Three Strategies to Help You Get That Job Offer--Despite a Criminal Conviction—David Richardson
If you have a police record, and you are looking for work, then you know your history gets in the way of job offers. It is frustrating and discouraging. A job is necessary for ex-offenders to overcome a regretted past, but unless employers give ex-offenders a chance for a job, then those ex-offenders attempting to make a good faith effort to re-enter society have no effective tool to show positive change in their lives. In fact, unemployment is a major factor that predicts recidivism among recent ex-offenders. Those who find employment statistically do much better in staying out of prison.
Therefore, you need some tools to help you deal with …show more content…
It is just that important. To put the overall strategy simply, it is a matter of proving: “That was then; this is now.” In other words, the explanation must show that your life has changed dramatically from your life prior to your arrest and conviction. You must show that the positive things you are currently doing and the healthy relationships you have developed more accurately describe your life, rather than the past’s criminal history. To do this, you first must take responsibility for past mistakes, and express regret for the damage done to others and yourself. Then explain some of the positive steps you have taken, such as getting more education, volunteering in your community, participating in a spiritual community. These things go beyond simply saying that you have changed your life; they provide proof to back up the claim. Then in the light of this evidence, request the opportunity to prove yourself, offering to meet any requirement the employer might make in exchange for a chance. Then end by saying, “I see a job as a tool to escape a troubled past; I won’t disappoint …show more content…
This will provide supporting evidence for your explanation of conviction, for volunteering shows a changed life in concrete terms. Many community organizations would gratefully accept your offer to volunteer. Non-profit organizations and churches always need helping hands to man phone banks, to raise donations, and even to perform physical labor. Opportunities abound, so take advantage of them.
By volunteering with community non-profits, you demonstrate personal responsibility to make your community a better place. This is the kind of maturity employers look for in applicants, and it is such maturity that backs up you explanation of conviction. Remember, this volunteering does not have to be oppressive. You could be donating just a few hours per month—even less, but it still counts. It counts to prove that you are socially responsible and personally mature, which is exactly the kind of proof you need to present during a job
If you have a police record, and you are looking for work, then you know your history gets in the way of job offers. It is frustrating and discouraging. A job is necessary for ex-offenders to overcome a regretted past, but unless employers give ex-offenders a chance for a job, then those ex-offenders attempting to make a good faith effort to re-enter society have no effective tool to show positive change in their lives. In fact, unemployment is a major factor that predicts recidivism among recent ex-offenders. Those who find employment statistically do much better in staying out of prison.
Therefore, you need some tools to help you deal with …show more content…
It is just that important. To put the overall strategy simply, it is a matter of proving: “That was then; this is now.” In other words, the explanation must show that your life has changed dramatically from your life prior to your arrest and conviction. You must show that the positive things you are currently doing and the healthy relationships you have developed more accurately describe your life, rather than the past’s criminal history. To do this, you first must take responsibility for past mistakes, and express regret for the damage done to others and yourself. Then explain some of the positive steps you have taken, such as getting more education, volunteering in your community, participating in a spiritual community. These things go beyond simply saying that you have changed your life; they provide proof to back up the claim. Then in the light of this evidence, request the opportunity to prove yourself, offering to meet any requirement the employer might make in exchange for a chance. Then end by saying, “I see a job as a tool to escape a troubled past; I won’t disappoint …show more content…
This will provide supporting evidence for your explanation of conviction, for volunteering shows a changed life in concrete terms. Many community organizations would gratefully accept your offer to volunteer. Non-profit organizations and churches always need helping hands to man phone banks, to raise donations, and even to perform physical labor. Opportunities abound, so take advantage of them.
By volunteering with community non-profits, you demonstrate personal responsibility to make your community a better place. This is the kind of maturity employers look for in applicants, and it is such maturity that backs up you explanation of conviction. Remember, this volunteering does not have to be oppressive. You could be donating just a few hours per month—even less, but it still counts. It counts to prove that you are socially responsible and personally mature, which is exactly the kind of proof you need to present during a job