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Step 1
First and foremost you must not keep kicking yourself for your past indiscretions against the law. You have payed your debt to society and now it is time to contribute to it in a constructive way for your self, your family and your community. We all make mistakes and hopefully you have learned from them. A good and positive attitude is key with first impressions so you need to leave your personal pitfalls and issues at the door in order to do this.
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Step 2
Do not under any circumstance lie on your application or resume about your criminal past when trying to find a job. More often than not, your employer will find out one way or another and you could be terminated on the spot.
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Step 3
You need to sell yourself in a way that will make you stand apart from the other job applicants. List any social accomplishments, military service, skills and hobbies. Even if your extracurricular activities and skills are not related to the job you have applied for, writing down your qualifications in other areas will show the employer how versatile you are.
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Step 4
Go to your local unemployment office for help on how to create an outstanding resume. While you are there, you can register with them and they can also help you with job placement and search.
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Step 5
There are many temporary labor companies across the country that you can find employment with. Some national temp companies such as Manpower even offers health insurance coverage for their steady workers. Labor Ready is a unique option because they pay daily for most of their temporary jobs and even offer an on-site money dispenser at all of their branches. The biggest draw back to Labor Ready is that most of the time you have to show up early in the morning on a daily basis as they have a "first come first served" system for their workers. It is entirely possible to sit at a local Labor Ready branch for hours and not receive a job.
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Step 6
If you are applying for a job with a small business, it may be to your advantage to inform the employer of several tax credits available to businesses who hire persons with a criminal record. Thanks to the Work Opportunity Credit, the Federal government allows up to a $2300 tax break per ex-offender hired.
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Step 7
Start your own business! If you have a talent or trade knowledge why not use it? There are many resources available with respect to starting your own business. You won't have to answer to anyone but yourself and the earning potential can be higher than a regular 9-5 job if you commit yourself.
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Step 8
Call your local probation office, or Work Release program. Many times they will have some good leads on "con-friendly" employment within your area. Even though a good portion of the time going this route can lead into a hard and low paying job, it is still food on the table and you will be doing better than some!
