Working With a Criminal Record

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Working With a Criminal Record

• Presented by
• Kim Coleman
• CEO,
• Employment Ventures
• www.employmentventures.org
• E-mail ceo_at_employmentventures.org

2
The Facts
Today's competitive job market presents a
challenge for anyone seeking to move up. But a
criminal record can make finding even entry-level
positions even more difficult. Rising Inmate
Populations Mean More Ex-Offenders Seeking
Jobs Skyrocketing inmate populations mean
millions of inmates released from jail or prison
over the past five years are facing this
scenario. Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics
(BJS) data show that in 2009, more than 8.5
million adults were under some form of
correctional supervision, including prison or
jail, parole and probation. Approximately 3.4
million were incarcerated, leaving 4.9 million in
society -- and looking for work. Ex-offender
population demographics are also a factor. In
2009, there were 6,374 African American male
prison inmates per 100,000 African American males
in the United States, compared to 1,870 Hispanic
male inmates per 100,000 Hispanic males and 687
white male inmates per 100,000 white males. In
other words, African American males are
incarcerated at a rate nearly seven times that of
white males.
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What You Need to Know

• Though you may not have been guilty of the crime
  you were accused of, employers may not see it
  that way. Be ready for some rejection, it is part
  of the game. Many employers participate in
  community rehabilitation programs that assist
  ex-offenders in landing gainful employment.
• Record expungement is not etched in stone. There
  are over 8,000 websites where employers can find
  anything they want to know about your legal
  background. Think before you spend money on this
  effort. Get sound legal advice and
  representation to pursue an expungement.
• Check your own record to know exactly what an
  employer will see.
• Check the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
  website https//cch.state.mn.us/Common/BCAHome
  .aspx

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What You Need to Know

• Prepare yourself by visiting a local workforce
  center and enroll into a Job Readiness program
  where an Employment Counselor can provide you
  with needed strategies and resources to
  successfully gain employment.
• There are no miracles, you will need to cater
  your job search in a direction that fits your
  situation and know how to sell yourself.
• If your release requires you to find employment
  in a limited time to prevent re-incarceration,
  use temporary agencies for immediate placement,
  but continue search for full time employment.
• Your Employment Counselor may provide you with a
  list of Felony Friendly employers. Dont put
  too much faith in this list. Employers have the
  right to advertise that their hiring policy
  includes employing individuals with criminal
  records, but they may not actually be as open to
  this practice as they claim to be.

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Interviewing

• Always be honest. If an employer hires you, then
  later discovers that you lied, the employer can
  likely legally fire you. That'll make it even
  tougher to land the next job.
• Outline your conviction by answering yes and then
  add Will explain in interview. Never disclose
  your record prior to the interview, and at the
  interview, only discuss it if the employer
  initiates it.
• Always take a brochure about bonding and tax
  credits if it applies to your situation. Explain
  the benefits to the employer. See the Department
  of Employment and Economic Development
  www.deed.state.mn.us/bonding
  www.deed.state.mn.us/wotc/page3.htm

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Employers Expectations

• Employers main concerns revolve around trust and
  safety issues because they have to protect their
  investments. Here are the main expectations
• Employee Safety Are you a danger to others.
• Attendance and Reliability Do you have strong
  work ethic will you attend work regularly.
• Interpersonal Skills Can you get along with
  others.
• Compliance Can you take orders and follow
  directions.
• Confidence Can you convince the employer you are
  the person for the job and that you will not
  revert to criminal activity.
• Quality Is your work good or accurate enough to
  represent the company.
• Productivity Is your work fast enough, i.e.,
  working at the rate an employer feels is
  reasonable to as of employees.
• Reliability If you say you will do something or
  be somewhere at a certain time, you will.
• Honesty Not stealing, telling the truth and not
  doing things on the worksite that are dishonest.

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Interviewing

• When you are discussing your record
• Be brief never go into great detail with an
  interviewer about your situation, remember the
  employer can get the information they are
  required to have from other sources.
• Dont make excuses. This makes the employer
  doubt your integrity and you may seem desperate.
• Present your situation in a positive manner to
  assure the employer that if they are concerned
  about any activity in your record, you have
  learned a valued lesson and took steps to correct
  your mistake/s i.e. anger management classes,
  skill building or other educational activities
  including work experience. Steer the interview
  toward the positives of your life as it is now.
• Stay relaxed and be confident

