Background Checks-Red Flags to Employers

BACKGROUND CHECKS - RED FLAGS TO THE EMPLOYER!
Decisions you make today will affect you for the rest of your life, especially when you apply for a job and have a colorful background.  Many companies run a background check before selecting the best candidate for a position with their company.  When the background check is several pages long and shows a history of crime for many years, the company will choose someone with a cleaner background. 
Many companies or their customers (buyers) have a “No felony” policy, along with many government, school and other agencies even if the felony is seven years or older.  I have seen people with a 30 year old felony get turned down from a position with a company.
If our teenagers could see how their life would be affected, maybe some of them would make different choices in their life.  In my profession I see many people who have a felony and are ordered by a judge to either find a job or return to jail.  It is very difficult for them to find an employer who is willing to give them another try, especially because the felony is usually for forgery, grand theft, driving while intoxicated, etc.  It is easier to hire someone who has had a misdemeanor in their past but once you have a felony it becomes more difficult.
The Drug Court Program requires a certain amount of meetings so the availability to work becomes less, which makes it difficult to hire someone involved in drug court.   Spending time in jail makes you unavailable for work and employers cannot put their business on hold waiting for your return.  You are usually replaced and the company does not want to hire you back.
Occasionally I am asked to speak at different classes at school, church groups or community groups and enjoy giving examples of what to do if you end up in a difficult situation and don’t know what to do. Question:  “What would you do if your cousin, best friend, neighbor etc. asked for a ride to the store?  You drop them off and wait in the parking lot.  They steal something while they are in the store that you don’t know anything about.  They come out of the store, throw the merchandise in the back seat and jump into the passenger’s seat.  Security comes and finds the ‘good’s in the backseat and your passenger says, ‘It’s not mine.”  Who gets charged with grand theft which is a ‘felony charge’, the owner of the car or the passenger?  (Remember, your passenger said the merchandise wasn’t theirs)
Question: “What should you do if you walk into a store with someone (a mother, father, sister, brother, in law, best friend etc.) and they decide to steal some merchandise?  Do you walk out of the store with them?” (You didn’t steal anything)   Would you have enough nerve to take them to customer service and report that you came in with this person and they decided to steal something and that you were no part of it?
I find that honesty is the best policy and that there is no relative or friend worth you getting a felony as it affects you for the rest of your life and your so called friends move on.  Remember your past follows you.  Juvenile Records, Sealed Records or Withheld Judgments show up in your history.  The detailed information might not be available, but the dates do show up which puts a question in the employers mind as you have still been found guilty of a crime.

During the application process the employer looks for gaps in your past working history.  It is important to be honest and explain exactly what happened.  Maybe you have been a stay a home mom for a few years, or were enrolled in school and didn’t work during that time.  If you have been in jail you need to be honest and explain why and where you are in the rehabilitation process.   Yes there is hope but the best possible solution is to choose your friends wisely and stay away from dishonest relatives and friends and avoid a possible felony at all costs.  Everyone makes mistakes and your attitude makes a lot of difference.  Those who always try to blame someone else for their mistakes are not as likely to get hired as those who are honest and admit their mistakes and can tell others what they learned.
Our office just recently hired a man who had been in prison for 10 years.  His comments were, “I made a lot of mistakes, but I have learned and I’m not going back to prison.”  We placed him on a temporary assignment and he was not late once, never missed one day of work, and never complained or found fault with anyone else.  He was also willing to do anything for any wage even minimum wage.  He just wanted a chance to work.  Within a month after being released, he had his CDL License.  He now has a full time job and is doing well.  He paid his dues and did everything he was suppose to do so he was not on probation.  His attitude made the difference.
Your life is in your hands and your choices today determine where you will be tomorrow.
Brenda Bailey
Comments email: brenda.bailey.1@hotmail.com