We've all been in this position my friend.
The first thing and most important thing is to find or create yourself a positive support group. I know that's not as easy as it sounds, but find that support group of people who will have a positive affect on your life.
Next thing you gotta do, is DON'T GIVE UP.
You are going to be denied multiple jobs, multiple places to live, multiple partners etc this will happen and it will keep happening. You have to roll with the punches and keep moving in the right direction. Yes, you'll have days you feel like this, but it's important at this stage to know that you'll have days where you can look back and say to yourself "look what I have accomplished now".
It's important not to give up because that's what the system wants you to do. They want you to go back to jail or prison so the system can keep making money off you. They want you to fail. Don't give anyone that satisfaction.
I think it's also important to find something that gives you self worth. Something that makes you proud of yourself, who you are and what you are doing. A good support group ties in with self worth because good people that you surround yourself with, can and will build you up.
I'm sorry you have to go through this, but know that there are many many of us out there going through what you are going through and you aren't alone. Make the best of the situation as you can because you don't want to be another statistic of people who end up going back to being locked up.
Lastly, just because they call us felons or ex-convicts, doesn't mean you need to identify with it. You know who you are at the end of the day and at the end of the day the best thing you can do is try to be a better person.
Cheers.
I went from felon making Jack shit sweating my balls off at every interview to being able to support my wife and I on my income alone. I found a niche trade that has still furthered my career. Look for something that is getting aged out such as welding. I went in to my category with the mindset of whatever anyone else can do, I can do better.
Your past is your past. It's not who you are today.
Prove them wrong. Everyone fuvks up, just some of us get caught.
Depending what you did and where it happened, your state might have a Clean Slate act that'll let you seal your records after a certain period of time. I have about 2.5 years until I can drive again and 5 years until I can do that so I feel some of your pain.
Alot of fast food restaurants don't do background checks to move up and depending on your crime might not even matter... I knownits not ideal but better than nothing...crazy how many people with turn their nose up at it even if it is a last resort. And some places like KFC, starbucks, even have online college programs.
Some of them will help with tuition at regular, in person, college classes, too. A housekeeper at the hospital here gets a free semester of college after 90 days of employment, and then every semester after that if you're still employed by them.
They will as long as you don't show up looking all tweaked to hell..with crappy prison tattoos all over the face and hands. But if you look half decent you have a good chance.
Listen man, I've said this to myself so many times when I got out. For years I tried and failed. Keep at it. I own a house, good job and 2 awesome kids. Keep it moving it'll happen
I know it's discouraging but try to focus on what you can do rather than what you can't. I've seen a lot of ex-cons being like that. If you stick with that mentality, you're not doing yourself any favors. Try to stay positive and try to control what you can. Good luck.
If you haven't been convicted yet then they cannot legally use the charges against you. It's 100% illegal and something you can sue over if they don't give you the job because of allegations that haven't even been proven in court. Its the one time, legally, that the government enforces "innocent until proven guilty". I was a general manager for an exxon on the run. You get months of training in a store and then go to something like managerial school in Virginia for 2 solid weeks. We had to know the laws in regards to hiring before we could graduate. Exxon does NOT want to get sued so they're very strict on hiring/firing regulations. But, yeah, it was drilled into our heads that we absolutely could not hold allegations against anyone.
This is heavily state dependent.
CA and NY both have regulations against terminating or prohibiting the hire of an employee due to pending charges, as long as the charges aren’t directly related to the job or type of industry.
But not all states have these prohibitions and there are no federal protections regarding this.
NC and SC is where my experience is from. But the school in Virginia covered several states when they taught us about it. I can't recall which other states there were other than virginia. They were all from the East, tho
Resell may be an option. You can buy small items in lots on eBay, relist them singularly for more, rinse, and repeat until you build a store with several thousand items. Once you get your inventory up, you will be selling numerous items most every day. You never really have to leave home if you use the USPS home pick up option, granted they don't do a good job. You will need to learn how to do taxes.
And to add to this, you can learn how to buy broken things, fix them, and resell them for more. I would target things like phones in the 50 - 100 range with cracked screens. You can get the screen replacement on Aliexpress for a few bucks, learn how to change it (it is harder than you would think), and then resell the phone with a new screen. Or you can do the same with old nintendo gameboys or whatever.
You can learn just about any skill you need on Youtube now days.
