Job Search After a Felony

Q: “I’ve recently been released from prison and want to get back into my profession. I’ve been trying to re hone my skills but given my felony record am I just spinning my wheels? What do I say when I’m asked about the lapse in my employment?

A. You’re not spinning your wheels, you will find employment, and you will have some real challenges ahead. Let’s start with the first hurdles to overcome, and go from there:

Responsible employers will not want to put you, their employees, or the public the company serves, into situations that create the perception, real or imagined, of danger. Therefore, sit down with your parole officer and counselor before you interview. Identify work environments and interpersonal situations to avoid and those that are appropriate to approach. Candidly discuss the reasonable, practical, and emotional concerns that prospective employers and their employees might have, given your recent history. Prepare yourself to respond to those fears in ways that not only demonstrate self-awareness, but also describe the conscious changes you’ve made in your behavior and your ability to respond to others.

Address the lapses in your employment history in a truthful and straightforward way. You mentioned “rehoning your skills.” Describe how you’ve continued your education during and following the time you were imprisoned; and the preparations you have made for the career direction you are taking. Describe your past accomplishments and your ability to contribute to the future success of the company you’d like to join.

Your challenge, and it’s a big one, is getting the interviewer to focus on what you’re saying and not on where you’ve been and what got you there.

To accomplish that, address what concerns them most. Ask prospective employers to ask you any and all work related questions or concerns they have relative to your history in or out of prison. Ask them to describe the challenges they believe you will confront at their place of business. Then answer those concerns in an honest and forthright manner.

Q: I’m concerned about the application form. How can I answer the question about felonies so that my job application won’t get tossed as soon as my response is read?

A: Answer that question and every question truthfully. Will your application be tossed? It’s likely that it will. What can you do about it?

There’s more to all of us than can be demonstrated on an application or resume. Talk to the people who know you best, stood by you, and are willing to take a chance on you. Those individuals, directly or indirectly, may know people who hire people.

You’re asking for a chance to tell an employer your story: your work history, why you were arrested, what you’ve learned as a result, and your efforts to now make good on the rest of your life.

Q: How can I regain my self-respect? My confidence is gone. I’m afraid to get out there and tell my story. What can I do to move forward?

A: I’ve never been in your shoes. I cannot begin to know what you feel. But others have been there. Ask your parole officer and your counselor for help in finding individuals who have been able to make a successful transition and who would be willing to talk with you and counsel you through a very tough time.

I do know this. A comeback takes time, patience and incremental steps. It takes the capacity to accept responsibility and accountability for the choices that you’ve made in the past and will make in the future. It requires asking forgiveness from those you have, by intention or omission, caused physical pain or emotional suffering. It takes reaching out to those who are strong when you’re weak and tender when you’re hurt. It takes all that, and enough people who are willing to say, “I’ll give you another chance.”

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

My Boss and I Absolutely Do Not Get Along!

A reader asks this question:

“I have an ordeal I’m dealing with and need your advice. I’ve been at my current position for one year and greatly enjoy the people I work with except for my boss. We don’t click at all. It seems like I can never do one thing to please her. I’m in my 20’s and she’s twice my age. I have an undergraduate degree and she has an advanced degree. I watch the way she interacts with the other people in the office who have higher degrees and she gets along with everyone of them BUT me. If she calls me and I’m not at my desk or I’m on the phone she assumes that I’m not here. Its like that constantly. She belittles me in front of others and sends me rude emails. I need to know how to handle her and this situation. I’ve tried talking to her in the past but she blows up and says she doesn’t want to hear about it. Can you help?”

~ M. P. in Anywhere City, USA

A: You sound like you want to make this work despite describing a boss who sounds like a cross between the Wicked Witch of the West and Cinderella’s stepmother. She doesn’t appreciate or value your work and likes everyone in the office, but you. I’m not sure where your motivation to succeed is coming from, but I’m glad you’ve got it. Now, let’s get to work.

