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Resume & Job Search Advise For Ex-Offenders

Resume & Job Search Advise For Ex-Offenders

Truth Wins Out…Most Of The Time!

Truth Wins Out…Most Of The Time!

Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.


Resume & Job Search Advice For Ex-OffendersResume & Job Search Advice For Ex-Offenders

“Stay An Ex-Offender”

Was The Most Powerful

Advice We Received From Employers

“Stay An Ex-Offender”

Was The Most Powerful

Advice We Received From Employers

In a research survey we conducted for the Association Of Job Search Trainers (AJST), we contacted over 350 employers and asked them for advice on how to help ex-offenders re-enter the labor market and how to present themselves on resumes.

In a research survey we conducted for the Association Of Job Search Trainers (AJST), we contacted over 350 employers and asked them for advice on how to help ex-offenders re-enter the labor market and how to present themselves on resumes.



They gave the offender four (4) different types of advice:They gave the offender four (4) different types of advice:

General Advice

Behavioral Advice

Job Finding Advice

Resume Development Advice

General Advice

Behavioral Advice

Job Finding Advice

Resume Development Advice


Chinese Symbol

For Truth!

Chinese Symbol

For Truth!


Truthfulness and honesty were the two threads of advice that permeated the survey.

Truthfulness and honesty were the two threads of advice that permeated the survey.


I think the following employer statement pretty well sums up this section.



Data supports that somewhere around 2/3 of employers say they’ll hire an ex-offender if the offenders fess up to their situations, take responsibility for their actions, exhibit remorse, specify what they’ve learned, and convince the employer they are willing to do whatever’s necessary to change their lives.

Data supports that somewhere around 2/3 of employers say they’ll hire an ex-offender if the offenders fess up to their situations, take responsibility for their actions, exhibit remorse, specify what they’ve learned, and convince the employer they are willing to do whatever’s necessary to change their lives.



Employer StatementEmployer Statement


“Trust is the biggest barrier to your reentry to the workplace. On the other hand, today’s labor market affords you opportunities rarely available to people with big black marks on their personal history. But, you must convince a prospective employer that you are trustworthy and unfortunately…willing to start at the bottom. Showcase your greatest strengths in such a manner as to reveal to a prospective employer how exploiting these strengths will bring them success. By turning you away they lose any hope of utilizing what you have to offer.”

“Trust is the biggest barrier to your reentry to the workplace. On the other hand, today’s labor market affords you opportunities rarely available to people with big black marks on their personal history. But, you must convince a prospective employer that you are trustworthy and unfortunately…willing to start at the bottom. Showcase your greatest strengths in such a manner as to reveal to a prospective employer how exploiting these strengths will bring them success. By turning you away they lose any hope of utilizing what you have to offer.”



General AdviceGeneral Advice

Feature jobs you had while in prison.

Get advice from career counselors who work with ex-offenders.

Consider self-employment or entrepreneurial fields.

Feature jobs you had while in prison.

Get advice from career counselors who work with ex-offenders.

Consider self-employment or entrepreneurial fields.



General Advice ContinuedGeneral Advice Continued

Show added value to offset previous history.

Prove you’ve reestablished yourself: take courses, get a church orientation, expand your network of friends.

Become a volunteer.

Show added value to offset previous history.

Prove you’ve reestablished yourself: take courses, get a church orientation, expand your network of friends.

Become a volunteer.




Reestablish your work history any way you can.

Some employers may not be interested due to the nature of the offense. Try other employers; don’t give up.

Stress length of time since offense, what you’ve learned and done to ensure this situation doesn’t reoccur.

Reestablish your work history any way you can.

Some employers may not be interested due to the nature of the offense. Try other employers; don’t give up.

Stress length of time since offense, what you’ve learned and done to ensure this situation doesn’t reoccur.




Accept the fact that a lot of doors will close on you before one opens.

Try to get the record expunged.

Accept the fact that a lot of doors will close on you before one opens.

Try to get the record expunged.