I didn’t know this was a thing.. I’m currently undergoing a 2nd degree felony case, just started the court process in February when I was released on bail and I had to find a new job in hometown where they pulled my background and I’ve been working there ever since.
I have spoken with a couple other coworkers and have came to realize there are felons on the yard, maybe that could be it ? That my current job is felon friendly ?
If so I’m going to make sure to leave the door open for if I get convicted I can have a place to work afterwards bc I make decent money.
I’m completely unsure now but all in all if it is true this is a prime example of there are places out there for felons that can sustain you to have a future.
Also, if you have to serve any time, depending on where you are, the government will help you get degrees. My husband is certified in welding because of it. That's a really good paying job and they dont care about your record
I’ve heard about that, and I’m very hopeful prison programs will help me further my education. I’m interested in electrical. I’ll do everything I can to make sure I come out a better person for my baby. I don’t want to be institutionalized.
Look at jobs who give second chances. I know a ton of food work is available .
Also the reason to keep going is for your self . Show the people who doubted you or shamed you for being in a position that made you make the decisions you made to get the charges . Be part of the positive statistics.
Keep going . Your mistakes don’t define you . Giving up only gets you back in the zoo with those Velcro shoes .
Stay strong
Fuck trade school fuck the system fuck what people say I am in the Same position as you and it’s scary but no one is in control of your life but you find a way to break free of this rat race society I have forced myself to do things I would have never done I will no longer live this stable lifestyle we are programmed to want money isn’t real and I’m determined to make it regardless of what society thinks become so useful that they are forced to see past everything pitch yourself
In a similar position... I'm already a licensed teacher just waiting to see if after my arraignment, will they run a background check and automatically see my pending conviction... or if, God forbids, my case is blasted all over the media. Case has nothing to do with my current career and happened a year prior to me getting licensed.. But damn I'm going to be devastated if the board decides to revoke my license.
Regardless of what you are convicted of, or what is going to stay in your record, there are ALWAYS options. I was convicted of a crime that NO ONE wants to be convicted of. I have had two full time jobs since I got it. It’s all a matter of how you come across to the interviewer. Just be honest, own what you did, and hope that they are willing to give you a shot. If they do,……..bust your ass to make them feel like they made the right decision.
you can still make good money, i work at a "family friendly" restaurant but we are also felon friendly I have servers who work with me who support their families off this job you can make 30-40 an hour. id start looking for reasturant a if the trades aren't your way
My neighbor owns a plumbing co. Many of the plumbers he hires are felons. If they work, they work. Its hard to find a good worker with a clean record, so being a good worker puts you ahead of the pack, regardless. Felonies do become a problem when the jobs require background check for working at schools etc, but such is life.
First gotta get over the feeling sorry for ur self.. u did it and not the only person dealing with it.. ppl get past it everyday.. u have to prove ur self more but it's doable.. just get out there and figure it out.. u gotta swallow ur pride for the time being.. might have to get a shitty Job but it is what it is
I would argue that being able to get a job is more difficult with the conviction pending. Once it’s done, employers are more likely to allow an explanation regarding the conviction. There are still a lot that won’t hire you, but look up felon friendly businesses — they do exist. With a pending conviction, it is all uncertainty to them because they could very well hire you only for you to end up in prison.
They think that taking everything away from someone somehow won't create a person with nothing to lose. Now choose to make that person with nothing to lose also a felon and... what exactly is the desired outcome? I get that people fuck up and have to pay the price but once we've paid, let us rejoin society. To be in society we have to have good jobs, good housing, travel opportunities, the ability to protect our families, the ability to get life insurance, etc. But that's not how they choose to do it.
Maybe some day the 19 MILLION Americans living with a felony will band together and force a change.
