Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#31

Post by PenguinCoder » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:32 PM UTC

sexoffender wrote: post #3

dddddaviddddd wrote: post #2

Project-based contract work / freelancing? A good portfolio, some networking, and interviewing well could get you some gigs. Not being an employee would probably reduce any risk-averse corporate refusals.

For that I would need references (I have none), a good portfolio (I have none), or the ability to start off making almost no money (my family would starve).

You're just like every other entry level developer in the industry then. The only thing that is setting you apart is the conviction. Yes it will be harder, but with the items you just specified, everyone else is dealing with too. Get a portfolio (make one), get references (find some), and don't let your family starve. Take any job you can to make money while always looking for that better one, working on the references and portfolio. This is no different advice than what I'd tell any other developer starting out.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#32

Post by mynameishere » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:32 PM UTC

Even without the record I would expect you to have a hard time. I'm surprised you're getting offers. Try to keep in mind that there are people who 1) Have 3+ years experience, 2) Have portfolios, 3) Have references, 4) Have clean records, and 5) Still can't find work. Yes, it happens, believe me. So, you're going to have to get way, way, way back in line behind those people. And that's fair.

In the meantime, just get whatever work you can.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#33

Post by rjkennedy98 » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:34 PM UTC

I completely understand why you can’t get a job. If I were a women I would not want to work with someone who did what you did. Even as a guy I find is pretty gross. You got caught not once but twice, who knows how many other times you did it. You also had lots of kids without the ability to take care of them. There are people I have sympathy for but you are certainly not one of them.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#34

Post by sexoffender » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:35 PM UTC

ShabbosGoy wrote: post #16

> For more background, the felony is from flashing someone (while drunk) who was just under 17 years old. This was the second offense (the other was years ago). They are inexcusable and disgusting offenses, but they are permanently on my background. Just a side note, why are these felonies? Or even crimes to begin with? It’s not like you tried to force yourself on those underage girls or rape them. In Europe, there a…

It is a misdemeanor, but a second offense turns it into a felony automatically. My lawyer could not get it back down to a misdemeanor. I am utterly and completely screwed.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#35

Post by Hyva » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:36 PM UTC

I would try leaving the country. In fact, it would have been preferable to do so before the conviction.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#36

Post by varcharlie » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:42 PM UTC

sexoffender wrote: post #14

darpa_escapee wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can find the time, which I understand can be almost impossible if you're working, throw together a small portfolio and vanity site. I've landed a few gigs just by saying the right words, others by having something shiny to show non-tech folk or having at least some code to show that I am not full of shit to technologically competent clients. Hell, I landed more than one gig from blog posts about technology (re…

I do have a small portfolio website (can't show it here because it'll give away my name and the harassment will start) and it was mentioned in a few interviews, but it's not really good enough to show off for independent consulting.

TBH I was able to find your name and portfolio website with just the information you provided and a couple google searches. I won't post it here, but you do have a good amount of experience and quite a few repos in your github. (I am from the Chicago area as well). Judging from the articles about you, I definitely understand why it's been hard for you to find a job.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#37

Post by bauerd » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:42 PM UTC

rjkennedy98 wrote: post #33

I completely understand why you can’t get a job. If I were a women I would not want to work with someone who did what you did. Even as a guy I find is pretty gross. You got caught not once but twice, who knows how many other times you did it. You also had lots of kids without the ability to take care of them. There are people I have sympathy for but you are certainly not one of them.

You may have misread the post. OP didn't ask for value judgments, but for advice on getting a job.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#38

Post by varcharlie » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:44 PM UTC

sexoffender wrote: post #14

darpa_escapee wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you can find the time, which I understand can be almost impossible if you're working, throw together a small portfolio and vanity site. I've landed a few gigs just by saying the right words, others by having something shiny to show non-tech folk or having at least some code to show that I am not full of shit to technologically competent clients. Hell, I landed more than one gig from blog posts about technology (re…

I do have a small portfolio website (can't show it here because it'll give away my name and the harassment will start) and it was mentioned in a few interviews, but it's not really good enough to show off for independent consulting.

Question: How do you have 0 references? Your website makes it seem like you have been a professional developer for a long time and your linkedin lists several reputable past employers, including one of the larger consulting agencies in our area.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#39

Post by JshWright » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:45 PM UTC

zer00eyz wrote: post #20

Im going to give you some either great advice or bad advice - only time will tell. First of all take ANY job you can get - this means starbucks is on the table - Get back to work, even part time. Second if you have skills then start putting them to use - open source, build your own thing what ever. At least 2-3 hours a day of WORK. Google up non profits that help fellons find jobs and ask them if they can use your se…

I agree with 99% of this. I don't think there's any value in publicly naming the companies that have rejected you, and there is a potential that it would be detrimental (how would a potential employer view that?). I just don't think the risk (however slight) outweighs the (practically nonexistent) reward.

Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?

#40

Post by austincheney » Thu, Mar 29, 2018, 5:45 PM UTC

helpfulthr312 wrote: post #19

Some ideas for you, take anything you like: * Check out the porn industry. They are always pushing boundaries of what is possible with tech and felons frequently work in the industry. * Military service is a "customary shortcut to public affirmation". It may be possible to enlist in some branch somewhere and request a waiver for your felony. * Improve your portfolio. If you are a good enough developer, people will ov…

I second the military route. Starting out it will be substantially less pay than a developer job in the civilian world, but it is a valid path of redemption. Contrary to popular belief a prior felony, depending upon what it is, won't necessarily stop you from even getting a top secret clearance.

Join the military under any form of "signal" branch MOS. All enlisted signal jobs require a secret security clearance and you might be able to get that directly depending upon what you were convicted of. Once you have been in for a bit and become an NCO you have some internal credibility to possibly transition to military intelligence or become a signal warrant officer of which both require a top secret clearance.

The trick to passing a security check in the military is disclosure. Be up front about your prior legal troubles with the investigating authority and don't hide anything. This is typically a recipe for immediate failure in the civilian world, but the military has greater resources to further investigate these issues and make more thorough determinations.

Once you hold a TS/SCI for a couple of years you can put that on a resume when you are ready to reenter the civilian corporate world. When people see active "Top Secret / Secure Compartmentalized Information" clearance on a resume they immediately think trustworthy despite that a background check will ultimately identify your prior felony. You are vetted, at great expense, by an external federal agency.