New York City Board of Education but I am worried that I may not get the job because I have a juvenile conviction. I was arrested on grounds for felony for reckless endangerment but I took a plea bargain and opted out for a misdemeanor instead. I was arrested back 91/2 years ago.
I have to get my fingerprints taken and have a background check done on me so I am nervous that my conviction will pop up. And I have a sealed record but I am wondering will that also affect anything in my applying to work for the New York City board of Education.
I get a lot of questions like this from juvenile ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs.
Let me understand. You are afraid that a 9 1/2 yr. old juvenile misdemeanor conviction will stop the New York City Board of Education from hiring you.
It is my understanding that juvenile records are sealed and can only be seen by the court system, law enforcement and government agencies. Even if it were public, I doubt anyone would hold a 9 1/2 yr. old juvenile misdemeanor charge against you.
Here in NJ where I am, job applicants are not even bound to include juvenile convictions. I'm not sure about NY state. To be absolutely sure, I would contact someone in your local legal aid office for clarification.
I hope this helps.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Employment Background Checks: Know Your Rights
Will a juvenile record keep me out of a job?
Companies Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Felons | Companies That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Ex-offenders | Employers That Hire Felons | Jobs For Felons | Jobs For Ex-offenders | Jobs That Hire Felons | Places That Hire Felons | Felon Friendly Jobs | Felon Friendly Employers | Jobs for Felons | Jobs For People That Have Felonies | Jobs For People With A Criminal Record | Juvenile Record
Well I was charged with failure to stop after having an accident involving personal injury and I'm a little misunderstanding of what it means for it being a class four felony. I want to get into the military cuz lets face it at this point in time the chances of me getting a decent job to support me and family is really really low with this charge on me.
I don't see any other options cuz from what I have been gathering with web browsing you can't get certain certificates and degrees to work and money is not real good at the moment to just lolly gag so my questions are as follows
1. Can I get it expunged?
2. Is it a felony misdemeanor
3. How would I go about tryin to get in the military with this?
4. What states would this not count as a felony....... and I'm sorry if its a lot or jus very scrambled. I want the best for my child and wife so I'm a little everywhere with this but I'm looking forward to this response thank you.
Ernesto
Felon wants a Military Career
Hello Ernesto,
Questions 1, 2 and 4 are best answered by an attorney. Often ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs need legal assistance. I suggest contacting your local legal aid office. There you will probably be able to get low-cost or low-cost legal advice. They may be also be able to answer questions about ex-offenders and felons getting professional certifications.
Just a note on expungement, it is not an option in every state. Even in states which allow them, often they are limited. For example, in New Jersey, where I am, one is allowed only one felony expungement. It cannot even be applied for until ten years after the termination of the sentence. Expungement is not a cure all. Even if one is granted, the conviction will always be visible to the court system, government agencies and law enforcement.
Don't give up on a military career. The military often accepts ex-offenders and felons and there are many career options. Your best option is the Army. The Army seems to be the most liberal as it relates to accepting ex-offenders and felons. Contact you local Army recruiter to inquire about your eligibility.
I hope this helps.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Employment Background Checks: Know Your Rights
Jobs for ex-offenders and Felons: Expungement of Criminal Records
I am an LPN and have first offender charges of prescription fraud (doctor shopping) on my record. Due to injuries sustained in an auto accident and medications needed and prescribed by my neurologist, I can no longer practice as a nurse. I have undergone extensive counseling and am still paying fines. I wanted to contest the charges due to my medical records supporting my prescriptions. I instead was advised to take these charges to avoid another more severe charge.
My question is, can my charges on my record affect my application and testing to be a licensed cosmetologist? I want to be a productive citizen of society and support my son and myself. I want to try something else and I think I can and will enjoy this field but want to know these things before I invest the money in training.
Felon wants job as Cosmetologist
Unfortunately you are forced to change careers. Barbering/Cosmetology is a great field to get into not only for employment but there are are opportunities for self-employment down the line. I know of felons who have good careers in that field. I would suggest that you contact the Cosmetology Licensing Board in your state. They will be able to tell you if you are eligible. If you are unemployed, you may even be eligible for for free training through your state's department of labor
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Where can Ex-offenders Find Jobs
Jobs for Ex-offenders and Felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record
I get a lot of emails about getting a job with a criminal record. I get quite a few from ex-offenders regarding the list of companies that hire ex-offenders and felons. We have all seen the list. It is posted on a number of websites. I even have a variation of it on this blog here:
I have contacted each one of the companies on the list and none of them have official policies that exclude the hiring of ex-offenders. My list is a little different because it includes companies that have hired students that I have worked with personally.
Many people that read this list are confused. Just because an employer has hired an ex-offender in the past, does not mean it will hire every ex-offender or felon that applies for employment. The nature of the conviction of the person applying will come into play. For example, a person convicted of any type of theft or robbery will not be considered for any type of job where valuables are at risk. A person with a drug conviction will not be considered for jobs in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes etc. There maybe even local laws which prohibit those with drug related convictions to be employed anywhere alcohol is served.
Many types of jobs require licenses that people with certain types of convictions are ineligible for.
I have also met people who have have applied for jobs with some of the employers on the list and come to the conclusion that the employer doesn't hire felons because the employer did not them. Just by appearance, the person was a poor applicant who just didn't make a good impression or did not fit in what the employer feels a good employee looks like.
Before you apply for any position, you have make sure you put yourself in the best position to be hired. The first and most important is appearance.
Do you have suitable interview clothes? For men, a well fitting suit with a nice shirt and tie would be the absolute best thing to have. That may not be possible for someone just coming home but I suggest that men at least have dark dress slacks, a light colored shirt and a coordinated tie. You should also have a pair of shoes that you can put some polish on. Not boots, not sneakers…shoes! A good number of my students buy their interview clothing at thrift stores like Goodwill or the Salvation Army store. They find quality clothes at very low prices, clean and press them and they are ready to interview. Never mind how you get them, the right clothes will make the difference. You should also have a neat haircut and be clean shaven. If you wear a beard, it should be neat and trimmed. How do you look? Do you look like an ex-offender with a shirt and tie or do you look like a businessman? Do you look like you are going to a
business meeting? You should - an interview is a business meeting. You should always look like a professional who is there to make a business deal! Always dress like you have an interview even to fill out applications. You will never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Women should wear a classic skirted or pant suit with a light colored blouse or a simple dress that does not come up above the knee. Do not wear anything too tight or too skimpy. Be sure to wear coordinated pumps that are neat and clean. The pantyhose should match the skin with no pattern.
Hair should be neat and of natural color. A short hairstyle is best, but tastefully done longer hair is fine. Fingernails should be neatly trimmed with tasteful polish. The make-up should be natural looking. One set
of earrings (no larger than a quarter) no facial piercings or tongue ornaments, one ring per hand and no more than one bracelet per wrist. If you have visible tattoos, especially on the neck or face, should be covered by makeup.
Do you have a resume? A resume will present your skills, past experience and other information in one neat package. Everyone looking for a job should have a resume. If you do not have a well written resume, you should do what you have to get one.
How are your interview skills. Once again, you will have to leave an employer with a good impression of you, so brush up on your interviewing skills
This is a great list and a great opportunity for ex-offenders and felons to get hired for jobs. Make the most of the opportunity!
Jobs for Felons The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons (2021)
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Tips to help felons get jobs
Jobs for Felons: How does a Criminal Record Affect Employment?
List of Companies that hire ex-offenders and felons
Counselors for One-on-one Assistance