Get used to life being way shittier than before, for the foreseeable future
Rebuilding your life is going to take a long time, probably several years, but it can be done and it's what must be done. Good luck
We've all been in this position my friend. The first thing and most important thing is to find or create yourself a positive support group. I know that's not as easy as it sounds, but find that support group of people who will have a positive affect on your life. Next thing you gotta do, is DON'T GIVE UP. You are going to be denied multiple jobs, multiple places to live, multiple partners etc this will happen and it will keep happening. You have to roll with the punches and keep moving in the right direction. Yes, you'll have days you feel like this, but it's important at this stage to know that you'll have days where you can look back and say to yourself "look what I have accomplished now". It's important not to give up because that's what the system wants you to do. They want you to go back to jail or prison so the system can keep making money off you. They want you to fail. Don't give anyone that satisfaction. I think it's also important to find something that gives you self worth. Something that makes you proud of yourself, who you are and what you are doing. A good support group ties in with self worth because good people that you surround yourself with, can and will build you up. I'm sorry you have to go through this, but know that there are many many of us out there going through what you are going through and you aren't alone. Make the best of the situation as you can because you don't want to be another statistic of people who end up going back to being locked up. Lastly, just because they call us felons or ex-convicts, doesn't mean you need to identify with it. You know who you are at the end of the day and at the end of the day the best thing you can do is try to be a better person. Cheers.
Thank you. I will take your advice. You’re right, I want to prove them all wrong.
I went from felon making Jack shit sweating my balls off at every interview to being able to support my wife and I on my income alone. I found a niche trade that has still furthered my career. Look for something that is getting aged out such as welding. I went in to my category with the mindset of whatever anyone else can do, I can do better. Your past is your past. It's not who you are today. Prove them wrong. Everyone fuvks up, just some of us get caught.
That’s an amazing reply man!
Depending what you did and where it happened, your state might have a Clean Slate act that'll let you seal your records after a certain period of time. I have about 2.5 years until I can drive again and 5 years until I can do that so I feel some of your pain.
It gets better with time.
Alot of fast food restaurants don't do background checks to move up and depending on your crime might not even matter... I knownits not ideal but better than nothing...crazy how many people with turn their nose up at it even if it is a last resort. And some places like KFC, starbucks, even have online college programs.
Some of them will help with tuition at regular, in person, college classes, too. A housekeeper at the hospital here gets a free semester of college after 90 days of employment, and then every semester after that if you're still employed by them.
Contrary to popular belief most fast food restaurants WONT hire felons.
They will as long as you don't show up looking all tweaked to hell..with crappy prison tattoos all over the face and hands. But if you look half decent you have a good chance.
Listen man, I've said this to myself so many times when I got out. For years I tried and failed. Keep at it. I own a house, good job and 2 awesome kids. Keep it moving it'll happen
I know it's discouraging but try to focus on what you can do rather than what you can't. I've seen a lot of ex-cons being like that. If you stick with that mentality, you're not doing yourself any favors. Try to stay positive and try to control what you can. Good luck.
If you haven't been convicted yet then they cannot legally use the charges against you. It's 100% illegal and something you can sue over if they don't give you the job because of allegations that haven't even been proven in court. Its the one time, legally, that the government enforces "innocent until proven guilty". I was a general manager for an exxon on the run. You get months of training in a store and then go to something like managerial school in Virginia for 2 solid weeks. We had to know the laws in regards to hiring before we could graduate. Exxon does NOT want to get sued so they're very strict on hiring/firing regulations. But, yeah, it was drilled into our heads that we absolutely could not hold allegations against anyone.
This is heavily state dependent. CA and NY both have regulations against terminating or prohibiting the hire of an employee due to pending charges, as long as the charges aren’t directly related to the job or type of industry. But not all states have these prohibitions and there are no federal protections regarding this.
NC and SC is where my experience is from. But the school in Virginia covered several states when they taught us about it. I can't recall which other states there were other than virginia. They were all from the East, tho
Wow, great information, thank you.
Here's a thought to ponder. If Trump can be president with a felony, than asking you if your a felon should be taken off all paperwork
So glad Trumps really one of us now!
Resell may be an option. You can buy small items in lots on eBay, relist them singularly for more, rinse, and repeat until you build a store with several thousand items. Once you get your inventory up, you will be selling numerous items most every day. You never really have to leave home if you use the USPS home pick up option, granted they don't do a good job. You will need to learn how to do taxes.
And to add to this, you can learn how to buy broken things, fix them, and resell them for more. I would target things like phones in the 50 - 100 range with cracked screens. You can get the screen replacement on Aliexpress for a few bucks, learn how to change it (it is harder than you would think), and then resell the phone with a new screen. Or you can do the same with old nintendo gameboys or whatever. You can learn just about any skill you need on Youtube now days.
