For a person in Colorado who has been convicted of a criminal offense, the thought of looking for a job may feel far-fetched. However, this need not be the case. The old stereotype no longer plays out everywhere as it is definitely possible for people to get a job even with a criminal record. In fact, securing solid employment provides people with an essential means of moving their lives forward more positively and getting reintroduced into society.
As explained by Monster, one Sterling Talent Solutions report notes that 93% of employers conduct background checks on potential employees. Those checks, however, need not preclude an offer of employment. Another report by the Society for Human Resources Management and the Charles Koch Institute found that eight out of 10 managers considered a person with a criminal record to have equal or greater ability to contribute to a company and a job than their counterpart without a criminal record.
When preparing to look for a new job, Glassdoor recommends that job seekers do not provide details about their criminal records on job applications or resumes. However, disclosing a criminal past before a background check takes place may be important so that the employer does not learn about the record via the background check but directly from the job applicant.
Discussions about a person’s criminal history should focus on what the applicant learned from the experience. The conversation should be geared toward assuring the employer that the job candidate’s life has changed and the activities that led to the prior conviction will not be repeated nor impact their ability to do a good job.
