If you’re looking for an easy solution to your finding a job problem, there isn’t any. There’s no point in sugarcoating the answer, you know that turning your life around won’t be easy, but the good news is that it can be done, if you’re determined. Here are a few tips to help you leave your past behind.
Be honest about your criminal record
No use denying there’s a social stigma that people who’ve had a conviction or two have to deal with. Most former offenders would hide their past rather than face the barely-disguised horrified look on their potential employer’s face. However, it is preferably to be brutally honest about your record and mention your criminal past even if the issue does not come up during the job interview.
Over the past decade there’s been an increase in the number of businesses doing background check on their employees and you might be in for a nasty surprise if you don’t mention your record.
Say everything goes well at the interview and you’re certain you’ll get the job, but just as your about to leave the HR guy casually mentions:
‘We’ll be doing all the paperwork on Monday. Be sure to bring a photo for the police check’. The moment the sky falls on you. It’s too late to tell them you do have a record.
The right thing to do is to explain from the very beginning that you did something stupid years ago and paid a high price for it, but you’ve learned your lesson and are desperate to get a chance at a fresh start.
Check your own record beforehand
You need to know exactly how bad things look on your criminal records. Or maybe it’s not as bad as you think.
In most Australian states and territories there’s the so-called spent conviction schemes, according to which some offences are erased from your record after a certain period, 10 years in most cases or even 5 for juvenile offenders. This does not apply to violent crimes or sexual offences. Also, keep in mind that Victoria still hasn’t passed a spent conviction scheme.
On the other hand, things like fines, traffic offences and legal proceedings against you might show up on your criminal record even if you were not convicted.
To make sure you know what exactly you will have to explain when applying for a job, you’d be well advised to order a background check on yourself. That’s very easy to do these days, you won’t have to go down to the police station and relive painful memories. You can order a police check online, even on your phone using the services of an accredited online character check agency. They have access to police databases all over Australia so you’ll provide you with a good picture of what’s on your own criminal history record. A reputable character check agency that you can use is Australian National Character Check and can be accessed from the following website: visit website. Many businesses use such online police check agencies, precisely because they’re very accurate and fast.
Don’t set your hopes too high
When you’ve just been released from prison you cannot expect to land your dream job immediately. Your best chance is to get an entry-level job and it’s probably going to be manual labor. Construction works, plants and small businesses are more liable to accept an employee with a criminal record.
If you have trouble getting a job, do some volunteer work in Australia and make sure to ask for references. Also, you might want to try training courses, employers are more likely to look favorably on you if you can bring proof you’re working hard.
Honesty and a lot of determination are key to getting a job when you have a criminal record. If somebody is willing to give you a chance, take it even if it’s not what you’d like to do for the rest of your life. No matter what job it is, it will look good on your resume when you go searching for a better job.
