Finding work with a criminal record is more possible than many job seekers assume, though it requires a somewhat different strategy than a typical job search. A growing number of states and cities have “ban the box” laws that prohibit employers from asking about criminal history on an initial job application, delaying that question until later in the hiring process so candidates get a fair chance to be evaluated on qualifications first.
Certain industries and specific employers have built reputations as more open to hiring people with records, often described as “fair chance” employers — this commonly includes construction, manufacturing, warehousing, food service, and a growing number of apprenticeship and trade-training programs, some of which partner directly with reentry organizations.
It’s worth researching whether your record qualifies for expungement or sealing under your state’s laws, since rules vary widely and a sealed or expunged record may no longer need to be disclosed at all in many contexts, depending on the state and the nature of the offense.
When disclosure is required, being upfront and brief tends to work better than getting caught in an inconsistency later — a short, honest explanation focused on what’s changed since then reads far better to most employers than an attempt to hide it that unravels during a background check.
One important note, because this is legal territory. Empire Resume is an independent editorial team, not a law firm and not a legal authority of any kind. Ban-the-box rules, what a fair-chance employer has to do, and whether a record can be expunged or sealed are set by state and sometimes city law, and they vary a lot from one place to the next and from one case to the next. Nothing here tells you what your own record allows or requires. Before you decide what to disclose or whether to pursue expungement, check your state’s official rules through its courts or attorney general, or talk to a legal aid organization; LawHelp.org can point you to free help near you. Treat this as general information to get oriented, not legal advice, and let your state’s current law and your own situation govern.