It can be difficult to find a job in a down economy, but that challenge is compounded when you have a criminal record. According to an article published by WSET-TV of Danville, Virginia, people with criminal records are much less likely to go back to prison if they can find steady work. But the problem has been that businesses are simply not hiring ex-felons. That attitude is starting to change as more companies and outreach groups are starting to offer people with criminal records a second chance.
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Employers And Candidates Take The Process Seriously
When someone with a criminal record wants to find a job, it is important to find a potential employer who is interested in looking to the future and putting the past in the past. When organizations set up job fairs for people with criminal records, most of the applicants put on their best professional attire and do their best to impress the employers on hand.
Even with the most professional attitudes, people with criminal records were met with resistance when it came to getting work. But that is starting to change as more employers are willing to put the past in the past and move on to the future. The trucking industry is one where criminal records are not affecting the ability of a candidate to get a good job. It seems like more companies are following the lead of the trucking industry and giving people with criminal records a second chance.
Still Some Work To Do
According to Cincinnati.com, over two-thirds of employers in the United States insist on including questions about a candidate’s criminal background on their job applications. The companies that do not ask directly about criminal records are using background checks to see if a candidate has had any run-ins with the law.
What makes this statistic more daunting is the fact that this number is up 13 percent from 2014. While many activist groups want to believe that American businesses are ready to give people with criminal records a second chance, it looks like there is still an uphill battle that the activist groups and the felons will have to fight if they want to open up the job market to everyone.
The idea of hiring ex-felons is becoming more acceptable to an increasing amount of employers around the United States. But the overall sentiment is that there is still work to do in getting employers to understand the benefits to themselves and society when they give felons a second chance at life. When felons have a good job, they are much less likely to get into trouble again and they are more likely to become good citizens.
There is a lot of extra work that companies often have to do when it comes to hiring ex-felons. For example, people who have been in trouble with the law need help in understanding how to properly manage their time to be productive at work. But there are groups throughout the country that are doing their best to educate employers and get felons back to work.
George N Root III is a professional freelance writer who has expertise in topics such as Internet marketing, business, advertising, and personal finance.