How about emigrating?
Check the conditions in different countries. Here often companies don't do background checks and to rent an apartment you only need to shake hands with the owner.
Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
161–170 of 182 posts
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#162One of the unfair things about the U.S justice system is that not all felonies are created equal. In Virgina, if you are pulled over for driving over 80 miles per hour (even if you are on a steep hill with no one around you or if everyone else is traveling faster than you) you are charged with reckless driving, which is can be a felony or a Class 1 misdemeanor — the same category as Assault & Battery. You will reciev…
There are sections of I-15 where the speed limit is 80MPH. Does Virginia have any such high-limit stretches, such that going 1-5 over is a felony, or is it too densely populated?
In the past few years Virginia has passed laws raising the speed limit to 70 mph on some highways. [1] You would have to be traveling at least 11 m.p.h over the speed limit in order to be convicted of reckless driving.
It might seem that it is easy to avoid going this fast, but there are several reasons that you might. It is harder to feel a 10 m.p.h gap when you are traveling at high speeds, especially when the roadway is filled with insane drivers that are tailgating you and cutting you off because you are driving too slowly for their taste. Virginia also has some steep hills, which makes it easy to go to over 80 m.p.h without pressing on the accelerator. Many people also speed unconsciously when they feel stressed or angry, are listening to fast music or an exciting radio broadcast.
[1] http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+46.2-870
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#163Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's an interesting story. As a counterpoint, since we're all just dealing in anecdotes here, I had a non-empty answer to the "Discipline Question"; I was suspended for "hacking", albeit after voluntarily telling my principal about it. I disclosed it on my applications, while my high school did not. I was still accepted to MIT and Stanford. I later learned that MIT actually called my high school to get clarificatio…
I guess with cracking the intent is crucial. Ie were you just curious and forgot to respect the boundary, or were you in it for personal gain. The first would make good NSA agents once set straight, the second much harder to trust.
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Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#164I'd like a lawyer to explain the legal distinction between a felony and a misdemeanor. Over my lifetime it seems that the the number of felonies has grown enormously and many of them don't seem to be for offenses that have much harm relative to many misdemeanor offenses.
A misdemeanor is an offense that can yield no more than a year in jail and requires only a conviction by trial. A felony is considered a "high crime" and is defined as an offense that can yield more than a year of prison time. Felonies require an indictment (basically a preliminary jury hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to go to trial), and then a conviction by trial. Felonies generally are much nastier records wise, require more time before they can be sealed or expunged (depending on state law) if they can be at all. They exclude you from certain rights such as gun ownership, voting, holding public office etc automatically. The system is fairly skewed and crimes are often made felonies in a reactionary context, i.e. some trivial computer crimes can yield felonies while cracking another mans skull under the right circumstances may only yield a misdemeanor assault charge after plea bargaining.
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#165After almost 20 years in the industry my considered advice is pursue another career. That might not be the answer you want to hear but after thinking about it a bit that's my honest advice. Here's the reasons: - Of all the employers I've had not one of them would have hired you. - If somehow you "snuck in" and your past came to light, you would have been fired anywhere I've worked. - Unless I knew you really well per…
Thank you for your response. After reading many of the other responses it is nice to have this perspective here for other posters to see -- because it is very real to me. This is essentially what someone like me encounters every time they try. It's a really unfortunate part of my reality and other posters should understand that it's not simply "just a felony" -- not when equally qualified applicants do not have any "…
You're welcome. Internet advice is rarely very good, for a multitude of reasons.
FWIW, I feel bad for you and wish you the best.
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#166Have you tried security related companies?
Kevin Mitnick seems to be doing well with http://mitnicksecurity.com . Granted his celebrity hacker status may contribute to that success, but it goes to show that a Felony conviction is by no means an impenetrable barrier to creating a consultancy or working for one.
Yeah that's what I was getting at.
