To know the answer to whether there is a difference in your chances of getting hired if you have a misdemeanor or a felony, you must first know the meaning of misdemeanor and felony. Misdemeanor is a lesser offense than a felony. It’s basically about making an illegal mistake once. Usually, jail time with a misdemeanor is under a year if any. A felony is a more severe offense which can include murder or the act of doing bodily harm with intent to end a life. Because of the severity of a felony, there is usually more time spent in prison for a felony than for a misdemeanor. When someone is ready to apply for a job they may or may not get hired depending on their criminal record. Which line of work they apply for will also depend on why they were serving time in jail to begin with.
If someone who has served time is applying for a job in the medical field where they will have direct assess to patients records, medication and direct access to the patients, they may be declined to fill a position in this field. Some people may find it hard to concentrate on their work when working near someone who may have done time for committing a felony. Although they have served their time and learned from their mistakes people may have a hard time trusting them. Also there is the fact that the people in need of medical care may be reluctant to seek treatments if they are aware of someone’s background.
Should everyone in the work place be aware of the crimes that were committed? That is a matter of individual preference. It does have an effect on if someone will get a certain job or not and it is a good idea to be prepared of these roadblocks on their search to find a job. It basically depends on the severity of their crime; murder, burglary, or any bodily harm usually indicates that someone may not be trustworthy. A misdemeanor such as a traffic violation will probably not scare someone unless they have to ride with you in a vehicle.
Because of all the many ways to access someone’s public records online, they cannot hide this kind of information just to get a job. Although it may not be found at first, it will eventually catch up them when they least expect it. When someone has a criminal background it is always good to be upfront and forward when dealing with new issues in their lives. This is the first step at recovering and learning from their mistakes that were made. It shows that they truly are sincere and ready to change. When it comes to employment anywhere it may be harder for someone who has committed a felony to get a job than for someone who has committed a misdemeanor. Although people usually believe in second chances, it is almost impossible to get a real second chance when you are starting with a record.
