In preparation for your release from prison, you may have already started to organize personal documentation so you can prepare to find a job. Even though you may experience challenges along the way, finding a job after your release can accelerate your effort to rebuild your life.
Your awareness of some common challenges facing ex-cons may help you better prepare for your next steps. Throughout the job-seeking process, try to maintain an optimistic perspective and have a realistic perception of what you can control.
Lack of experience
Depending on the amount of time you spent imprisoned, you may have a significant gap in your employment history. According to PBS.org, education issues can create significant challenges when you prepare to begin your job search. Even if you used educational resources available to you throughout your incarceration, they may not have provided adequate enough opportunity for you to effectively prepare for employment upon your release.
Certain career choices may allow you to slowly work your way up to a more lucrative and satisfactory job. For example, you may consider work as a customer service representative, a construction worker, a secretary, a restaurant worker or a janitor. These types of careers do not require significant experience or a vast set of skills. With personal development, additional education and ongoing experience, you can continue to build credibility.
Biases and judgment
Unfortunately, you may encounter interviewers or employers who hesitate to hire you because of your criminal history. Biases and judgments may prevent you from getting a job despite your having adequate qualifications and skills.
Your effort to prepare for job interviews may help you to feel more confident and poised when addressing your background. If interviewers bring up your past, focus on how your experiences have allowed you to develop crucial skills that will make a difference in the workplace. Your confidence in yourself may help future employers see that you have changed and have serious goals for your future.