You’ve noticed that your boss gets along with everyone but you, so I’m assuming you work in a fairly small office. I mention that because your boss has chosen to communicate with you via telephone or email. She even rejected your suggestion to meet and clear the air. So, why is she throwing darts from long distance?

What you know: She doesn’t like your job performance.

What you don’t know: Why she doesn’t like it.

You have a hunch that your problems are connected to what sets you two apart: age and education. You could be onto something. If your boss believes you’re not performing your job as a mature, responsible, educated adult should (as mature, responsible, and almost as educated as she sees herself) then she’d be aggravated with you. That doesn’t mean that she’s right in her perceptions but she has the right to have them.

You mentioned that she assumes you’re not working when you’re away from your desk or on the phone. She could reasonably conclude that you’re using office time to do things other than what she has assigned. (It’s that perception thing again.)

How can you change her perceptions? Change your behaviors. Provide your boss a daily status report on your assignments. If you’re ahead of schedule (which may be why you’re on the phone or away from your desk), let her know and ask how you can be of additional assistance to her and the department.

You’ve observed that your boss gets along better with office mates who have advanced degrees. Her attitude may have more to do with different work styles than differences in intellect. In short, she gets along better with people who see the world as she does, and you may see the world differently. Here’s a hypothetical example: let’s say your boss plays by the rules, is a stickler for details and deadlines, and gets anxious if you don’t share her concerns. She might call you a sloppy, slacking, screw-up (you mentioned her belittling comments and rude emails).

On the other hand, you may be a creative person who loves variety and flexibility, and believe that doing things with flair and style are more satisfying than getting them done on time. You’re not into details, you’re into possibilities! That’s a conflict waiting to happen.

You mention there are several co-workers that get along with you and your boss. They’re in a position to see what you miss. Ask them to respond candidly to three questions:

I want to be more effective in my job and get along better with my boss. What should I stop doing, start doing, and continue to do?

Now take your positive energy and get to work!

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Some Questions Answered

Here are two “role-play” responses to questions you’re asking…

Q: “In one of your recent columns you said that we shouldn’t initiate networking calls to prospective employers on company time. When are we supposed to make them? After we get fired? We should be able to make calls on the clock as long as we don’t make a big deal about it. Please comment.”

A: Rather than battle the pros and cons of the subject, I’ll focus on the nub of the question:  When are the best times to make networking calls? When you and the person you want to reach are both at work but off the clock.

Your target audience is working hard, balancing competing demands, trying to get as much done as daylight hours will allow. Like you, many have gotten into a habit of extending those hours, going to the office early, staying late, and working through lunch to keep within sight of what’s most pressing. That’s why you can reach them between seven and eight in the morning, during the noon hour, and between six and seven in the evening.

Keep your objective in mind. The people you’re calling have potential as prospective employers or networking leads. Your goal is to create sufficient interest so that they’ll agree to meet with you.

They answer their own phones because they’re there and their telephone screeners aren’t. Acknowledge that you are an interruption. If you’re lucky, you’ll have 20 seconds to turn your interruption into an opportunity.

“Mr. Jones, this is Sam Seeker. I’m calling at the suggestion of our mutual friend, Bill Smith of the XYZ Company. Bill said you’re a great problem solver, relationship manager, and a wise counselor. Would you be willing to meet with me, briefly, to brainstorm about my job search and critique some possibilities I’m currently considering? I’ll be very respectful of your time. (Pause for response. If positive, continue.) Great, when are you available?”

Next question…

Q: “I’m sick and tired of my employers always asking me to work all hours of the day (and night) to get their work done. I obviously need another job and a boss who won’t take advantage of my dedication and work ethic. What job should I be looking for?”

A: Rewind. This sounds more like a communication problem than a job problem, and a classic example of the proverbial chicken or the egg question. What comes first, the employer who asks too much of an employee or an employee who takes on more than she can handle? There are unspoken expectations, misplaced intentions, and mixed results, on both sides.