Behavioral AdviceBehavioral Advice

Don’t try to come across as the victim.

Be honest when asked on an application or verbally. There’s no requirement to list it on a resume.

Be honest! Many employers will still consider you for hiring.

Be honest and open and be ready to discuss the situation.

Don’t try to come across as the victim.

Be honest when asked on an application or verbally. There’s no requirement to list it on a resume.

Be honest! Many employers will still consider you for hiring.

Be honest and open and be ready to discuss the situation.



Behavioral Advice ContinuedBehavioral Advice Continued

Be honest and up-front if there’s a need to disclose information.

Be honest; remember many employers do background checks.

Be honest. I’d rather find out from you than through a background check.

Tell the truth. It may not exclude you from consideration.

Be honest and up-front if there’s a need to disclose information.

Be honest; remember many employers do background checks.

Be honest. I’d rather find out from you than through a background check.

Tell the truth. It may not exclude you from consideration.



Behavioral Advice ContinuedBehavioral Advice Continued

Invest in yourself with self-improvement and education.

Don’t hedge on answers.

Provide information showing a change.

Be ready to show employers how your conviction has changed your character or factors that mitigate the situation since your conviction.

Invest in yourself with self-improvement and education.

Don’t hedge on answers.

Provide information showing a change.

Be ready to show employers how your conviction has changed your character or factors that mitigate the situation since your conviction.



Job Finding AdviceJob Finding Advice

Try to get an interview without a resume or job application.

Indicate that your debt has been paid.

Be sure the company you’re applying to accepts people with criminal records.

Try to get an interview without a resume or job application.

Indicate that your debt has been paid.

Be sure the company you’re applying to accepts people with criminal records.



Job Finding Advice ContinuedJob Finding Advice Continued

List your Probation Officer as a reference...with a phone number.

Stress the skills that you do have, not the ones you don’t.

Begin developing quality references.

List your Probation Officer as a reference...with a phone number.

Stress the skills that you do have, not the ones you don’t.

Begin developing quality references.



Job Finding Advice ContinuedJob Finding Advice Continued

Be selective about the type of jobs you’re applying for.

Apply to small employers...but always be honest. Many small employers won’t make background checks.

Share how your past won’t affect your work performance.

Be selective about the type of jobs you’re applying for.

Apply to small employers...but always be honest. Many small employers won’t make background checks.

Share how your past won’t affect your work performance.



Resume Development And Use AdviceResume Development And Use Advice

Don’t leave gaps on the resume and be ready to explain them in an interview.

Include a positive reference.

Don’t put your felony conviction on the resume.

Address your conviction in the cover letter.

Don’t leave gaps on the resume and be ready to explain them in an interview.

Include a positive reference.

Don’t put your felony conviction on the resume.

Address your conviction in the cover letter.



Resume Development And Use Advice ContinuedResume Development And Use Advice Continued

Emphasize your career goals and the desire to change.

Concentrate on skills.

Show how you’ve learned from past mistakes and become a positive example for others.

Stick to a chronological format and wait to address the conviction in the interview. This may be counterproductive.

Emphasize your career goals and the desire to change.

Concentrate on skills.

Show how you’ve learned from past mistakes and become a positive example for others.

Stick to a chronological format and wait to address the conviction in the interview. This may be counterproductive.


We Want YOUR Contributions!We Want YOUR Contributions!

…if we use it. Or, we’ll bribe you with a cool gift if you have a good job search joke, career story or a fun employment

related anecdote that you’d like to share. So contact us today!

WE WILL PAY YOUWE WILL PAY YOUWE WILL PAY YOUWE WILL PAY YOU

We’re looking for people to help us write 4-8 page articles, perform research, develop or share job search and career related exercises, create PowerPoint presentations…and develop new ideas. You won’t get rich doing this, but…

dick gaither ’ s job search training systems, inc. ( 800) 361-1613 resume & job search...

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threads of advice

powerful advice

exoffenders trust

exoffenders truthfulness

exoffenders data

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