You may find it a tiresome process to look for a job if you have been a convict. Our society doesn’t like to help felons to get back on the right track. Most employers are reluctant to consider people with a criminal record. Given below are a few things you can do if you have a criminal record and want to get hired.
5 tips to land a Job with a Felony
1. Do your Research
Don’t hide anything about your background from your employer during interview. If they do a background check and find you lied, it’s very unlikely that they will hire you. If they ask you something about your background, you should be honest and explain your situation.
2. Stay away from the Non-Starters
Some companies will never hire employees with a felony. Therefore, there is no need to waste your precious time on these employers. In other words, you should apply to those jobs that you think will be suitable for you. This will help you increase the efficiency of your job search.
The government orders some organizations to hire some ex-felons. Therefore, you should look for these organizations. Chance are that they will hire you regardless of your background. In exchange, these organizations get a tax break from the government.
Primarily, this tax break is given during the first 12 months after the release of a convict. Therefore, you shouldn’t waste time and look for these organizations as soon as you are released.
Aside from this, small businesses in your area may welcome ex-felons more than large organizations. Often, large companies have to follow strict procedures and processes when hiring new employees.
3. Get Help
As an ex-felon, you may not want to look for a job alone. It’s better to work with an organization that can provide you with assistance. For instance, you can contact a workforce development center. Aside from this, you can contact the social service centers to find out if they can offer assistance.
4. Start your own Business
If you have business skills, you can start your own business instead of working for someone else. For instance, you can become a consultant or freelancer. There is no one to stop you from kicking off your own small business.
Your background won’t become a hurdle in your way of success. After all, customers won’t buy from you just because you have a felony on your record.
5. Freelance Online
Freelancing online is a great way to make tons of money. Based on your skills, you can do a variety of jobs online. However, you should be aware of scams on the Internet. It’s not a good idea to pay anything upfront for a job.
Ideally, you may want to create awesome profiles on authentic freelancing platforms and bidding sites. These sites don’t require you to say anything about your background. Millions of people offer their skills on these platforms to their international clients.
For instance, if you are a good online marketer, writer, SEO expert or a researcher, freelancing sites can work for you. You can easily hire employees with a felony when you are an expert and know what you want.
So, these are a few tips that can help you land your first job as an ex-felon.
