Ban The Box The Low-Down On Ex-Cons And The Job Search - CareerEnlightenment.com

But that’s not the worst part. The most unwelcome side effect of ‘banning the box’ was a marked increase in racial discrimination. Unable as they were to access an applicant’s criminal history, businesses resorted to the next best thing: blanket-rejecting racial minority youths who were deemed ‘most likely’ to have a criminal history.So if banning the box isn’t the answer, what can the government do to improve the chances of former criminals in the workplace? The most likely solution is implementation of incentives: rewards for businesses who open their doors to ex-cons, financial and otherwise. Whether such measures will ever materialize is yet to be seen.Fighting the systemThere are things you can do, as a former offender, to lessen the impact of your history. Firstly, there are numerous companies from Google to Starbucks who are making conscious efforts to expand their ex-con workforce. Do your research before application and try to aim for businesses who will take l ess umbrage at any ‘unsavory’ history.In interviews, research shows that it’s wise to tackle your past history head-on. A 2017 study has showed that job applicant who acknowledge and either apologize for or justify past criminal activity are more likely to come off well at interview. The writers conclude: “These findings suggest applicants may benefit from using impression management tactics that communicate remorse when discussing events or associations that violate integrity expectations.”Finally, whether you’ve minimal work behind you or can boast significant pre-prison experience, almost all ex-cons can benefit from a spot of volunteer work. Volunteering is not only a great way to obtain a recent reference and learn new skills, but demonstrates an eagerness to self-improve that will alleviate the miasma of past misdeeds. Volunteering work on a CV encourages employers to look beyond previous convictions and view you as a potential employee.For those who have fallen af oul of the law, the job market can be a difficult environment to navigate. Though many employers remain averse to hiring ex-criminals, things are changing.