How Will a Felony Conviction Affect Your Employment Future?

Employers, as a rule, don't like to hire ex-cons. They find it to be too much of a liability to employ someone with a felony conviction, and they generally stay away from them whenever possible. Of course, everyone has to make a living, so how will your felony conviction affect your employment future? And is there anything you can do to minimize the damage?

First, you should know that you are required to disclose the felony conviction if you are asked about it on an employment application. Even if you lie, a cursory background check will turn up the conviction, and you definitely won't get the job because you lied about your past. It is always best to take your chances with the truth than to risk a lie and come up empty-handed where you might otherwise have gotten hired.

Most employment applications allow you to explain a felony conviction, either on the application itself or on an addendum. It is in your best interests to explain the circumstances surrounding your crime(s), and to provide any mitigating factors that might put an employer in a better mood. For example, if you were convicted of a DUI, but subsequently completed rehabilitation, it would behoove you to mention it.

Furthermore, you might want to provide a letter of reference from an officer of the court, attesting to your current veracity. Prosecutors and even judges will sometimes write a recommendation based on their perception of an ex-convict's remorse and rehabilitation. Although this isn't always an option, it is best to ask if you're trying to gain employment with a felony conviction.

Despite all of your efforts, however, it might still be difficult to find employment with a felony conviction. Some employers are skittish to begin with, while others might have had a bad experience that prevents them from doing it again. For this reason, you'll want to look for a job in an industry that doesn't lend itself to the crimes of which you were convicted.

For example, if you have a felony conviction on your record for burglary, employment with a retail outlet is probably out of the question. However, you might be able to get a job as a receptionist (who doesn't handle money), as a construction worker, or as a tow truck driver, because those careers aren't conducive to stealing cash from a register drawer. Remember that employers are going to go with the odds.

The most important thing, of course, is finding employment, regardless of what it is. With a felony conviction on your record, you can't really afford to be choosy. As time passes, and you establish yourself as a trustworthy and dedicated worker, you'll have more options from which to choose. Some employers, for instance, only ask about felony convictions in the last 5-10 years. This bodes well for your employment future.