Despite the improving economy, ex-felons may still have a hard time finding employment. This may be attributed to the fact that many employers are wary of hiring ex-offenders. Nonetheless, careful planning and re-aligning your job search will help you gain better results. Here are some tips and career advice you can use in crafting a resume for ex-felons:
Never conceal your conviction
No matter how tempting it may be, never leave-off or hide the fact you’re an ex-felon. While hiding your felony record may seem beneficial, it may even cause more problems and issues in the future. It’s most true if your hiring manager learns you’ve served a term.
However, don’t mention directly you’ve been imprisoned for this much number of years. You’ll just give hiring managers a reason to get rid your application. If your incarceration left a huge gap in your application, instead of stating outright you’ve been to prison, use the functional format your resume for ex-felons. Nonetheless, if a functional format can’t hide the gap, it should include a “will discuss during interview” caption. This will help you secure a chance to discuss and explain your situation, something you can’t easily get when you state you’ve served time in prison.
View your prison term in a different light
Instead of brooding over your conviction, your application must focus on the skills you gained while incarcerated. For instance, if you’ve attended crash courses on web site development, graphic design, and other computer courses, you can highlight them in your copy.
Again, a functional format is your best ally in this situation. This highlights your skills instead of focusing on work timelines.
Seek assistance in writing your resume for ex-felons
Unless you can write well, it’s best that you ask for help in writing your resume. A good writer can help you correct the flaws and lessen its errors. Moreover, he or she can also help in highlighting your skills without focusing on your other issues such as imprisonment or your felony records. Remember, a resume for ex-felons must focus on the applicant’s skills and not on his felony issues.
Search for companies that hire ex-felons
It’s common for employers to be wary of hiring an ex-offender. This may sound biased, but this is the reality. To lessen your frustration and self-doubt, search for companies that hire ex-felons. This may be tough since a few companies claim to hire ex-felons even if they do not. As such, your search must begin with your parole officer. Ask him or her if he/she can point you to a company that welcomes ex-offenders. In the same way, many non-profit organizations give help to ex-felons who wish to rejoin the workforce.
You’ll find many ways on how an ex-felon can get better results from his or her job search. It may not be easy, too, since some discriminate a former criminal regardless of how he or she makes an effort to change his or her life. As a matter of fact, it may even be harder than serving a sentence in prison. All it takes is a customized resume for ex-felons and the sheer determination to start all over again.
