Please contact me (Richard@70MillionJobs.com) We're the first for-profit recruitment platform for people with records. We work with many large, national employers, as well as many tech companies. (We're a YC company)
We have amassed a community of 1 million + active job seekers, and are providing significant HR solutions to big companies. I believe we can help you. (No charge of any kind to an applicant.)
Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
81–90 of 97 posts
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
Your dead wrong. For years there was "no value" in discussing salary... but companies were allowed to ask you "how much did you make at your last job". So we have/had a system that is "pro company" and "anti-worker" that took a LONG time to change and let a lot of things that we probably always would have been upset about go on. There is value in publicly naming the company that didn't hire him. It stops someone else…
I don't think you addressed "how would a potential employer view that?"
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#83Felon here!
Being a felon has impacted my life in several ways. I'm going on almost 10 years of being labeled a felon, so I have some stories to tell as to how it's impacted my life:
I've struggled with relationships ("omg my parents Googled you"), friendships ("I googled you"), finding a place to live ("sorry, we don't accept people with a criminal history like yours"), bank accounts ("sorry, we can't give you a bank account due to your criminal history"), payment processing accounts ("sorry, we can't accept you to process payments on our platform because of your criminal history")... list goes on.
But I've never, ever had a problem finding work. Maybe it's because of how I go about finding work.
I don't work in corporate environments by choice, as I'm just a terrible fit. I've worked with headhunters without issue, and I've applied to Who is Hirings without issue. I've worked as a business entity with larger-ish companies without issue too (but they're still small enough to not be super corporate)
It's one of the first things I tell people when I wouldn't work under a registered entity: "just a heads up there is no way in hell I'll pass any sort of background check whatsoever"
Somewhat ironically, what's on Google, or any news outlet, is significantly less severe than what a thorough and complete background check will show because of how the courts proceeded (at least for me)
Would love to talk more about getting you in the right direction. Email's in my profile.
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#84Please contact me (Richard@70MillionJobs.com) We're the first for-profit recruitment platform for people with records. We work with many large, national employers, as well as many tech companies. (We're a YC company) We have amassed a community of 1 million + active job seekers, and are providing significant HR solutions to big companies. I believe we can help you. (No charge of any kind to an applicant.)
[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#85Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your dead wrong. For years there was "no value" in discussing salary... but companies were allowed to ask you "how much did you make at your last job". So we have/had a system that is "pro company" and "anti-worker" that took a LONG time to change and let a lot of things that we probably always would have been upset about go on. There is value in publicly naming the company that didn't hire him. It stops someone else…
I don't think you addressed "how would a potential employer view that?"
If someone is making a factual statement about another employer I don't have any qualms with it.
If you were a minority or a woman 10 years ago, even 2 years ago the policy of "don't speak up" was more or less there to maintain the status quo.
Here is an individual who, because he has no privacy, is disqualified from jobs. Note that the merits of his crime and weather or not he should have privacy because of it are another matter.
But a company - you should not talk about them - they have a better right to privacy than OP or any one else in this thread.
Something is very wrong here. This isn't a trade secrete were discussing it is a corporate policy one that could be made clear and public but it isn't.
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#86You have paid your debt to society, you should not continue to be punished in perpetuity. Perhaps make an LLC, and use your middle name in place of your last name when communicating with people? Or legally change your last name? That way they pay you as a contractor, with checks to your business, and no one is the wiser. You are in survival mode now, I wouldn't let pride keep you from changing your name.
He is on probation, so he hasn't paid back his debt just yet.
The idea of probation is itself kind of messed up, in some ways. See what Meek Mill (yes, the rapper) has been put through because of a judge that is obsessed with him, along with absolutely idiotic and onerous probation requirements.
Of course, you’re technically correct (the best kind!), but it was a thought I felt like riffing on for a moment.
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#87At least around me (SF Bay area), social service/healthcare non-profits are open to hiring felons, and do so regularly. At my current job, the best boss I've ever had revealed she was a felon at her going-away party on her last day. Organizations with missions focused on building life/parenting skills actively seek people who have learned from their mistakes, and who want to help others do the same.
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah I found him too. SD. His portfolio actually looks really good. Like seriously intermediate to senior level. I think if he kept applying someone would consider him at a discount thinking they were getting good deal for the money.
I've been applying since November and I've run out of money and time, April is the last month we can afford, and interview processes can last weeks. There's like a 5% chance I'll get a job during this time which is why I came here for help. I did get several good pointers from people and am going to follow them. But my programming knowledge is between junior and intermediate despite my experience, since somehow I end…
Dude, work in a factory until you get a programming job. If I was a CIO I would hire you in a heartbeat. You got passion, chops, and obvious dedication, and honestly could probably be got at a steal. I wouldn't give up, personally.
It's like penetration testing...no matter what kind of defenses a company has built... it takes is ONE opening to own all of it.
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
He is on probation, so he hasn't paid back his debt just yet.
The idea of probation is itself kind of messed up, in some ways. See what Meek Mill (yes, the rapper) has been put through because of a judge that is obsessed with him, along with absolutely idiotic and onerous probation requirements. Of course, you’re technically correct (the best kind!), but it was a thought I felt like riffing on for a moment.
Why do you think its messed up? Sure, rogue Judges can put people through hell. But that's because of the rogue Judge and not the system itself.
The American Criminal Justice system is fucked up in many ways, specifically in the ease with which minorities are put through it. But the concept of a rules based society is definitely one that I agree with.
Re: Ask HN: How can felons find programming jobs?
#90Hi OP, another felon looking for a job here, I got out this January after serving 11 months. I would encourage you to apply for whatever government benefits you qualify for, if you haven't already. Just like you I've had offers rescinded after the background check. Doesn't feel great, but you have to keep at it. As someone else said: Get a job. Get any job. Right now I'm working at a commercial fish market doing manu…
I'm a federal felon myself and have found success by applying to companies based in states/cities which have "banned the box" for private employers. I'm currently working in a very respectable software engineering position, in a region which hasn't banned the box. The largest part of this companies workforce however, is based in an office located in a state which HAS banned the box for private employers. They never h…
I'd be interested in talking to you more about your situation. How does one reach you?