A felony conviction can tarnish someone’s reputation for life. Experienced candidates for employment and licenses have been denied their dreams when their criminal record was discovered. This straightforward article will discuss the possible careers you may not be able to get with a felony conviction on your record.
You can’t get a lot of jobs with a felony.
It’s hard enough to find work when you have no criminal record, but trying to find a job with a felony can be even more challenging. The types of jobs you can’t get with a felony depend on the nature of the crime and whether or not it has been expunged from your record.
Federal law prohibits those convicted of certain crimes from obtaining employment in certain fields. For example, those who have been convicted of theft or burglary cannot be employed as guards or security officers at nuclear facilities. Other types of crimes that might prevent you from being hired include: arson, assault, murder, rape, drug trafficking, and fraud.
In most cases, however, employers will not ask about your criminal history unless they are specifically required by law to do so (as is the case with some professions). However, if asked about your criminal history during an interview or application process, you should always be honest about any previous convictions because lying could result in perjury charges being filed against you.
What jobs can you not get with a felony
Introduction
It’s not easy to find employment with a felony conviction. The stigma of having been convicted of a felony can follow you around for the rest of your life, which is why so many felons struggle to find work after they get out. However, there are some jobs that are off-limits to anyone convicted of a felony, regardless of how long ago or how minor the crime was. Let’s look at some jobs that are prohibited by federal law and others that are limited by state laws.
Commercial driver’s licenses are not allowed in most states
You might think that a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is the ticket to better job opportunities, but you may be disappointed to learn that this is not always the case. For example, in most states, it’s illegal for felons to have a CDL. This means that if you’ve been convicted of any felony and are looking for work as a truck driver or other commercial vehicle operator, your options are limited: You can’t get a job with this type of license.
Another thing about getting jobs with felonies on your record: In some cases, even misdemeanors will prevent you from getting hired by certain employers. For example, if you have had two or more alcohol-related traffic offenses within five years before applying for employment as an over-the-road truck driver (and even one offense will disqualify some people), then there’s no way around it—you won’t be able to work in this field.*
Social work
Social work is a field that requires compassion and empathy to be effective. While it’s true that not every criminal is a bad person, the social worker still needs to have the ability to relate to them on some level, even if just as a fellow human being who understands the need for rehabilitation. This can be difficult when you’re dealing with someone who has committed a serious crime—especially if they’ve done so over and over again. It’s often easier for social workers to develop relationships with people who commit minor offenses than those who commit more serious crimes like burglary or murder, because they may have more in common with such individuals and therefore feel less threatened by them.
Teaching
Teaching is another popular career choice for felons. However, teachers can be prohibited from teaching in public schools, private schools, religious schools and even at home. Teaching online is a great alternative to the traditional classroom setting but may not be an option if you’ve committed certain crimes.
The types of crimes that prohibit someone from becoming a teacher vary by state but generally include sex offenses against minors as well as violent crimes such as assault or battery on school property.
Politics
Due to the nature of your felony and the fact that you’re applying for a job in politics, it’s safe to assume that you want to be president. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible if you have a felony on your record. Felons aren’t allowed to run for office or act as lobbyists, which eliminates two common paths that lead straight to the White House (and Congress). If you do want to work with politicians, then there are still options available: You can become a lawyer, but only if it’s an attorney who represents criminals—a criminal defense attorney. If all else fails and you still want to work with politicians despite having committed crimes before, then perhaps consider becoming an investigator or journalist who investigates political corruption?
However unlikely it may seem right now with one felony charge against your name already – remember: anything is possible! Just ask Michelle Obama—she went from working as an Assistant Attorney General in Chicago at age 29 before divorcing her husband Barack Obama (who was also running for president) just four years later due out of nowhere without explanation except maybe because he cheated on her during those years… They didn’t even tell anyone why they separated either!
Many government jobs
- You can’t work for the government. The federal government, state governments, and local and county governments all have strict rules about hiring felons.
- Government jobs that are off limits to felons: federal jobs, jobs with the Department of Defense and other military branches, and jobs as law enforcement officers or prison guards
- How to get around this: Many states allow convicted felons to get jobs with the government after they’ve served their time in prison. If this is something you want to do, it’s important that you find out if your state offers these types of positions before applying for them.
Felony convictions usually keep you from becoming a lawyer or judge.
If you have a felony, you’re unlikely to become a lawyer or judge.
A felony will make it easier for the bar association to deny your application for admission in some states, and all states will consider it when deciding whether or not to grant a license.
For example, California has an automatic rule that says “a person convicted of a felony shall be ineligible for admission until five years after completing probation…and if at any time during the five years before applying for admission he/she has been convicted of another crime involving moral turpitude…he/she shall not be eligible until seven years after completion of probation.”
Police officer or other law enforcement positions, like FBI agent and sheriff, will likely not hire felons.
Jobs that include working as a police officer or other law enforcement positions, like FBI agent and sheriff, will likely not hire felons. Even if you have a felony conviction on your record, you can still apply for these jobs. However, the chances of getting hired are very slim.
As a felon, you may be able to find work as an armed security guard at a bank or retail store. However, this position requires extensive training and certification in order to be approved by local authorities before you can start working. The cost of becoming certified could be prohibitive for some individuals with felony records who may already have difficulty making ends meet due to their criminal history (especially if they have been convicted for drug crimes).
Some jobs are off-limits to those convicted of even minor felonies but there may be ways around it.
Most jobs that require a license, such as those in the legal or medical fields, are off-limits to felons. Some jobs, like police officer or FBI agent and sheriff, will also likely not hire you if you have a felony conviction on your record. However, there may be ways around these restrictions depending on the nature of your crime and the state where it occurred.
Conclusion
With all this in mind, it’s important to keep in mind that each state has its own laws regarding felons and the types of jobs they can hold. If you have been convicted of a felony, it is best to check with your state’s Department of Labor or an employment attorney before you apply for a particular job.
