Felon looking for help finding a job.
I'm looking for anyone here in the Oregon/Washington area (I would relocate, but that takes money, and for that I need a job, and if I had that, then I wouldn't need to relocate. Got to love catch 22's.) who is either in the position to hire or knows of a job opportunity with a company that would be willing to hire a felon such as myself.
My specialties are in Retail Sales an Customer service, although I do have quite a bit of experience with various other fields of work. Now, please, to all of you who would, in internet message board tradition, attack me and say something like "There's no way you can get a sales job with a felony, etc etc," rest assured that I am aware of the complications involved with the idea of a felon in any type of sales job, so please leave the flame off this post.
I am hoping to get full-time work, anything from 35-50 hours a week, but at this point, I'll take even very limited part-time work. I would really like to be able to start contributing to society by working and paying my way rather than relying on the help of others to survive from month to month. At this time, all I am able to get is the very rare and random temporary job doing something that'll barely pay the bills for the month. I'd really like to have a steady, permanent, job.
That is all. Thank you for reading.
Josh P.
jealotjoshua@yahoo.com
Oregon:
http://www.worksourceoregon.org/
http://www.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/ES/__news_622646162.shtml
http://www.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/ES/JOB/index.shtml
https://empportal.emp.state.or.us/im_imscod_dad/!pkg_startup.proc_home
Washington :
https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/
http://www.careeronestop.org/jobseeker/jobseekers.asp
The first thing I would do if I were you would be to look up a one stop career center and see what they can find for you. Not to be nosy or anything, but what were you convicted for?
So you will have to look at the reality of your situation and acknowledge that jobs in which you are handling money are unlikely to come your way. That is not a flame but simply a statement of fact. Employers are unlikely to look at your record and hire you into retail positions. A better approach might be to find a different skill or vocation that would not require you to "touch" money.
Have you tried to work with any of the organizations that work with felons to assist in job placement?
This would really be your best bet.
It isn't a flame or attack, it is a reality that it appears you already know but don't want to hear. Here it is anyway. Your best bet is to go after jobs and industries where you have the best chance of success.
No banks or financial institutions in any capacity. No computer MIS sort of stuff. Retail is probably out. The biggest loss in any retail business is employee shrinkage, they're not going to hire a felon. Customer Service is iffy. If that gives you access to customer info, probably not. Nothing where you have to be licensed.
Perhaps some other sort of sales (B to B for example). Talk to your parole or probation officer about felon friendly employers. See if there are programs where you can go back to school to learn to do something where you could get a job. Consider starting your own business.
Tess
I have, on the other hand, repaid my dept to society, and even made up with the people who the money was stolen from. I know that doesn't cover my sin, but Jesus already did that for me, so I don't need to worry about that.
I appreciate the responses I've gotten already, and I thank you all for your help. I will not abandon my hope of doing what I am great at, but I will also consider other avenues of work. Unfortunately, I've actually been doing this already, to a large extent, and this has yielded no results. I've even stooped down to a janitors position (no offense to those in this job, but when I believe I have the abilities to effectively manage a business office, this kind of work feels like a huge step down) and I was still denied the job based on the fact that I am a felon.
Not long after my conviction, I lost my old job and I was forced into getting a job at a fast-food resturant, but I only got the job because one of the managers was a friend of mine; the other managers found out a few months later that I had a felony and they said that even they (a fast-food resturant!) wouldn't have hired me if they had known about my felony before hand.
I've been looking for a steady job (something that is not just temporary) for over two years now and the closest thing I've found was a job that lasted about a month and a half, with me working about 70+ hours a week, and in the end my employer ripped me off for about $1000 which I still haven't gotten to this day.
Things like training/school/etc. are not really an option unless I already have a job in the first place to pay for those sorts of things. Besides, if I can't even get a job as a janitor or a fast-food server, I'm not sure I'd want to spend my very limited resources on something that likely wont yield much in the long run.
Anyway, I'm sure that I could find things to continue rambling on and on about for hours if I let myself, but you all have lives to get back to, so I will end this here. Feel free to continue leaving comments, questions, and responses in this post! I will continue this dialogue as long as is neccesary. Thanks again to all you supporters out there.
~Josh
Alright Josh I am going to shoot straight with you cause you sound like you are trying hard to get it right. Many on here know my story so know that I am on the other side of your story in a way, I am the victim of a very violent crime. I mission in federal and state adult prisons today as well as with juvenile offenders. One of the issues with offenders is to always take responsibility for past actions and harm; many never do. Never easy, I know especially when you have to face your victims. Harder still after you feel like you have "paid your debts" and no one will give you a chance.
So here is the best recommendation that I can give you, believe me I am not preaching and I am not standing over you with a big stick. I am from Texas and down here we are one heck of a lot more unforgiving than up in the Washington / Oregon area. Still this can be done. You sound as if you have at least found some faith in your journey. If this is true than you great, because there are a number of faith based organizations that assist felons. You don't even have to be of their faith; you simply have to be working hard to stay straight and you have to have acknowledged and at least attempted or made a start at restitution.
I don't know if you actually did time or were placed directly to parole, however I would take a look at Volunteers of America as a start point. I ask the Washington Dept of Criminal Justice, I suspect that they have contacts to all sorts of non-profits who assist with re-entry including job re-training and employment services. If you don't attend a church regularly, well I would if I were you. One of the best ways to find a job in your position is to let people get to know you for the man that you are today rather than letting your record speak for you. I know that you need to make money now, but maybe for now you could focus on smaller steps toward achieving your ultimate goal, get involved in your community volunteer; again another opportunity to network and let your actions and the man you are today speak loudly.
I know that this isn't much but I hope that it helps a little. I know that you can do this. It is a hard road back.
I found this in about 30 seconds of surfing. Do some research, you can probably find something similar for Oregon or contact them and ask for suggestions.
http://www.saferfoundation.org/viewpage.asp?id=4
Unfortunately, there are life long consequences to your poor choices. You may be stuck with a lot of minimum wage sort of jobs that are otherwise beneath your skills and interests. I also second the suggestion about talking to church groups. Call your local United Way help line and ask them who has programs for felons in your area.
Tess