Students, grads with criminal records should consider non-traditional methods to find a job

Students, grads with criminal records should consider non-traditional methods to find a job was originally published on College Recruiter.

More and more people are charged with misdemeanors, felonies, and other crimes and more and more of them are convicted of them. As bad as that is for those people, their friends, their families, and society, it can be even worse when they’re denied employment just because of those records.

Grant Aldrich, the CEO of Online Degree, an educational platform with tuition-free courses, recently shared with me the advice that he gives to students and recent graduates with criminal records who are searching for internships and entry-level jobs. According to Grant, “people with criminal records should consider non-traditional methods to find a job. Rather than searching for openings on job boards and submitting a resume and cover letter, they should try other ways. For example, some of the best jobs are not found on job boards but rather through LinkedIn connections. Determine the industry you want to break into, then start creating helpful posts around that topic. Eventually, people that have connections in that industry will begin to notice and interact with your posts. Once people engage, it’s the perfect time to shoot them a message and start a conversation.”

Grant continued, “if the topic of your criminal conviction comes up, the best thing to do is be honest. Of course, know your rights and the certain convictions you don’t have to disclose to a potential employee. However, it might not immediately eliminate you for specific industries if you have a criminal record, depending on the type of charges.”

By College Recruiter
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