Criminal convictions can limit an offender’s ability to find employment, yet many employers look beyond these convictions when making hiring decisions. This presents an important question for correctional employment specialists and job-seeking felons: what are employers thinking when they decide whether or not to hire a convicted felon?
Fahey, Roberts, and Engel (2006) facilitated an extensive series of focus groups and discovered that employers are often willing to hire someone with a criminal record depending on the specific characteristics of the particular applicant. Employers in these focus groups cited technical skills as being a possible reason to hire a convicted felon. However, the most desired characteristics included soft skills such as social skills and personal ethics, which do not necessarily relate to industry specific proficiencies. Employers stated they were willing to train convicted felons “who possess good communication and interpersonal skills, have the ability and willingness to learn, pay attention to detail, and consistently show up for work on time”.
This study is very consistent with what the felons on my program experience. The high value employers place on soft skills directly relates to concerns of whether or not a convicted felon can be a trusted employee. As such, supportive employment programs should focus heavily on soft skills development, including active listening skills, interviewing skills, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and responsible thinking/behavior. The lesson to be learned here, is that a hiring manager may be able to look beyond past mistakes, but in order to do so, they must believe that the perspective employee is honest and reliable.
Fahey, Roberts, and Engel (2006) facilitated an extensive series of focus groups and discovered that employers are often willing to hire someone with a criminal record depending on the specific characteristics of the particular applicant. Employers in these focus groups cited technical skills as being a possible reason to hire a convicted felon. However, the most desired characteristics included soft skills such as social skills and personal ethics, which do not necessarily relate to industry specific proficiencies. Employers stated they were willing to train convicted felons “who possess good communication and interpersonal skills, have the ability and willingness to learn, pay attention to detail, and consistently show up for work on time”.
This study is very consistent with what the felons on my program experience. The high value employers place on soft skills directly relates to concerns of whether or not a convicted felon can be a trusted employee. As such, supportive employment programs should focus heavily on soft skills development, including active listening skills, interviewing skills, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and responsible thinking/behavior. The lesson to be learned here, is that a hiring manager may be able to look beyond past mistakes, but in order to do so, they must believe that the perspective employee is honest and reliable.