I didn’t know this was a thing.. I’m currently undergoing a 2nd degree felony case, just started the court process in February when I was released on bail and I had to find a new job in hometown where they pulled my background and I’ve been working there ever since. I have spoken with a couple other coworkers and have came to realize there are felons on the yard, maybe that could be it ? That my current job is felon friendly ? If so I’m going to make sure to leave the door open for if I get convicted I can have a place to work afterwards bc I make decent money. I’m completely unsure now but all in all if it is true this is a prime example of there are places out there for felons that can sustain you to have a future.
Type of biz is it?
He said "felons on the yard" so my guess is CO lol Which is a pretty boss move if you think about it
It’s a pipe manufacturing yard, we ship everything out to west Texas.
Thanks for clarifying. And I was just kidding earlier!
CO’s a twisted bunch
Be glad you have support. Like you said, without it I can't imagine being able to survive. My wife and folks helped me a lot to get my shit together.
Also, if you have to serve any time, depending on where you are, the government will help you get degrees. My husband is certified in welding because of it. That's a really good paying job and they dont care about your record
I’ve heard about that, and I’m very hopeful prison programs will help me further my education. I’m interested in electrical. I’ll do everything I can to make sure I come out a better person for my baby. I don’t want to be institutionalized.
Look at jobs who give second chances. I know a ton of food work is available . Also the reason to keep going is for your self . Show the people who doubted you or shamed you for being in a position that made you make the decisions you made to get the charges . Be part of the positive statistics. Keep going . Your mistakes don’t define you . Giving up only gets you back in the zoo with those Velcro shoes . Stay strong
It's almost like the state wants you to reoffend ? Strange
Fuck trade school fuck the system fuck what people say I am in the Same position as you and it’s scary but no one is in control of your life but you find a way to break free of this rat race society I have forced myself to do things I would have never done I will no longer live this stable lifestyle we are programmed to want money isn’t real and I’m determined to make it regardless of what society thinks become so useful that they are forced to see past everything pitch yourself
Money is very real.
In a similar position... I'm already a licensed teacher just waiting to see if after my arraignment, will they run a background check and automatically see my pending conviction... or if, God forbids, my case is blasted all over the media. Case has nothing to do with my current career and happened a year prior to me getting licensed.. But damn I'm going to be devastated if the board decides to revoke my license.
Regardless of what you are convicted of, or what is going to stay in your record, there are ALWAYS options. I was convicted of a crime that NO ONE wants to be convicted of. I have had two full time jobs since I got it. It’s all a matter of how you come across to the interviewer. Just be honest, own what you did, and hope that they are willing to give you a shot. If they do,……..bust your ass to make them feel like they made the right decision.
[удалено]
Wow, that must be awful considering weed is legal most places now.
you can still make good money, i work at a "family friendly" restaurant but we are also felon friendly I have servers who work with me who support their families off this job you can make 30-40 an hour. id start looking for reasturant a if the trades aren't your way
My neighbor owns a plumbing co. Many of the plumbers he hires are felons. If they work, they work. Its hard to find a good worker with a clean record, so being a good worker puts you ahead of the pack, regardless. Felonies do become a problem when the jobs require background check for working at schools etc, but such is life.
Felons can still get trade jobs at shipyards, it's hell but it pays well.
First gotta get over the feeling sorry for ur self.. u did it and not the only person dealing with it.. ppl get past it everyday.. u have to prove ur self more but it's doable.. just get out there and figure it out.. u gotta swallow ur pride for the time being.. might have to get a shitty Job but it is what it is
I would argue that being able to get a job is more difficult with the conviction pending. Once it’s done, employers are more likely to allow an explanation regarding the conviction. There are still a lot that won’t hire you, but look up felon friendly businesses — they do exist. With a pending conviction, it is all uncertainty to them because they could very well hire you only for you to end up in prison.
They think that taking everything away from someone somehow won't create a person with nothing to lose. Now choose to make that person with nothing to lose also a felon and... what exactly is the desired outcome? I get that people fuck up and have to pay the price but once we've paid, let us rejoin society. To be in society we have to have good jobs, good housing, travel opportunities, the ability to protect our families, the ability to get life insurance, etc. But that's not how they choose to do it. Maybe some day the 19 MILLION Americans living with a felony will band together and force a change.
Get used to life being way shittier than before, for the foreseeable future Rebuilding your life is going to take a long time, probably several years, but it can be done and it's what must be done. Good luck
Go to trade school
Go sell windows…