Employment for Ex-Cons

Video Transcript

"Hello, my name is David Lyons, and I'm going to talk about employment for ex-convicts. Ex-convicts who are looking for employment need to prepare for the interview, and for their job search like any other candidate. What they need to do is to be able to understand that the interview is where they're able to convince the employer that they're the proper candidate for the job. They also need to understand what it is that the employer is looking for during the interview session. Most employers can tell from the resume that you're able to do the hard skills, such as computers, janitorial work, cleaning, or what ever the case may be, but what's important to them about an ex-convict, and any other applicant is their ability to be able to demonstrate that they have soft skills. Soft skills are what employers are looking for in terms of will you be a good fit in the position that you will be holding. They want to know if you're able to communicate appropriately. Are you able to do team work? Are you able to come to work on time? Employers will often ask what are called situational interview questions to find out if you do possess the soft skills that they need. Also, people with, who are ex-convicts who are looking for employment also should be able to share with the employer why they are the best candidate for the job. They also should be able to talk about their criminal past, and how they have now been rehabilitated. They also want to let the employer know that they're now productive citizens in working in their communities, and also that they are now different then they were prior to having the criminal history. They want the employer to know that now, that they've received training, they've gone through an apprenticeship program, they now have gotten married, they're now raising their families, and show that they're different. What they want to do is also express remorse for the crime that's committed, but not dwell on it, because what they're looking for now is their future. Also, people who are ex-convicts also should be able to know what resources are available to the employer to help him understand, or her understand that they would be a good candidate. There's what's called the Work Opportunity Tax Credit that's available to the employer, where they can get tax credits for hiring a person with a criminal history. Also, there's a federal bonding program that will provide up to five thousand dollars to the employer in case the employer might think that person might steal, or commit some other type of crime while employed. They need to know that that's a good selling point for each person who is an ex-convict. And then finally, ex-convicts who are looking for employment need to know the industries that typically will hire a person with an ex-felon background, and they are in trucking, it's in manufacturing, it's in construction, the trades, the apprenticeship programs, the retail industry, as well as in some of the hospitality industries, that way the person will be able to look at those industries that are usually friendly to people who are ex-convicts, and would be more likely to employ them. I have just presented information on employment for ex-convicts."