I have been doing some research recently on trying to find a professional career with a criminal background. Apparently I have done everything backwards. I graduated from the University of Tennessee with honors, but soon after I got into some trouble. Long story short, I've done my time but I can't seem to find a job. I've tried everything, but this thing is beating me down. There is just no forgiveness and all the time I spent earning my degree is wasted just because of one mistake.
Thank you,
Frustrated
Jobs are scarce for a felon with degree
You may be surprised how often I hear stories like yours. Unfortunately sometimes good people go through some incredibly terrible things (remember that.) Don't give up on yourself or your education. I suggest to ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is to apply with well written cover letters introducing you and your resume. Often when apply for jobs this way, the "Have you been convicted..." question never comes up. If it does, it will be in an interview where you may offer some brief details of what led to your brushes with the law but focus on how you have overcome your past problems and what you have to offer.
As far as finding employment, make use of your local One-stop Career Center. You will find a lot of helpful services including job leads. You can find the center closest to you at http://www.servicelocator.org
I also suggest to those with college degrees to look to local community colleges. Often there are adjunct instructor positions available teaching basic subjects like English or basic math.
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: The Facts about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons
Jobs are scarce for a felon with degree
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The Truth About Felons,
Ex-offenders, Expungement and Jobs
Three years ago at the age of 22, I was arrested and charged with
Burglary/With Assault or Battery (FL Statute 810.02-2a) and
received a third degree felony. At the time I was in school to
pursue my nursing degree; however, at this time I am unable to
complete it because of my charge. I am soon to complete my
probation and although I am currently working in a restaurant, I
don't want that to be the end. I would actually like to find a
career and not just any job I could take. Would you happen to
know about sealed/expunging that would suit me? If I am unable to
get it sealed, is there any professional careers that I may
enter? I know this question has been brought up many of times,
but I am looking for a second chance at restarting my life and
being able to live independently.
Please help.
Thank you.
The Truth About Felons,
Ex-offenders, Expungement and Jobs
There are two points that I would like to make. First Sealing /
Expungement is not the cure all many ex-offenders
and felons believe it is.
Every state has its own statutes regarding the sealing or
expungement of
records. Some believe that arrest and conviction records are
totally erased and will never erased and will never be seen
again. In no case will that happen. Some states hide
records from public view. Records will always be available to
court systems, law enforcement and government
agencies. You will have to find out if expungement is
available in your state and if so, how would it affect your
convictions and how you could take advantage of these processes.
I suggest you contact your local legal aid office. You may find
low-cost or even no cost assistance. Once you find out that
information, your second question will be a lot easier to
answer.
Since records will always be available to government agencies,
ex-offenders and felons may find it
difficult to pursue careers that require licensing or
certification. You may have to to do a little research to find
out if your conviction will prohibit you from being licensed or
certified in your state. In all other cases, I suggest that you
apply for every job you feel otherwise qualified for.
Jobs for
Felons - A Way to Erase Your Criminal Record
Jobs for felons: Criminal Record Expungement & Federal
Pardons
Jobs for Felons:
Expungement of Criminal Records
Jobs for Felons:Expungement and
Finding a Job with a Criminal Record
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The Truth About Felons,
Ex-offenders, Expungement and Jobs
Hi,
And thank you for reading my email. I am a 35 yr old mother who
committed a mistake years ago and still today it haunts me.
In the year of 2011 I was in need of a job and came across a guy
in school who said he was security guard for a masseuse. Later on
he said she was hiring and I'll learn as I go. We met and had a
conversation. She explained very little and as we went for a ride
gave me a receipt book and said we would talk about it more in a
lobby of a hotel where she was staying as she is very busy and
travels most of her time. Also asked me to go with security guy
to collect payment as she would order food for us.
Story short, I
knocked on door with security standing by elevator. As I
walk in, the gentleman hands me money and I don't accept but ask
if before I can use restroom. I had a long ride. He replies yes.
As I open door, I get bum rushed by the cops and arrested for
prostitution. I had nothing illegal or dressed provocative.
The security left and the lady turned phone off. I was sent to
county jail for three days and couldn't call family to bail me
out with charges like that. In Long Island where it happened,
fought it for a year and lowered it down from prostitution felony
to misdemeanor violation/indecent exposure.
It's now 2018. Plz, do you think such a case can get expunged in NYC? I went to college have
associates in paralegal. Would a violation be shown? I have
friend lawyer and through nexus lexus wont show up criminal
record but when I sent my fingerprint to FBI, saw that even if it
got lowered to violation still shows I got arrested for
prostitution.
I want to become a nurse. I don't drink or do drugs. I
have 4 kids 17-15-8 and two months, single mom two honor roll
kids. Pls, I know its a long story. Pls, I need your advice for
2015 to be a better year. I'm always afraid to go to interview I
feel they would Know and don't know if they will believe my
story. My life is over.
Help
Can Expungement help Me
get a Job as a Nurse?
Hello,
I am not a legal professional, but to my knowledge, the State of
New York allows for the sealing of certain convictions under
certain circumstances. I suggest that you speak to a legal
professional about this for a more definitive answer.
For those outside of New Your state, I suggest contacting you
local legal aid office. There you can get information on
expungement. sealing of records and Certificates of
Rehabilitation in your state. You may even qualify for
low-cost or even no cost assistance.
