Getting a job with a felony record

[ryan04]

I've got a felony for growing marijuana, and I'm not to anxious to see what the job market has in store for me. Luckily I've got a job on campus where I go to school and they didn't run a background check on me. I'm done with probation very soon and will be finishing my 2nd bachelors degree in August...starting my masters in the fall.

My plan as of right now is to move out to California where marijuana is practically legal and pretty much accepted by everyone. Hopefully this will alleviate some of the burden of this felony. I also plan to finish my Masters and hopefully the good will outweigh the bad when and if a potential employer runs a check. Moving to another state will also help...like someone else said most states only do statewide checks. I've heard that it costs employers 100$ for every state they run a background check in.

Keep yoru head up bro. Theres plenty of people out there with felonys and a good portion of them end up doing fine. In the state I live in employers are only allowed to inquire about felonys for up to 7 years ago...after that you are no longer required to disclose info on them. Not sure what the laws are in your state, look into it. The governments a bitch, and by pulling all this crap they actually cause/force people to continue a life of crime rather than stop living one. IMO employers and others should be able to know about murderers, rapists and pedophiles, but for other things there should be no disclosure of info.

 

[BigCracker]

Every convicted felon I know either drives a tow truck or a limo/cab. All they need is a perfect driving record for the past 4 yrs-which shouldn't be a prob if they were locked up that whole time. I know 2 guys that drive limos that are level 3(most likely to be repeat offenders) registered sex offenders too-pretty scary when you consider the close human contact their job requires.

 

[3speed]

I am an operations manager with hiring responsibilities. Federal law requires, in our line of work, that we inquire about previous felony convictions and conduct subsequent background checks. If an applicant fails to list a conviction that I find during my investigation, I will not, under any circumstances-regardless of his qualifications, hire him. I have hired applicants who listed felony convictions. DO NOT try to hide anything. Most companies are more interested in who you are and what you have to offer them than who you were in the past. Be up front and offer to explain the situation. Good luck.

 

[anabolic12]

A lot of people dont know this, but if you are in a business that does not have to legally bond you or anything of that nature, that you have have your personal conviction records locked. You have to send a certified letter to the courts/judge that made that conviction to begin with. I personally know 4 or so people that have had this done, but of course if you working in some kind of banking, loans, gov... where you have to be bonded they will not answer your request. But if you can prove that years have gone by, and that you have a good record since then, they will be able to lock that information.
They dont want you not be able to get a job... Hince you will be on the street causing more problems.
I know this is true in my state,,, you should look into this

 

[wants2getbig]

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

 

[nuevo laredo]

I also have a federal convivtion. I did tiem and got out a couple years ago. I had to start off taking whatever job would hire me which was a gym for membership sales. I Networked alot and after a little over a year I managed to get a marketing job through a friend who introduced me to someone. I live outside NYC and I really wanted to do financila planning or a reale state agent and there no way I can. In a competative job market that is the first screen they will use to weed people out. It is messed up but it does make sence. My advice is to netwrok and move your way up. Your first job may not be the most perfect one but you have to do what you gotta do. Good luck and keep your head up. Hopefully your clean cut and do not fit the steriotypical convicted felon look. It will help you alot.

Also, you will have trouble getting a securities or real estate license with a felony. I know that fraud, perjury, and financial crimes are show stoppers for those types of licenses but I'm not sure about drug offenses.
Then you have other factors such as your employer's insurance. For example, a financial planning company may pay for errors & ommissions insurance but get a certain rate based on not hiring ex-felons.

 

[Extra_Strong]

i have alway had a problem with that.. you go do your time and then you cant get a job. that is just F.. up..

 

[ItalianMuscle27]

Is this your first felony? You can try and get it expunged. You have to wait 5 years from conviction date though. Some felonies are not expungeable, like rape, murder, etc. You dont need an attorney for an expungement, but if they know the judge who is going to preside over your case, than by all means hire one. It is actually up to the attorney general, but they most likely will not even show their face in court. The district attorney will take their place.. I dont care for this either, you make one mistake and your fucked the rest of your life..

 

[Ozz2001]

Wont get into my record but...Any more you cant event get a shit,no paying job without a background check today..They run it and your do! If you tell them on your app they just throw it away..They will say thats not why but the bottom line it is...

Thanks jackass bush....making everyone out to be a terrorist

 

[Alpine]

Keep networking. Remember that saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know?" If you are friends with someone who is successful, emulate them. Become interested in what they pay attention to and listen when they tell you something or give you advice. Then you need to follow through and actually do what is recommended. Just think, people don't become successrful for no reason. Follow someone else's lead and you may become successful too!