There seems to be a blanket biased against people who have been incarcerated. There are some of the most talented and skilled people who, for the very reason they have been given a chance, would be the most loyal and hard working employees. Employers get a $2400 tax break with no limit on how many offenders they may hire. The irony of being leery of an ex-offender, is that he is usually under supervision away from the work place and knows that he cannot afford to do any thing wrong; even away from work. Most of these offenders are good people who have done a wrong thing. These are people who deserve a chance, and when given the opportunity, they prove that there is redemption.
There are liveable wage jobs out there; a lot! The prolem we ex-offenders face is that our self-esteem is not up to par and we usually do not sell our talents as well as we should. Most employers get scores of applications and they begin to all look the same after a while. The resume is important in that it must be well presented to get an interview, but the real test comes face-to-face. It is said decisions to hire are made in the first 15 seconds of an interview. We must exude confidence, honesty and determination. Practice the interview before you go and after you go, follow up with the employer with a thank you note. Be a follow up king. Presentation is everything as they say. Be honest, be confident, be humble and be yourself and your chances for a job skyrocket.
You are right Steven. I would add that a person may not get the first job that he/she applies for. That is a critical point in the transitional process. I can see how a rejection early on in the job search could create a great deal of discouragement. It is very important that the applicant knows that there is a great job waiting just around the corner. He or she just needs to continue searching. As John says, don’t be concerned about the job that was not offered, but continue to look for the job that is waiting for you. Blessings.