Still More Advice for Ex-offenders looking for Jobs

Because you have a criminal record, you will be faced with different challenges than the average job seeker.  Your record will make your job search more interesting.  There is a choice to be made here too.  You can do what many ex-offenders do and hope that a prospective employer will not hold your record against you.  Another choice is, you can make yourself  legitimately competitive in the open employment market by developing the skills and attitudes that will allow you to compete for a job.

Can you tell an employer in five minutes or less what you can do and how your skills can benefit him?  How is your dress?  Do you look like you are going to a club or to hang out with some friends or do you look like a businessman with a product to sell?  Do you have definite plan of action that includes of prospective employers to call on?  Do have a resume that outlines you skills, experience or qualifications?  If you answered no to any one of these questions, you have some work to do.

Step One: Identify your skills.  I bet if you really look, you have at least 30 skills that would benefit an employer.

Step Two: Develop a resume that a prospective employer can look at and get an idea of what type of person you are and what you have to offer.

Step Three: Decide what type of work you want to do and how your skills will help you be successful in the field you choose.

Step Four: Develop a list of prospective employers to call on.  Get help from friends, relatives, and members of your community to help you get leads for open jobs.  That is called networking.
Step Five: Get your wardrobe together.  The clothing you wear both on your job search and interviews should be neat, clean and professional.  Your clothes should say I am the person for this job!
Step Six: Practice you interview skills.  Anticipate questions and practice answering until your responses sound confident and natural

One additional choice you must make is to never give up!