Your boss gives you the impression that she’s insensitive to or unaware of your need for work/life balance, limits or boundaries. In turn, you may be giving her the impression that implies your willingness to do “whatever it takes”. You end up feeling used and unappreciated. Nothing will change until each of you communicate your meaning to the other and recognize the impact of what’s left unsaid.  Since you posed this question and not your boss, I suggest that you begin the dialogue. It might go something like this…

“Helen, I enjoy my job, and hope I’ve been successful in demonstrating my dedication and work ethic by the quantity of work I complete and the accuracy of the work that I produce. (Pause for a reaction. If her response surprises you, clarify its meaning before resuming the conversation).

I’ve come to realize that I’ve not done a good job of communicating my need to establish a balance between what I’m asked to do and what I am capable of managing, in the time frame you’ve allowed. I’d like to have that conversation with you, at your earliest convenience.”

* * * *

Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

How Does the Networking Thing Work?

Q: I think I’m doing a great job of networking. I’ve spoken to dozens of interesting and kind people. They thank me, I thank them. And nothing happens. What am I doing that’s stopping my search cold?

A: It sounds like you’re good at getting in front of your contact but don’t know what to do once you get there. You need a plan and a purpose. Before calling another person, answer these career questions:
What do I want in a job and why do I want it? What stands in the way of my obtaining it?  Whether I have selected this contact or I have been referred to this contact, what is the purpose of my call? How can this person assist me in overcoming obstacles and help me help myself?
Clarify your expectations and you’ll kick-start your search.

What Kind of Resume?

Q: “I’ve worked for several companies over the last few years. I’m not a job hopper but I am concerned that I’ll be seen that way. I’ve been told that to present myself in the best possible light I should use a functional resume and not a chronological one. Do you agree?”

A: A functional resume groups your abilities into skill clusters. A (reverse) chronological resume lists each of your positions and companies, beginning with the most recent. Individuals who have worked a variety of jobs with no obvious career objective present themselves more favorably with a functional resume. That’s the simple answer but it doesn’t solve your problem. Here’s what I mean:
Interviewers prefer reverse chronological resumes to the functional format. They want to see at a glance, the applicant’s progression of responsibility, accountability, job titles, and time in grade. Many believe that functional resumes mask frequent and hard-to-explain job changes. As a result, many applicants who submit functional resumes are passed over, or if called to interview, are quizzed on everything that would appear on a chronological resume. That line of questioning tends to put applicants on the defensive, scrambling to explain what went wrong rather than what went well. They’re unable to make their case.
The solution to your dilemma won’t be found in resume cosmetics but in developing good job search strategies. What’s your goal? Do you want to be appreciated and compensated for a job that you do well, that you enjoy doing, and that you can stay with long enough to make a difference? You can make that happen when you tell your story, in person, to those who have the power and authority to either hire you or put you in front of people who can.
It takes focused, strategic networking; finding people with whom you have much in common. They, like you, are eclectic in their habits, and enjoy variety in their professional endeavors. They’re calculated risk takers and have a bent toward the entrepreneurial. They differ from you in that they’ve been able to capitalize on their strengths and have been successful because of that. They’d be willing to talk to you because the two of you are more alike than different and they’re pleased by your recognizing their success and wanting to know more about how they made it happen.
When you find them, ask how they’ve been able to accomplish what they have. Describe what you want to achieve, the problems you’d like to solve, and the contributions you’d like to make.  Frame your discussion around the strengths, interests, and abilities you have to make positive things happen. Ask for recommendations for next steps, people to connect with, and ideas for how you can tell your story.
Engage the person’s interest in you by demonstrating your interest in them. Ask for advice instead of focusing on your resume or your work history. If you make a compelling case, the networking contact will refer you to those who may be in a position to hire you or would know others who could.
Through networking you’re able to tell your story, face to face, without a resume getting in the way.