More Than Half of HR Managers Hire Applicants With Criminal Records
The study, conducted by Harris Interactive, was from 2,298 hiring managers across the country. The managers, ages 18 and over, were employed full time, not self employed and did not work for the government. The study also analyzed what those millions of job seekers who have criminal records can do to help their chances of getting hired. According to a report from the National Employment Law Project, in 2011, an estimated 65 million job seekers, or 27 percent of the adult population, had a criminal record.
“The number one recommendation hiring managers have is to own your past and focus on what you learned from it to grow professionally and personally,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. “You also want to stay active. Taking classes, volunteering and tapping into social networks can be good ways to help overcome obstacles associated with job hunting with a criminal past.”
Hiring managers recommended the following to job seekers with a criminal record:
- 68 percent said be up front and honest about any convictions, stressing lessons learned from them
- 48 percent said be willing to work your way up
- 46 percent advised job seekers to stay positive
- Prepare while in prison by taking classes, getting a degree or vocational training– 39 percent
- Avoid applying for jobs where your criminal record would automatically disqualify you – 31 percent
- Another 31 percent said to volunteer
- Consider freelance or temporary assignments – 26 percent
- Joining the military is an option – 18 percent
- Become an entrepreneur by starting your own business – 16 percent
- Monitor what’s published on social media – 13 percent
The survey was conducted between May 14 and June 4.