Job Hunting with a Criminal Record - CareerAlley

Job Hunting with a Criminal Record - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Its tough to find a job in the current economy. Many college graduates are actually coming out of school and having trouble finding employment. Unfortunately, those with criminal records, even old ones, have an additional impediment in their job search. Its important for people to know how a criminal record can hinder their job search, but its even more essential to know methods that will lessen this effect. Only when an individual knows all of the facts related to criminal records and employment will they have the best chance of landing a job. It is important that you spend your time looking in the right places and speaking to the right people. Specialist recruiters who work in your industry and specialize in challenging backgrounds are a great source of help with your job search. They will be able to offer advice on your search and will have direct access to a wide array of available jobs. Identify recruitment firms in your space and seek out consultants who work in your area. You can find their information via LinkedIn and they are always happy to hear from new candidates. Tips to Boost Your Job Search How Criminal Histories affect Job Searches Every private employer in the United States has the absolute right to deny a person employment based on a previous criminal record. Unfortunately, many companies take full advantage of this right. It obviously makes sense in some respects. An organization that provides care to children would not want a convicted sex offender within their company, but not all cases are as cut and dry as this. source Other employment opportunities can be seriously affected by certain convictions. Any job that involves credit cards (i.e. waitress, call center representative, retail employee) would likely restrict a person with a financial crime conviction. The big issue, however, is the fact that employers can deny a person a job based on any criminal history. This becomes an issue when two equally qualified candidates come up for a job, but one of them has a criminal history. Lessening the Effect of a Criminal History Luckily, there are cases in which a person may be able to avoid the scarlet letter of prior convict as it relates to their job search. These instances will vary greatly from state to state. Some areas, for instance, restrict employers from asking about convictions that have been expunged. There are even states that have disallowed the inquiring of a drug crime if an individual completed a drug diversion program. Whether you talk to a criminal defense attorney in Orlando or one in San Francisco, most attorneys will tell you that the best thing that a person can do is file for their records to be expunged or sealed. This process will vary between states, but having these things done to a criminal record will essentially make the record nonexistent. Governmental employers will likely still be able to see these records, but a regular private employer will usually not be able to ask about the conviction or see it on a background check.