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Interviewing Questions

• QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT BE ASKED AT A JOB INTERVIEW
• 1. What do you know about our company? (Find out
  what you can about the company)
• 2. What qualifications do you have for this job?
  (Match what you know about
• the job and company to your experience)
• 3. What is your greatest strength? (Relate to
  job description)
• 4. What is your greatest weakness? (Turn into
  positive i.e., perfectionist with
• high self expectations. Admit a past problem
  and what you learned from it)
• 5. Tell about yourself. (Reveal something
  semi-personal but still professional)
• 6. What do you think you learned during your
  incarceration?
• 7. Why did you leave your previous job? (Turn
  into a positive)
• 8. Could you give an example of how you
  demonstrated skill?
• 9. Give me an example of how you handled a
  difficult situation on a previous job.
• 10. In a job, what interests you most/least?
  (Relate to position)
• 11. Where do you see yourself in three years?
  (Demonstrate ambition and
• flexibility)
• 12. What could you have done better on your last
  job? (Keep it positive)
• 13. What have you done recently that shows your
  initiative and willingness to
• work?

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Interviewing Questions

• QUESTIONS TO ASK INTERVIEWERS
• What specific responsibilities would I have?
• What might a typical workday in this job be like?
• What types of career paths do people typically
  follow when they are promoted out of this
  position?
• Who would be my supervisor?
• With whom would I be working?
• To what extent will I be working independently or
  as a team member?
• How large is the department?
• Is there a training program for new employees? If
  so, can you explain your
• training program?
• How would my performance be evaluated?
• How is superior performance noted?
• Is there a probationary period? If so, how long?
• How do I take time off to see my parole agent /
  probation officer, these are
• mandatory appointments?

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• INTERVIEW CHECKLIST
• Before the Interview
• ü Check location, time, date and name of
  interviewer
• ü Find out as much as you can about the company
• ü Prepare some answers to common interview
  questions
• ü Practice interviewing and ask someone to
  critique your performance
• ü Determine salary expectations
• ü Dress appropriately and present a clean
  appearance
• ü Take extra copies of your resume
• ü Arrive on time
• During the Interview
• ü Be prepared to shake hands when you introduce
  yourself to the interviewer
• ü Remember the interviewers name and use it
  during the interview
• ü Recognize that the interview is a conversation,
  not an interrogation
• ü Maintain good eye contact and try to smile
• ü Listen carefully and respond appropriately to
  questions
• ü Ask intelligent questions to show you are
  interested in the job
• ü Do not initiate money or benefits conversation
  until you have a job offer, but be prepared
• to negotiate a salary when the subject is raised

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Applications

• The following sample job application areas will
  give you an idea of
• what to expect when you apply for a job and how
  to present
• yourself to potential employers.
• You may be asked to fill out an application on
  the day of the
• interview, so make sure you are prepared to
  provide any necessary
• information about yourself and your employment
  history.
• Have this information and your resume with you at
  all places you
• apply to so each employer has the same
  information.
• Conflicting information can hinder your chances.
  You never
• know who knows whom. Employers do talk and
  exchange
• information.

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Applications

• Because your record can be accessed by the
  public, you are a
• target for identity theft. This is when someone
  accesses you
• private information and uses it illegally. In
  order to better protect
• yourself you have the following option
• At the top of your application write
• Due to identity theft, the dashed spaces will be
  completed if
• hired
• Personal Information
• First Name _____________________________
• Middle Name ___________________________
• Last Name _____________________________
• Social Security Number (enter dash)
  ------------
• Drivers License Number (enter dash) -----------
• Date of Birth (enter dash)
  -----------
• Street Address Use street address, not name of
  facility
• City _______________ State _______ Zip
  ________

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Applications

• Education
• High School If received GED while incarcerated,
• list school district instead of facility name
  
• Position Desired
• Title Always put the title you are applying for
  
• dont leave blank or say Any
• Desired Salary
• Never put open or any. Use a dollar amount
  or
• Negotiable

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Applications

• Work Eligibility
• Have you been convicted of or pleaded no contest
  to a felony within the last five years?
  Yes_______ No_______Please explain Will
  discuss in interview
• Have you been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or
  pleaded no contest to, an act of dishonesty, or
  breach of trust or moral turpitude, such as
  misdemeanor petty theft, burglary, fraud, writing
  bad checks, and other related crimes within the
  last five (5) years? Yes_______ No_______
• Please explain Will discuss in interview
• Do you have other special training or skills
  (additional spoken or written languages, computer
  software knowledge, machine operation experience,
  etc.)?
• List all obtained before and during
  incarceration. Also list any self-employment.

