Withheld Adjudication Keeping Ex-offender from Getting Jobs

Withheld Adjudication Keeping Ex-offender from Getting Jobs

Hello Eric,

I have an adjudication withheld/felony/battery from over ten years ago. I was never convicted and released from probation two years early for good behavior. I have payed my dues; court fees,anger management,community service and probation. Regardless if I admit to my background or not , I still can not find work, I have been turned down by big corporations like Walmart, and pending on my background from Home Depot. I can not work with children or elderly and had to drop out of nursing school. Now wanting to be a Vet Assistant because I love animals and a state license is not required; hoping this dream career is not crushed as well. Please help me get through this nightmare. It is my past not my present nor my future. I only defended my life, and could not afford a real attorney. Faced five years in prison if I was found guilty at my trial so I took a plea in my best interest not having a trial but now realizing it was in my worst interest. No matter how many years go by.

GT

Withheld Adjudication Keeping Ex-offender from Getting Jobs

Hello GT,

I believe you took the correct path with Withheld Adjudication.  There is absolutely no need for an expensive trial which you may have lost and got an awful conviction on your record and also be out of a lot of money.  This way you have no conviction on your record.

It seems that you are getting in your own way a bit.  Let's start with applications. Employers are rarely interested in charges, just convictions.  Typically, applications ask "Have you ever been convicted of a crime...."  Since you have not been convicted, you should NEVER list it on an application if the application asks for convictions.  The answer is "NO."

Let's get clear about Withheld Adjudication.  Withheld adjudication / deferred judgement/deferred adjudication generally relates to a determination by a judge to place a person on probation without a judgement of guilt. There will be terms set by the court, usually a fine and a period of probation. Once the conditions are fulfilled, the charges are normally dismissed.  Since your charges were dismissed you should NEVER list it.  Now, if an application asks for charges, you can list it and note that the charge has been dismissed.  Please, please. please don't take my word for this.  This is simply general information.  You should get clarification from the prosecutor associated with this case to be absolutely sure. As I tell every ex-offender and felon I work with, never offer information that is not asked for and it will make your job search a lot easier

I hope this helps you feel more confident when applying for jobs. 

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 Withheld Adjudication Keeping Ex-offender from Getting Jobs

Felon has serious conviction and needs job search help

Hello Mr. Mayo,

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

like this:

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.


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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

 

   

Felon has serious conviction and needs job search help