Q: I stumbled upon your site, as I was looking, once again for help for an ex-offender who is looking for jobs, or new careers. I have a 16 year old class x felony, that just won’t go away. I am a 56 year old woman; that’s one strike against me already, with this in my background; therefore 2 strikes. So, I’m practically out of strikes. Having worked the past 16 years sporadically, I have lost some skills I had when I left prison. When I left my job was waiting, so I was lucky, not having to worry about recidivism, having a job, most people would love to have, and loving it, being current on all the latest technology, and very secure and happy.
They closed their Chicago office in 2000, and due to a merger couldn’t ask me to come to Phoenix with them. The people with whom they merged were into background checks, and try as they might, or so they said, they just couldn’t get the other partners to accept me. I had no choice to telemarket for a while, since no one would hire me, until a neighborhood shop did, and I stayed there until they went under recently. They never knew, but they also were so old fashioned, I stagnated, and lost all my skills working in a place without even the internet, much less Microsoft applications.
I’ve been looking into various career changes, such as medical coding and billing, phlebotomy, and aesthetician (skin care, glycemic peels etc), but I am just not sure if I could get hired in these fields due to my class x history. Do you have any ideas on this, or direction you feel I should be looking into? Running out of unemployment, mortgage due, and starting to get scared.
I look forward to any help you can offer.
Thank you,
Rissa
Ex-offender is having a hard time getting a job with a 16 year old conviction
A: Hello Rissa,
I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble. I can tell from your story that you are already in touch with your local One-stop Career Center. That is a good move. As far as the different career paths you are considering, getting licensed due to your conviction may be an issue. My suggestion is to contact your local Illinois Legal Aid office. If you are not in Illinois, you could contact the legal aid office in your area.
In every office, there are attorneys that can help you in a few ways. Firstly, you can look into having your conviction expunged. Because your conviction is more than 16 years old and you have had no other brushes with the law, this may be a viable option. This could make your record less of an issue. Secondly, you could inquire about your ability to be licensed in any of the fields you are considering. Their services are offered and little or no cost to you. You can get more information here:
https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_Content&contentID=3056
You also mentioned “medical billing and coding.” Just a side note, I have had students who have taken such courses only to learn that “Medical Biller/Coder” doesn’t exist as a stand alone position in most cases. In medical settings it may be a function of another position such as Medical Assistant. Just something to consider. Please consult your counselor at the One-stop Career to for available positions in your area before you invest valuable time and energy in training that may not pay off. You may also inquire about career fields that are experiencing growth before you decide on training. You can also get insight on professions that will likely hire an ex-offender.
I hope this helps.
Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: Where can an ex-offender find jobs
Jobs for Ex-offenders and felons: Ten Steps to Getting a Job with a Criminal Record
Are you an ex-offender who has a question about finding a job with a criminal record? You could have your question answered right here. Email your question to: BelievePublications@comcast.net.