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Applications

• Employment History
• Please give accurate and complete full-time
  employment
• record. Start with present or most recent
  employer. Include
• military experience if applicable.
• Position (If incarcerated and held a job while
  incarcerated)
• Company Name Hennepin County
• Job Title List the actual title, if you took
  classes, list the
• class names
• Name of Supervisor Get permission from that
  person and
• explain what job you are applying for.
• Weekly Pay Rate of pay or 80.00/week cost of
  prison to
• house an Inmate.
• May we contact this employer? Yes _______ No
  _______
• Reason for leaving Program/classes ended

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Resumes

• MICHAEL JACKSON
• 100 Neverland Ranch Somewhere in California
  1-800-accused felon
• OBJECTIVE
• Full time position in the Industrial/Hospitality
  fields where I can utilize my experience in
  service and problem solving
• to enhance the productivity of the company.
• SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
• Industrial/Hospitality
• Proficient warehouse worker with knowledge of
  shipping/receiving processes
• Experience with factory assembly work and Punch
  Press operation
• Experienced Janitor familiar with various
  chemical cleaning processes
• Human Services
• Experience with counseling and promoting
  individuals toward obtaining treatment for
  Alcohol and other drug abuse (AODA)
• PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
• 2002-2004 Treatment Tutor Hennepin County-MN
• 1998-2001 Outreach Worker/Maintenance Hennepin
  County-MN
• 1996-Present Temporary Assignments Work
  Connection - Saint Paul, MN

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Fitting In on the Job

• Being the new person on the job is not always
  easy. Many people watch you to see what type
  worker you are. The new person often gets the
  work that no one else wants. Until you know who
  to trust, watch what you say, and be aware that
  not all advice given by employees is true.
• To fit in on the job you must look and act in a
  way similar to other responsible workers. This
  means your dress and grooming should be
  appropriate work is not the place to try out the
  latest fads in clothing or hairstyles.
• Work is not the place for alcohol, drugs or
  romantic relationships, or dwelling on personal
  problems. Never draw negative attention to
  yourself. Your time on the job should be spent
  working, not spent on matters that would get in
  the way of your doing the job well or making
  others uncomfortable.
• While you are learning your job, stay in touch
  with your supervisor. Do what your supervisor
  tells you to not what other workers say. Ask
  questions when you need to but dont be a pest.
  Let your supervisor know when you have finished a
  task and that you are ready for new assignments.
  This tells the employer you are hard working and
  motivated.
• If you have to miss or be late for work (try not
  to), let the supervisor know in advance and
  provide written excuse or absences when possible.
• Obtain a job description and/or outline of what
  is expected during your probationary period and
  follow the guidelines so you can do your best to
  get a good performance review.

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Resources
Criminal Justice Information National Criminal
Justice Service www.ncjrs.gov   FBI Uniform Crime
Report www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm Juvenile Justice
Stat. Brief. Book  http//ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstatbb
/index.html National Archive of Criminal Justice
Data www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACJD Bureau of Justice
Statistics www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs Disabilities U.
S. Dept of Justice ADA  www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adah
om1.htm Office of Disability Employment
Policy www.dol.gov/odep/welcome.html Job
Accommodation Network www.jan.wvu.edu/ Rehab
Services Administration www.ed.gov/about/offices/l
ist/osers/rsa Disability Information
www.disabilityinfo.gov Job Links
www.dol.gov/odep/joblinks/joblinks.htm

• Adult Services
• Office of Adult Services
• www.doleta.gov/programs
• Dislocated Worker
• www.doleta.gov/layoff
• Career / Training  
• Dept of Labor Career Voyages 
• www.careervoyages.org
• Registered Apprenticeship Programs
• www.doleta.gov/atels_bat 
• America's Career Information Network
• www.acinet.org/acinet/default.asp
• America's Career One Stop
• http//careeronestop.org
• Corrections
• American Correctional Association
• www.aca.org                                     

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Resources

• Employer Incentives for Hiring
• Ex-Offenders
• Federal Bonding Program
• www.bonds4jobs.com
• Work Opportunity Tax Credit
• www.uses.doleta.gov/wotcdata.asp
• Job Search
• America's Job Bank
• www.ajb.org
• U.S. Government Jobs
• www.usajobs.gov
• America's Service Locator
• www.servicelocator.org
• USPS Zip Code Look Up
• zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
• Promoting Ex-Offender Success
• The Legal Action Center

• Social Security Administration
• www.ssa.gov
• Form to Obtain Work History 
• ww.socialsecurity.gov/online/ssa-7050.pdf
• Starting A Business
• U.S. Small Business Administration 
• www.sba.gov
• SCORE
• www.score.org
• IRS (Search Small Business) 
• www.irs.gov/index.html 
• Other
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity