# How does an X-Convict get a decent job?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-an-x-convict-get-a-decent-job/209538>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 25, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-an-x-convict-get-a-decent-job/209538 "2003-10-25T19:25:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-an-x-convict-get-a-decent-job/209538/21 "2003-10-26T13:42:13Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Susanann \*  
> \*\*There are so many law abiding unemployed people to choose from , why would any employer today hire an ex con?  
> \*\*

Because that person may be the right one for the job. Because they might be willing to work for less to re-establish their work history. Because the employer may be willing to look past mistakes someone has made. Because a criminal conviction in one area may have no effect on a person’s ability to perform a job.

There are always reasons not to hire people. What you need to concentrate on are the reasons _to_ hire someone.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-an-x-convict-get-a-decent-job/209538/22 "2003-10-26T13:42:30Z")

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I’ll third what Ringo said re starting a micro service business with a few thousand and growing it. If you don’t want to fib about your past it’s going to be really tough to get a good job in a modern economy where people are often in charge of expensive and important stuff, even at low levels.

Having said that, if I was 39, and looking to move up but locked in by that conviction , I’m not so sure that I wouldn’t be tempted (not that I _would_, but I would be tempted) to leave out the conviction information on job apps. Unless you’re dealing with a super high security job chances are 50-50 at best that anyone is going to pick up a criminal history. If you’re going to roll the dice like this, however, you had best do it far, far away from where people know you personally and your history.

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**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-an-x-convict-get-a-decent-job/209538/23 "2003-10-26T14:08:38Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Sigene \*  
> \*\*Crap! that’s pretty rough. Can I ask how you’ve gotten by the past 12 yrs without a job? \*\*

I have a son, so was getting welfare checks a few years (300 a month) after that, my father paid my rent.Now we live with him.

stockton, first and last offense-it was bringing weed into the county jail per order of my husband.  
I got probation.

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