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#167Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thank you for your response. After reading many of the other responses it is nice to have this perspective here for other posters to see -- because it is very real to me. This is essentially what someone like me encounters every time they try. It's a really unfortunate part of my reality and other posters should understand that it's not simply "just a felony" -- not when equally qualified applicants do not have any "…
You're welcome. Internet advice is rarely very good, for a multitude of reasons. FWIW, I feel bad for you and wish you the best.
Aweee, don't feel bad for me. NBD. People like me are really good at not failing. I'm measuring with this thread before I make a decision to do something. Internet advice as a collective unit of measurement is still useful and valuable. It is a sin to ignore useful information. Every little bit helps ;)
I've also found it incredibly difficult to ask google this type of complex question. So I posted it here instead.
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#168Earlier quoted context omitted.
Have you thought about using a different name in business? A friend of mine Anglicized his and it fixed a reputation problem. For most people, that'd be a loss. You'd lose your whole reputation. It sounds to me like your reputation is of negative value, given the Google problem. Keep in mind also that Googling happens before interview, and background checks happen after a successful interview. So even if the name-cha…
You're often not allowed to change your name for this sort of reason.
Really you can change your name for whatever reason you want, and there isn't even a process. You just start introducing yourself as that new name. Of course you have to be careful which name you use on which form (legal name goes on the I-9, chosen name goes on the resume, occasionally you get the opportunity to fill out the 'other aliases' field, etc), but otherwise there is zero hassle and so long as there is not an intent to defraud, you are in the clear.
Almost every member of my immediate family has casually done this at least once with no problem (it's kind of a family tradition it seems..). The name on my credit cards, the name I am known by professionally, and the name my parents know me by are all different. They share similar derivation yes, if you know one of them you probably would not bat an eye when another came up, but they are absolutely sufficiently different to isolate online reputations.
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#169Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are sections of I-15 where the speed limit is 80MPH. Does Virginia have any such high-limit stretches, such that going 1-5 over is a felony, or is it too densely populated?
In the past few years Virginia has passed laws raising the speed limit to 70 mph on some highways. [1] You would have to be traveling at least 11 m.p.h over the speed limit in order to be convicted of reckless driving. It might seem that it is easy to avoid going this fast, but there are several reasons that you might. It is harder to feel a 10 m.p.h gap when you are traveling at high speeds, especially when the road…
Depending on time of day and tail winds, I've seen dense traffic in my area that would put hundreds of vehicles above 80. It seems too low a limit for reckless driving in modern cars that can handle much higher.
Re: Ask HN: Overcomming a federal conviction (computer fraud) for decent job?
#170After almost 20 years in the industry my considered advice is pursue another career. That might not be the answer you want to hear but after thinking about it a bit that's my honest advice. Here's the reasons: - Of all the employers I've had not one of them would have hired you. - If somehow you "snuck in" and your past came to light, you would have been fired anywhere I've worked. - Unless I knew you really well per…
OP, please do not listen to this advice. I understand it represents what might be considered the "realistic" perspective but it is not. No one is saying that it is easy.
But to pursue another career? That's ridiculous, given your apparent skill-set -- it's ludicrous.
Clearly, the parent here is wrong because there are plenty of people that have felony convictions and work in tech. So, this advice, on the face, is really horrible.
A felony is a serious matter. You may have excluded yourself from many jobs, possibly all the companies the parent has worked for; keep in mind the companies the parent has worked for must be a small subset of all the companies you could work for.
Even being completely honest and open, I think you can find a job. You may or may not have to go outside of comfort zone (moving or what have you) or, perhaps, do some work in non-security related areas of programming (or maybe not, I just mean to say if you broaden your search you increase your chances).
A felony is not good but if you tell your story, I think there are smaller companies that would take a chance on you; perhaps you'd even find potential employers, because of the nature of our industry, that will not think as negatively of your conviction as if you had been convicted of some other kind of crime.
There's a lot of fish in the sea, you don't need every one to hire you, you don't even need one of the companies the parent has worked for to hire you, you just need one of the many more that are out there to give you a chance.
Be honest, tell your story as eloquently as you can. Someone will give you a chance. I believe there are some on HN that would.