Marcus had a few DUIs and drug possession charges that were all addiction related. Struggling with addiction can take a toll on people's mental health and can sometimes lead them to make wrong decisions. Currently, he is on probation and working hard to turn his life around. Through Honest Jobs, he was able to search background friendly employers who hire felons - and got a job within within one week!
Learn more about his experience in the video below:
What was your experience with the criminal justice system?
Marcus: “ I am currently on probation for a possession of a CDS. It's like an anchor on your shoulder that you have to wear, even though you're a different person than what you were back then. Unfortunately, your past brings you down when it comes to work. It's frustrating.”
What was your experience looking for a job before you found Honest Jobs?
Marcus: “I was mostly on Indeed and I did a couple of listings on ZipRecruiter. Nothing was really successful. I went for an interview for one job and unfortunately, it was turned down due to my background. It’s very hard to deal with, but I still can't let that stop me from trying a certain job. So I still try. And if I apply for a job and if they give me a chance where they want me to explain myself and what happened, I can do that. But unfortunately, too many employers don't give you that chance to explain yourself and they just judge off your record. At this point now, in my recovery and in my life, I like to be honest. So I don't want to sit there and act like I'm good. Let's say you go on a job for a week or two, you think you're good to go, you're mentally set with the job and everything, and all of a sudden it gets pulled away from you. I don't wanna go through that.”
Tell us about your new job!
Marcus: “It's a business called Dollar Tree. I'm a cashier there. I make $15 an hour. I do see opportunities and I would like to take advantage of them.”
Would you recommend Honest Jobs to other formerly incarcerated job seekers?
Marcus: “I would definitely recommend it. Like I said, it's very easy to use. Very easy to see who's hiring. I mean, the fact that they list all the different companies, and they'll tell you that it's a fair chance employer. It gives you even a little meter telling you how much of a chance you have. I thought the setup was excellent, so it gave me confidence when applying for the job instead of just blindly going into it and not knowing what's gonna happen as far as my background. Oh top of the line, top of the line. I'm just forever thankful and grateful that you guys have this service for people who have messed up in the past, but try and change their lives for their better.”
Do you have a message to employers?
Marcus: “Nobody's perfect. Even people who don't have backgrounds aren't perfect. Just give the person a chance to explain themselves. Don't just go by the company standards and procedures that says “Okay, if you have this, you're disqualified automatically.” I just think that they should give a person a second chance because you might be missing out on a great worker. Maybe make it a little more personal and talk to the person and see what happened. Like where they're at in their life. If they’ve changed or if they're still doing the same old things. I think talking to somebody one-on-one would help ascertain where that person's at in their life, you know? Because I'm certainly not the person I was five years ago when I caught that charge. Or even last year when I caught the charge. I'm not that same person. I'm working to have a better life, you know? Financially, mentally, emotionally, everything. Second chance is very important. Very important for people. Gives them hope.”
Join Honest Jobs
We have fair chance jobs across the country. Employers and job seekers can head to www.honestjobs.com to get started.
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