"Criminal Convictions In

The Workplace"

Alan Canoil

For most of my readers, today’s email won’t impact you directly. But if it does, I hope this conversation serves you. And the underlying lesson can help anyone who has gone through a tough spot.

Let’s talk about criminal convictions and the job interview.

If you have been convicted of a crime, it can definitely be a barrier to getting hired.

What employers are most concerned about is that whatever behavior you did before could harm their business. For example, if you were convicted of theft, they may be worried that you will steal from them. In recent years, a number of states have passed laws about criminal records and discussing convictions during the job search. Some states bar employers from asking about this. Others don’t.

If you are not sure what the rules are in your state, you can do an online search for “job interview criminal conviction in (insert the name of your state)”. That can tell you what the rules are.

If you do need to talk about a criminal conviction, here’s where to start. Whatever happened, you want to show that you are not the same person who made a stupid mistake, a long time ago. Your life is now on a different course.

In an interview this might sound like, “I made a mistake. I was in a period in my life where I surrounded myself with the wrong kind of people, and with their influence, I made a bad choice that I regret. My life is in a very different place now. I am surrounded by different people, and because of _____ (my family, my faith, my mentor, my determination to choose a different life, dream to own a home), I am now on a different path. “

Now, you don’t want to get into the details of whatever crime you were convicted of. If you skip details, your answer will be more forgettable. You want them to forget and instead focus on what makes you a good fit for the job, and a valuable member of their team.

Ultimately, some employers might decide not to hire you because of a conviction. But some will. By putting one foot in front of the other, the right opportunity will come up.