Since you want to be a nurse, you will need to be licensed
by the state and your record will come up. Don't
give up hope. In the state of New York, you may be eligible
for a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities or
Certificate of Good Conduct. These certificates serve as
proof to the state that ex-offenders and felons have been rehabilitated and
may help you to be licensed.
Take a few minutes and look at
the videos below.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and
Felons: What Are Certificates, and Who Should Apply?
Jobs for Ex-offenders and
Felons: How to Apply for a Certificate of Relief
Jobs for Ex-offenders and
Felons: How to Apply for a Certificate of Good
Conduct
Jobs for Felons: The Facts about
Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons
(2018)
Can
Expungement help Me get a Job as a Nurse?
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ex-offenders | jobs that hire felons | places that hire
felons | felon friendly jobs | felon friendly employers |
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expungement | Certificate of Rehabilitation
I am a Black Man in America in 2018. I am having difficulty
getting any employment because of a 1977 felony conviction. Since
I got out in 1979, I got my college degree and two teaching
licenses in two states-Indiana and Illinois. My “inability” to
get employment seems as if this is nothing but a higher form of
Jim Crow.
I realize that I am not by myself but this appears so unfair to
people that are trying to live a totally new life. So many
people talk about “rehabilitation” but it seems as if it is just
talk. I have also been a member of NA and AA for 32 years. I had
a drug problem and I knew that if I resumed my habit, I would
have returned to the penitentiary. I took care of that first
because it was so important to do that.
I taught school for the public schools system for 13 years. I
disclosed my felony conviction to the school
system and it didn’t pose a problem to the system. Why is it
posing a problem now?
I served my time and I have totally changed my life. Will I have
to pay for this the rest of my life. I was 26 years old
when this happened and I am now 64 years old.
The law needs to be changed. Once a person serves his/her time
that should be the end of it.
I don’t understand how I taught for the school system for 13
years and my background was disclosed.
There also has been no recidivism in my case. I can understand
people going back to the penitentiary but I have only gone once.
What I have done with my life should matter but it does
not. I always thought that the goal of incarceration was
rehabilitation. Is it really?? Incarceration has become a viable
business.
People can change their lives. By not allowing someone to change
their life is such a grave mistake.
Why shouldn’t I be bitter? I will never give up in what seems as
if an uphill battle. Racism is still here. I could care less
about having a Black president.
Jobs for
Felons: Can I teach with an old
Felony?
Hello,
That's quite a story. I'm
not sure why you were let go after so many years even though you
disclosed the conviction at the time of your hire. As for
having a Black President, the food he eats doesn't fill my
belly.
It's easy to be discouraged and start
doubting yourself and society as a whole. Instead, lets
concentrate on some things that perhaps we haven't though about
before as alternatives. Don't give up hope of being a
teacher. In fact, you have already done the hard
part. You have a degree and you are already
certified. You have another very important quality.
You have experience and the wisdom and maturity of an older
person. All you will need now is to find teaching opportunities where your
conviction will matter a lot less than it does to the public
school system. There are many alternatives to teaching in
the public school system. In fact I encourage many of my
students who are ex-offenders and felons and also
have college degrees to pursue teaching as a career. Let's
look at a few options.
Private Schools
- These schools are supported by a private
organization or private individuals rather than by the government
and therefore may have quite different eligibility requirements.
Career Schools - A career or vocational school
is different from a four year college. Instead of taking
four years to get a degree, a vocational school allows students
to get specialized training in specific career fields in two
years or less. These schools also require courses in
general subjects like math, English and science just like
traditional colleges.
Community Colleges - Community colleges,
sometimes called junior colleges, are two-year schools that
provide affordable education as a pathway to a four-year degree
or a particular career.
Community colleges prepare students for jobs that require higher
education or workforce training. Typically community
colleges work with employers to develop flexible, affordable and
relevant training programs and partner with businesses which meet
local commercial and regional economic needs. These colleges also
have traditional degree programs.
Charter Schools - Charter schools are
independent schools that have received a charter, which is a set
of self-written rules and goals which determine how the school
will be structured and run. Generally, they are able to organize
a school that operates outside the control of the local school
district but still funded by local, state, and federal tax
money. Essentially charter schools are free public schools
that don't have to follow the same regulations as the local
school district.
These are just a few options I can think of just off the top of
my head. There maybe a lot more but this is a start. If you
are fortunate enough to get interviews, be prepared to talk about
your conviction. As I tell all of my students in your
position, when asked about the conviction, briefly speak about it
and how it has changed your thinking and your approach to
life. Focus the conversation on the time that has passed
and what you have done since then to improve yourself and how you
have used your own experiences to encourage young people not to
make the same mistakes that you have.
Just don't let your recent stumble keep you from moving forward.
Best of luck to you.
Jobs for Felons: The Facts
about Companies that Hire Ex offenders and Felons (2018)
Jobs for Felons: Can I
teach with an old Felony?
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 | how to get a
job with criminal record | second chance jobs for felons
| temp agencies that hire felons | high
paying jobs for felons
You may be surprised how often I hear stories like yours. Unfortunately sometimes good people go through some incredibly terrible things (remember that.) Don't give up on yourself or your education. I suggest to ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs is to apply with well written cover letters introducing you and your resume. Often when apply for jobs this way, the "Have you been convicted..." question never comes up. If it does, it will be in an interview where you may offer some brief details of what led to your brushes with the law but focus on how you have overcome your past problems and what you have to offer.
