Where can felons find a job?

Can anyone help with any information or assistance in obtaining a job with a felony charge? I was convicted in 2004 and currently on probation. I admit making some really poor choices. I know there are consequences for our actions and am paying my price. I have grown, learned and matured from my mistakes and am just looking for that open door to prove that once a felon - you are not always a felon.

I am a former teacher who fell into the nasty habit of drug addiction. I had four felonies, six misdemeanors, and ten months in jail with two years probation at the end. I am a good guy and a hard worker. Here is what I did when I got out of jail. Obviously, teaching is out of the question. I created an excellent resume and went after job interview after another. I was honest with potential employers at first, but that was no good. I finally settled for a job making 8.75 an hour at a hotel, which did not do a background check so I wrote on the application that I had never been convicted of a felony.

A few months go by and they find out. I'm suspended without pay (after receiving $1 more an hour and almost getting a promotion). I told my managers exactly what happened and they let me work there! In fact because I was honest if I don't lie again, then I will still receive the promotion making 12-13 an hour!

Bottom line is this. Don't listen to everyone about their nasty experiences hunting jobs. Most of them have no idea and only speculate about what they think. Everyone in life makes mistakes. My advice is simple: go for a job interview and blow them out of the water with you and your credentials. On the job application, leave the question blank (you are not lying if you leave it blank!). If they do a background check, then have in your possession a personal letter explaining what happened, how you are rehabilitated, and how having the felony was actually a positive experience because it helped you grow and mature as a person (that's what I would have done!). Don't lie because first they're already sketchy about hiring you because felons are thought of as dishonest (this is untrue, but that's how it works). The more honest you are, the better chance of you being hired.

Finally DONT GIVE UP!!! God works for the good of those who love him. I have a strong faith in God and I know that my 'bad' experience was actually good. I may never teach again. Four years of college for a degree in education went wasted but guess what? I will never turn back to drugs again and all my time and energy is put to use in my current job, and in my faith in God.

Don't ask advice, find it yourself. Great sources of jobs are careerbuilder.com, jobing.com (South Florida only), also monster.com. Don't go to craigslist, some of those employers are weird!

Believe me, I'm a felon and I'm trusted with a 92 room resort, credit cards, a safe, and nighttime management. Sure I didn't go to school for this, but the best part is that everyone in upper management knows exactly what happened. Be honest to them and yourself, you'll find not only a job but a career. Take it from someone who has been there...ME!

Good luck and remember, sincere prayer can take you anywhere you need to go.

Hi sonshine71,

To find companies hiring felons in your area, go to

http://www.governmen...
and find your local employment office.

They should be able to put you on the right track to finding a job.

Good luck!

I, too, am a convicted felon because of drugs. However, my felonies were theft related, so it adds to the concern of being untrustworthy. Also, I have several convictions, not just one. I can easily understand why some people would not consider employing me and I'm okay with that. I have to be.

But it's a numbers game. Put your resume out there. Knock on every door. Follow up on every lead. In my area, there is an Ex-Offender Job Specialist with the State Unemployment Office. Often times they know ahead of time who is willing to take a chance on you. Also, see if there is a State Office of Vocational Rehabilition in your area. Again, they know who will take the chance. Why would employers want to take a chance? Because they can get tax breaks for hiring you!

As for referrals. As your parole officer, probation officer, or other any other agencies that you work with. Ask your friends. Ask your family. Call old employers. Go to Job Fairs. Register with employment agencies (some will work with ex-offenders, some will not).

It has been a number of years since I was released from prison. My first job when I got out turned out to be one of the best jobs of my life, but it took 5 months to find it and I was getting discouraged. Don't let the discouragement keep you from continuing to knock on those doors. I suggest applying for 3 jobs per day, every day, until someone says yes.

It has been 13 years since I was released from prison and 10 years since my last felony arrest. What am I doing today? I'm the Controller for a multi-million dollar company. One of my felonies was for forgery, so don't believe it when they tell you that you can never get another job. I realize it would be harder for me to work in this field than some, but it is obviously not impossible because I'm doing it.

Good luck!

Maybe a small company that doesnt do background check.

Most jobs that doesnt require educational background usually don't care much for your past and only see you can ge the work done which would be hvac, welding, cut grass

I am a convicted folon also I make about $ 50.000 a year as truck driver. You will never get away from the shadow that follows you from the mistakes you have made, but life as a driver is very rewarding and you get to see the US. I think they need to rewrite some of our laws because mosy people have committed a infraction or two they just didn't get caught, and after you serve your sentence or pay your debt to society it should go away at least if it's your first time, or maybe after 5 years. of no infractions. Just remember you can make it.

I have been charged with forgery, not convicted, this was my first time every being in trouble, I am so scared. I was driving a car with the tags expired, the tags were fake on the car, I am trying to get it dismissed but I cannot find a job to continue to pay my Lawyer.
Anyone knows where I can go for a job? I have charged with forgery on my backgroung, but it doese not say a traffic violation.

hi tryin2survive,
I watched the video and it's very interesting, so thats how your survivng? well not bad.
so the way this business works is trying to get as many people to sign up, they pay the 10 dlls a month and you make money off of them? so if I was to sign up you make money off of me and who ever sign up after me signing up, I get money off of them and so on? so if that's the way it works why do you need a website? that's what I'm not understanding. would you answer me back, please.

how can you get a plea changed from a felony to a misdemeanor once its all over. or is it not possible???especially when I was the scape goat to save a drs behind? and screwd over buy courts/attorneys.

how can you get a plea changed from a felony to a misdemeanor once its all over. or is it not possible???especially when I was the scape goat to save a drs behind? and screwd over buy courts/attorneys.

