Gabrielle was charged with a felony in 2019 for possession of a controlled substance. With Honest Jobs, she found employment within three weeks. We are excited to see her thrive in her new role as Remote Customer Service Representative. As Gabrielle put it: "Bad things happen to good people. And sometimes, you just have to go on with your life and just keep pushing through. Don't go back and do it again; go live your life the best you can. But it's okay that your past is your

We are happy to announce that Honest Jobs has partnered with Ashland University, providing employment opportunities to their Correctional Education program graduates. Recidivism is closely related to unemployment Reentering the workforce after incarceration is one of the biggest challenges for people coming out of prison. Recent statistics reveal that about 700,000 working-age adults are released from prison annually, yet 75% are still unemployed a year after release, drivi

An IT pilot program in Dallas is the result of a partnership between nonprofit organization Girls Embracing Mothers and CompTIA, an IT trade association offering tech training certifications. This partnership allows formerly incarcerated women to build a more stable career and tackle poverty. A 2019 report by the Prison Policy Institute highlights that formerly incarcerated people were almost ten times more likely to be homeless than the general population. Starting from th

Seeing AjaNai's happiness motivates us to keep fighting for justice-involved job seekers. After facing the collateral consequences from her conviction and being denied her license to sell insurance, AjaNai now makes $25 per hour at a company that genuinely cares about its employees, regardless of their background. Her story shows that your background should not stop you from aiming higher and finding a job that you can see yourself doing for a long time. Learn more about her

Merle's example shows us that having a criminal background does not mean you have to settle for a job you don't enjoy. With the help of Honest Jobs, Merle found a position he loved, helping him to be hopeful about the future. Learn more about his experience in the video below: Read Merle's interview here: What experience do you have with the criminal justice system? Merle: "I got arrested on May 18th, 2020, for multiple charges. Actually, a lot of them did get dropped, but I

Regardless of your past, being prepared for an interview is an essential factor to set yourself apart from your competition. There are some specific questions interviewers ask that are very common. Thinking about them ahead of time and preparing your answers will help you be confident and collected during the interview. 1. Why do you want to work for the company? It is important that you research the company and find common values that you can pursue long term. Your interview

The recidivism rate depends on how we welcome people who are reentering society The recidivism rate in California is estimated to be 38%. According to Derrick Hill, the outreach specialist/peer navigator of Dad’s Back Academy, 85% of people go back to prison because of domestic violence. In many cases, people returning to their homes have a hard time reacclimatizing to society, which makes it difficult to manage their relationships. The Dad’s Back Academy helps people be the

David has several felony convictions and spent 20 years in prison. When he got out, he felt like it was almost impossible to find an employer who was willing to look beyond his past and give him a chance. Once he found Honest Jobs, he was hired by a fair-chance employer, and now he is making $21.35 per hour as a forklift operator. Learn more about his experience in the video below: Read the interview with David here: What experience did you have with the criminal justice syst

Geralinne went through trying times in her life when she was convicted of a misdemeanor. With her record, she could not find a job for 7 months. Once she came to Honest Jobs, she started working for a company within two weeks. Listening to her story proves how employers that are willing to give a second chance can truly change lives for many people. Learn about her experience in the video below: Read the interview with Geralinne here: What experience do you have with the crim

Austin was convicted of a violent offense and did not have luck finding a job for two months. He was rejected by employers because of his background. He began to believe that, with his criminal record, he will have to settle for jobs that he was overqualified for. With Honest Jobs, not only was he able to start working for a fair-chance employer only three weeks after applying, but he also loves the job and is excited to build a career within the company. Read the interview w

It is impossible to successfully reintegrate into the community without valid documentation. One of the biggest obstacles of reentering the community as a formerly incarcerated individual is not having sufficient paperwork. Often, identity documents are lost or expire during incarceration, and replacing them can take weeks which can significantly increase the likelihood of recidivism. People are expected to leave from prison with state IDs starting next year A pilot program l

Deante, a job seeker who found employment through Honest Jobs, shared his experiences about the criminal justice system and the difficulties of finding a job with a criminal record. He searched for a job unsuccessfully for six months. However, once he came to Honest Jobs, he found a fair-chance employer willing to give him a chance and started working within two weeks. Read more about his story here: Tell us about your experience with the criminal justice system! Deante: "I h

We The People Opportunity Farm in Ypsilanti, Michigan, hires formerly incarcerated people to give them an opportunity to rebuild their lives. Their mission is to break the cycle of incarceration in Washtenaw County by investing in the employment and development of formerly incarcerated men and women through farming and community engagement. The farm offers a paid internship program that is designed for returning citizens. The participants get involved in activities such as

At Honest Jobs, we know that building your life back after incarceration is not easy. Beyond dealing with the social stigma that changes lives after incarceration, a lack in basic resources can take a toll on people’s mental health. Our Resource Center aims to alleviate the challenges of this process. The following steps explain how to find and use resources in your area. To start your search, visit honestjobs .co !

Honest Jobs has a mission to help formerly incarcerated individuals find jobs fast. Honest Jobs is a job search site that is committed to connecting formerly incarcerated job seekers to fair chance employers. The CEO & Founder, Harley Blakeman, was arrested in 2010 for drug dealing. However, he changed his life, got his GED, and earned his bachelor of business administration, graduating with honors. As with Harley, most of the Honest Jobs team members have felony convictions,

Since today is Election Day, we would like to highlight the changes in the abilities of formerly incarcerated people's right to vote. It has been a common practice in the United States to make people with felony convictions ineligible to vote, which can be permanent. However, more and more states are restoring the voting rights for justice involved individuals. In fact, in the District of Columbia, Maine and Vermont they never lose the right to vote. The importance of giving

After a felony drug possession conviction forced Emily to leave everything behind and start her whole life over, she struggled to find an employer who was willing to give her a chance. She was rejected over and over because of her background, regardless of her qualifications. With Honest Jobs, she found a job within a few days! Learn more about her story here:

We've added two new tiers to our Premium Pricing model! Now, fair-chance employers can sponsor a single job for $100/month or two jobs for $200/month. Sponsored jobs enjoy all of our Premium Plan benefits, allowing employers to quickly fill their open positions with great talent! Here's how it works:

Many people who have been convicted of a crime are not aware of the consequences that come with it. Court-imposed sentencing is generally straightforward and details any prison or jail time, probation, and the amount of fine or restitution. But it is extremely difficult for those involved in criminal cases to determine other consequences that are fixed by the force of law. What are Collateral Consequences? The National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Conviction (NICCC

Even though more states are accepting the "Ban the Box" policies , it is still difficult for formerly incarcerated people to find employment. However, the U.S. labor shortage makes employers (especially hospitality-related businesses) rethink their hiring policies and be more accepting of people with criminal backgrounds. It is essential to forge sustainable long-term employment for justice-involved individuals rather than just filling positions offering minimum wage. "It's a