Careers for Felons

In these times of economic recession, it is difficult to find employment for the general population and even more so for convicts. There are limited industries that offer jobs to convicts, and most jobs are at the entry-level. The government, recognizing the hesitance of businesses to hire felons, has introduced tax reforms and awards programs to encourage industries to hire felons. One of the acts is the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which offers businesses tax credit if they hire felons. One more initiative is the Workforce Investment Act which offers training programs that will help individuals with gainful employment. Then, there is the Federal Bonding Program (FBP) which is run by the US department of labor which guarantees job honesty of ex-felons for first six months. This means, if an organization hires a felon the government takes guarantee of any loss to the company because of the felon.

Although, it might sound difficult to find industries that offer jobs to felons, there are opportunities in different sectors for someone with a criminal past. Anyone who is willing to rehabilitate and find gainful employment should understand that although the task is difficult, it is not impossible to find a job. Work opportunities for felons may be limited, but if you are willing to put in some hard work there are some industries which offer favorable opportunities. Some of the avenues that you could explore when looking for jobs for felons are:

Armed Forces
One of the best avenues for jobs for ex-felons is the US army. These jobs will not only give you a steady income, but will also give ex-felons respectability, and much-needed stability. The army runs a 'moral waiver' program under which it gives employment to people with a criminal background in different sections like construction, maintenance as drivers and clerks.

Nonprofit Organizations
Get on the Internet and find nonprofit organizations near you. Due to the nature of their work they have a more lenient attitude towards offering jobs for felons. If you don't get a job upfront, start volunteering at a nonprofit organization (NPO) and get that experience on your resume and then approach another NPO for paid employment.

Restaurant Jobs
This is one of the places that hire felons and has enough job opportunities if you are willing to start at the entry-level. The restaurant industry has something known as the floating staff, meaning employees join and then they leave. This makes it simpler to get a job in this industry, as they are always on a look out for fresh pair of hands and legs.

Online Jobs
If you have basic knowledge of computers then one of the avenues for jobs, for ex-felons is the Internet. You could do online content writing, market research, data entry, surveys, etc. Although some of these opportunities might be temporary, they offer an opportunity to make a decent earning. Agencies offer these jobs to felons also, as they do not require interacting with clients or handling their office property.

Construction Jobs
Companies hire felons in the constructions field. These companies are on the constant look out for people who are willing to put in some hard work. People with skills like painting, plumbing, and machine operators have a good scope of employment in this sector.

Other industries that could offer careers for convicts are the Christian missionaries and the salvation army. Keep a look out for 'Help Wanted' signs around your neighborhood and don't be embarrassed to approach these business owners.