- 1). Learn your state law. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, laws in different states allow you to omit information about, or prevent employers from asking about, certain types of convictions. If your sentence was adjudicated, or judgment delayed, or if you were arrested but not convicted, you may not be required to report that, since in the eyes of the law in some states, these circumstances are not considered a criminal offense. Some states prohibit employers asking about misdemeanor crimes committed as a juvenile, while others have mechanisms in place where you can petition to have past crimes expunged from your record, as if they never existed, or have the record sealed so it doesn't show up on a background check.
- 2). Write a letter briefly explaining the circumstances of your conviction and stating your determination to lead a law-abiding life, or lessons you learned from the experience. Robin R. Runge, with the D.C. Employment Justice Center, told the Washington Post in a 2002 article that such a letter demonstrates that you can learn from mistakes, something many employers see as a positive. Attach this letter to job applications.
- 3). Contact organizations devoted to helping past offenders. You can find these organizations through your parole officer or through your state's prison system. For instance, the UNICOR federal prison program has an inmate transition program that helps inmates compile a resume and practice interviewing techniques. It also educates employers about tax incentives for hiring ex-inmates.
- 4). Contact everyone you know and let them know you're looking for a job. Friends, relatives, neighbors and former co-workers may be able to help you and may even put in a good word for you with their employers. A personal recommendation can help some employers overcome uneasiness about hiring an ex-con.
- 5). Start at the bottom if you have to. Take an entry level, part-time or temporary job to help you build a resume and references. Demonstrate to your bosses that they don't have anything to worry about and you really are building a new, law-abiding life.
- 6). Stay positive in interviews. The D.C. Employment Justice Center recommends you talk about positive things that came out of your time behind bars, such as additional education or training you completed. Talk about why you won't make the same mistake again.
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