A new job after a criminal conviction

After experiencing a criminal arrest and conviction, many people want to make a concerted effort to turn over a new leaf and get their lives on a better track. Finding a good job can be an important part of making this happen.

However, many people fear that having a criminal mark on their record may impede their ability to get a job. That does not need to be the case.

Background checks and employer perspectives

Monster.com acknowledges that while the vast majority of companies today conduct background checks before hiring candidates, more employers and hiring managers are showing an openness to working with people who have criminal records. Research conducted by the Charles Koch Institute and the Society for Human Resources Management found that eight out of 10 managers believe these candidates offer just as much, if not more, benefit to an organization that candidates without criminal records.

Preparing for a background check

Glassdoor indicates that job applicants do their own background check to get a clear picture of what a potential employer may see. This can help them prepare what to disclose when the time comes.

Criminal records need not be disclosed at the application or even first interview phase in many circumstances. Instead, these discussions should happen later on but before a background check occurs.

Applicants should always focus on the positive changes they have made as one goal of the conversation would be to make an employer feel secure that similar events will not happen again or in any way interfere with the person’s ability to do the job.