I'm a felon also. Not sure about the term 'ex-felon', maybe ex-convict or ex-inmate, but still a convicted felon. My felonies stem from over 10 years ago but I'm turned down for most every job I try to get once (and if) they run a criminal background check. I've got 3 felonies involving burglary and grand theft. I was charged with 4 prior but all dropped and reduced to a misdemeanor for lack of evidence and plea. Don't think those show up though and also a different state. But I live in Virginia and they allow criminal checks past 7 years and pretty much any charges you've ever had. I hear some people say lie on your application and I believe it depends on the job. For example, I was a truck driver for a few companies and I know they will check it, so lying will only make you look bad. The more they stress criminal check the more they probably mean it, and you can take an educated guess that if you are trying to work at a bank or dealing with company funds, they are going to check. I'm pretty sure that being honest for a job I just recently tried to get, turned me down because I admitted it, and looking back on it, I would have at least had a damn chance if I didn't tell them. Trucking companies don't care much about having felonies as long as they aren't recent. It's one avenue that most felons could do. Swift Trans will train anyone but be honest, they will check. Can't have numerous recent reckless or speeding tickets either. One post mentioned sales. That's not a bad occupation, and I've done it before. Most don't even run background checks or even check previous employers. Which leads me to my 2nd to last idea for others. Many of us have trouble getting decent jobs, fact, and because of this we tend to change jobs because under paid or completely unhappy. I make up a resume, depending on certain categories of jobs I'm tying to get. Like one for sales, one for warehousing, dispatching, technician, etc. Each sounding good for that job and employer. Some info is true but I alter to make sound better. One trick that I have actually used is, for whatever reason or time-frame, I use my own cell phone number as one of the jobs. Best for last job because you can make up your own company sounding answering voice mail and either you call back to verify that work history or have someone else read the dates and title and answer basic questions. A good thing is that because of privacy laws you don't have to reveal much or anything past dates of employment, although some co's will press knowing that. End call and you just verified work history for years with whatever job title you think you can pass for. Hint: don't get far fetched, you may have to walk into that expects you to pass that off. My last thought.. (drum roll) is you can't just walk on into Canada and start over. I keep reading that bs on this site. Hot Tip: if you walk into Canada and don't already have permission from Canada from the office in DC, because of your felonies, you can be re-charged with your American felonies and put into jail in Canada and do more time. AND if you do get permission from Canada and pay the few hundred bucks for permission and move there, you are still a damn felon. Your record doesn't just disappear. Most, if not all saying that have never tried it. Good luck to all out there and don't let this world decide your happiness.

Try labor unions. I have a felony as well. My buddy works for the iron workers union, and he said when I get my license back he can get me a job. As long as you pay your union dues they don't care too much about your record. It might affect what jobsites you can go onto, but atleast they will find you work for good money.

http://yourgrantdollars.com/letter/index3.php?key=School%20Grants%20For%20Felons
Try this web site

JUST KEEP ON TRYING!!! AND LIE LIE LIE!! COME ON GUYS WE ARE FELONS, WE KNOW HOW TO MANOOVER (PROBABLY SPELLED WRONG HA HA). IF WE PUT HALF OF THE ENERGY INTO FINDING A JOB THAT WE DID INTO BREAKING THE LAW, WE'D BE FINE... I AM 29 YEARS OLD, FEMALE. 2 CONVICTIONS BOTH FOR POSSESION OF NARCOTICS. I JUST GOT A GREAT JOB WITH GREAT BENEFITS... THEY ONLY DID A STATEWIDE CHECK AND I AM NOT FROM THE STATE THAT I LIVE IN NOW... SO THE FELONIES DID NOT COME UP. I AM SOOO GRATEFUL FOR THIS, DON'T GET ME WRONG, I WAS SOOO WORRIED THAT THESE FELONIES WERE GOING TO STOP ME FROM GETTING A JOB, BUT NOPE, I ONLY BEEN LOOKING FOR ONE WEEK AND I AM ALREADY HIRED. I EVEN ASKED THE EMPLOYER HOW MY BACKGROUND CHECK CAME OUT, AND SHE STATED THEY DID THREE STATEWIDE CHECKS AND IT ALL CAME BACK WITH NO MATCHES, SO I AM GOLDEN... HOPEFULLY (HA HA) JUST KEEP TRYING THAT IS ALL I CAN TELL YOU, IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT ALL THE WAY. EAT, SLEEP, AND DRINK GETTING A JOB AND IF YOU REALLY WANT ONE YOU WILL GET ONE...

Go to your local community college and ask if they have a program, called Violence Prevention Project partnership. If so ask to see the Job Coach/Developer. The Job Coach can help you with-out stress, to locate the jobs that Hire people with background problems or felonies.

Go to your local community college and ask if they have a program, called Violence Prevention Project partnership. If so ask to see the Job Coach/Developer. The Job Coach can help you with-out stress, to locate the jobs that Hire people with background problems or felonies.