Acquiring a job in this economy is difficult. Acquiring a job in this economy with a criminal record is more difficult. Don't give up hope. Ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs will greatly improve their chances of getting hired by using 10 simple steps.
Dress to get the Job you Want!
Too many ex-offenders and felons looking for jobs blow the opportunity to make a great first impression. If you want to be looked at as a serious person, you must look like a serious person. Looking like a professional is just as important as anything you have to say. You will never get a second chance to make a first impression. There is a good chance that you will be judged at least partially by the way you look. Regardless if it is filling out applications or interviews, ex-offenders and felons must portray a professional image whenever they make contact with anyone buttociated to their job search. Your appearance should say "Look no further, I'm the best person for this job."
Get Your Own Personal Business Card
Nothing will separate you from the competition like having your own personal business card! Present yourself in an unforgettable way by having your business card handy when you meet people. Your card should include your name, skills and contact information. Find a printer to help you put one together. You will be surprised just how inexpensive this powerful little tool can be.
Apply for Jobs Using Resumes and Cover Letters
A resume is a very effective selling tool that can be used to present all of your skills and qualifications in one neat package. A well put together resume will do more to help you get an interview than anything else you can do. If you do not know how to write a resume, get some help from somebody that has more experience doing this. You can get help with your resume at your nearest One-stop Career Center. There you will find a wide variety of services that will help you in your job search. You can find the center nearest to you in the phone book.
Ex-offenders and felons stand a better opportunity to get hired by getting their resumes to people who can make the decision to hire them. A well written cover letter will introduce you and help you ask for an interview in a professional way. Writing a good cover letter is just as important as having a good resume. Often using cover letters and resumes will help ex-offenders and felons get around the question of criminal records. Once again, if you don't know much about writing a cover letter, find someone who does.
Use your Network!
Many people got their jobs through people they know. Who you know is frequently just as important as what you know. This is called networking and it is without question the most powerful method to get a job. Most available jobs are never openly advertised because they are generally filled by personal referrals. In fact, employers would rather hire somebody referred to them instead of looking through piles of resumes and applications.
Think of how many people you know. Each one of them is a potential lead for a job.
Good References get Jobs
A lot of applications ask for personal or professional references. A reference is somebody who is not related to you who would say something positive about you. Previous teachers, former employers, clergymen, and other prominent members of your community would all be outstanding references. It is best idea to ask permission before giving anyone's name as a reference.
Be on Time!
Plan to show up at least 15 minutes before for all interviews and other appointments. Arriving early will allow you to relax and make any final preparations. If at all possible, make a trip to the interview location the day before to see exactly how long it would take you to get there. There is utterly no excuse for being late to any interview.
Always be Honest
I encourage ex-offenders and felons to always be honest when searching for jobs especially on applications and interviews. Employers have a obligation to know as much as possible about the people they hire. I know of people who had been working on jobs for months, abruptly get fired because they were not honest somewhere in the application process usually on the application. In nearly every case they were terminated for not being honest and falsifying their applications rather than having criminal backgrounds.
Your first contact with a potential employer is commonly completing an application. Employers use applications to collect information in order to decide who to interview. Employers use employment applications not only to look at experience, training, and work history, it is sometimes used to estimate an applicant's ability to follow directions, honesty and attention to detail.
Following directions is significant. Always read the total application before you begin. If there is anything you do not understand, get someone to explain it to you. Be neat and print using blue or black ink only. If you do not print clearly, take the application home and bring it back. Get someone who prints clearly to help you. If possible ask for an extra application just in case. Answer all questions.
Neatness as well as completeness counts.
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Getting hired will depend on how well you prepare. Prepare well and you will be successful. Prepare poorly and you will have poor results. Practice everything from filling out applications to interviewing.
The more you practice, the better you will get. Practice your body language in front of a mirror. Predict the interviewers questions and practice answering them until they sound natural. Never try to memorize your answers.
Get a friend or family member to help by standing in as the interviewer. Practice interviewing so you can work on your body language and answering questions. Practice going through an entire interview from beginning to end. If possible, record your rehearsals so you can see and hear your responses to questions and your use of grammar and body language.
Prepare to Put your Time In!
Getting a job with a criminal record is all about numbers. The more leads, the more interviews. It's that simple. The trick is to get as many quality job leads as you can.
You must look at job hunting hunting as a full time job. You have to commit to putting in at least 40 hours every week to finding a job. Anything less and you are not serious. Put your time in making phone calls, filling out applications and digging for leads. Every minute you take off leaves an opening for someone else to get a job instead of you.
Ex-offenders and felons are hired everyday. Follow these ten steps and you will greatly increase your chances of getting a job.
Willing To Work
Eric Mayo is an expert at helping felons get jobs. Do you have a question for Eric? Check out his blog at Help for Ex-offenders and Felons Looking for Jobs
