Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records • Hacker News Board

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#421

Post by Iv » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:39 AM UTC

> our business model is based upon employers paying to advertise their jobs.

The only question I have is: why would they? I can see the reason why the job seekers would subscribe to your website but I don't see why employers would prefer it to other alternatives. Actually I can see one: to be able to identify which candidates have a criminal record and eliminate them from their pool.

Registering there as an employer can be an act of good will and generosity but that seems a bit awkward to make them pay for it, no?

BTW, you have to have a very solid security from the beginning. A leak of your database would not only threaten your business but negate most of the good you did.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#422

Post by TheSpiceIsLife » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:43 AM UTC

brooklyn_ashey wrote: post #420

barrkel wrote: post #412

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW getting into tech as a stereotypical white male is also an uphill struggle. Years of ostracism as a nerd, discrimination in school and early social life. It wasn't a pleasant experience for me and not I expect for many. If anything, computers were a respite from the unpleasantness of social life.

That is a true insight into why there is so much bullying (of women, of other men, of people of color, etc) in tech. I can see how that could really be upsetting throughout a life, and how it could engender a kind of constant (justified) anger. But then one would hope we could all realize this and move toward empathy and support the marginalized, each of us having had these experiences ourselves.

> That is a true insight into why there is so much bullying (of women, of other men, of people of color, etc) in tech.

I don't see how that follows from the parent comment. What do you mean by this?

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#423

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:43 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#424

Post by mattbgates » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:44 AM UTC

Hey, thanks for sharing this. I actually just wrote an article (not yet published) for an organization that helps inmates learn how to code while in prison so they can have some life skills for when they are done serving their time and get out in the real world.

I'm not talking about murderers or pedophiles or people who just probably don't belong in society at all, but when it comes to people with lesser crimes -- people who got greedy, people who were stupid and stole something, or even were involved with drugs (I'm an advocate for decriminalization), people who can be given a second chance and not resort to a life of returning to old habits.

The organization's URL is: https://thelastmile.org/

Another URL I came across: http://jobsthathirefelons.org/

Anyways, hope you don't mind, but I've added your URL to my article as well. I'd rather see productive ex-cons/former felons contribute to our society and not be relegated to a position at a minimum wage job for the rest of their lives, despite having massive amounts of skills and talents that can be used elsewhere.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#425

Post by anon4728 » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:45 AM UTC

Has anyone ever tried or heard of volunteering/mentoring prisoners to learn skills like coding or electronics?

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#426

Post by anon4728 » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:51 AM UTC

RBBronson123 wrote: post #76

ictoan wrote: post #74

Hi Richard, great idea. I'm a UX designer and want to throw out some suggestions on how to improve the experience of the site. First, use more cheerful/positive messages/visuals. It was a joykill when I checked out your website and there's a sad guy placing his hand on the forehead. Show what's possible. How successful people can be once they get a job.. rather than their current state (unemployment). Don't focus on…

You are so right on all your comments. Soon we'll be re-doing the entire site. Perhaps we can talk in several weeks?

More employers on one side and more candidates on the other... working with outreach programs that can transition people sooner and offer realistic hope.

Microsoft, Amazon, other shops that do street mapping/GIS or have field staff might be open to this concept.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#427

Post by vacri » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:52 AM UTC

will_brown wrote: post #311

Just because I believe the number of reported violent crimes suggests our prison population is underpopulated, doesn't mean I don't also believe the system may currently be overpopulated with the wrong sorts. That's why I used numbers for sex crimes only, but more broadly we have ~2.2M inmates and 1.2M reported violent crimes per year, throwing out all non violent offenders it would still be hard to conclude our pris…

You seem to be assuming that each incident of violent crime is done by a different person.

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#428

Post by drewmol » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:55 AM UTC

nulagrithom wrote: post #32

I went through an IT technical degree at a community college. Three of my classmates were timing their graduation to the year their felony fell off background checks. These guys spent 5 years grinding it out at whatever shit job would hire them just to spend 2 more in school + working with the hope of getting a simple rack & stack job, all because of some mistake they made in their late teens/early twenties. It was t…

Felon here! I'm in a similar circumstanc. Four felony convictions to be specific, 1x drug possession (adderall) 3x trafficking marijuana (same case, multiple counts). I was certainly guilty on all counts. Lost my job after employer found out about the first felony probation (adderall), made some severely short-sighted decisions to supplement my income (traffic marijuana). Anyways it's late and I have company, but TLDR: Job hunting as a felon(for any reason, most don't care to understand the details) it's much more limiting than I would have ever anticipated.

OP: Thanks for starting this, good luck, I've been thinking about doing something similar for a while now!

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#429

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:56 AM UTC

newsreader wrote: post #233

Former career criminal here. Spent 19 years of my adult life in a combination of jail and prison. Longest stint was for 14 consecutive years. Been working in IT for the last 17 years, mostly as a developer. Had a very hard time getting my foot in the door; was denied employment more than once because of my record. Not sure that my current employer is even aware that I have a record, and to be honest I have no plans t…

[deleted]

Re: Launch HN: 70MillionJobs (YC S17) – Job board for people with criminal records

#430

Post by curun1r » Thu, Aug 03, 2017, 2:56 AM UTC

ileze wrote: post #330

Sadly, 'round these parts you'll get more tolerance for your status as a felon, then for that of having religious beliefs.

Speaking personally and for many of the atheists that I know, none of us will begrudge someone finding something, religion or otherwise, that gives them comfort and strengthens them through the hardships of life. In fact I'm often jealous that that kind of answer doesn't work for me the way it does for others. My spiritual journey has been much more challenging.

We will, however, begrudge them proselytizing their religion, claiming or implying a greater claim to morality based on their religious beliefs or advocating public policy based on the tenets of their faith.