TB42 advocates for fair chance employment. A fair chance being the need of every returning citizen as we prepare to eventually reenter the job market. Obtaining employment as a condition of release is often required, especially if you’ve been incarcerated for a long time. Regardless of whenever and however you return, here are some helpful tips that can help you land a job.
Let’s take a high-level look at how to approach an job application.
In most instances people search and apply for jobs online using job search engines or apps. This includes Indeed.com, which is a great way to find jobs for the formerly incarcerated.
Users link to employers by filling out a job application and/or uploading their resume or curriculum vitae.
A job application is a printed or digital document provided by an employer, inviting the public to apply for an open job position by completing the application, which typically require providing the following at minimum.
1) Full name, address, phone number, email, a link to an online professional profile, and a general location of residence.
2) United States citizenship and/or veteran status for the employer’s tax purposes, and other criterion effecting the hiring processes.
3) Your educational background, including what schools you’ve attended and any degrees obtained, etc.
4) Your employment history as a justice-impacted person. Work is work, so any work you’ve done while incarcerated, put it down — whether you were paid or worked for free.
5) Company specific questions like, “What makes you qualified for the position?”
6) Your legal signature, printed or digital, affirming the truth and accuracy of information.
A caveat about job competition among companies. Submitting your job application into a database — or what’s called an Application Tracking System — will help employers use this service to screen applications for key information and find suitable candidates.
To give yourself a better chance to fall into the percentile of those whose applications get reviewed, keep these tips in mind when filling out your job application.
1) Have all your important documents handy and updated, including your resume or CV and a cover letter as applicable.
2) Read through the application carefully.
3) Be ready to provide your name, contact information, and social security number for background checks.
4) Answer all questions and blank boxes. If there’s a question that doesn’t apply to you, answer “Not applicable,” as this indicates you have read every question.
5) Take time to customize your resume and cover letter to that job and employer to better your chances.
6) Keep expectations flexible. Review your work for errors, ensure proper punctuation and grammar, and correct any factual errors.
7) Wait about a week after submitting your application, then follow up on the company’s job board for an application confirmation email and timeline for response.
By learning to apply the formal job application steps using best practices, the process becomes an important skill to wield for your benefit.
From the outset, you must have access to a desktop computer, laptop, and/or smartphone connected to the internet. Make sure to sign up for an email account, for example JohnDoe@gmail.com. You can use Google Docs to draft your resume for free, then save it on Google Drive and export it as a PDF when you need to upload it to a job website.
One of the best places to create an online professional profile is LinkedIn.com. If you are not sure what to include, try searching Google for “professional profile development and self-branding” as keywords in the job descriptions you want to find examples. This also helps the Application Tracking System find your resume for a job manager.
Also, if you know the organization you want to work for, go to their site, find the “Career” section, sign up, and your application will go into the Application Tracking System where you can track its status.
Prepare for alerts and job notifications that pop into your email, which can be helpful but also be wary of scammers, phishing, and fake companies asking for money to find you a job.
Constantly build your personal brand through strategically creating and curating your digital presence. Be mindful and keep all of your social media clean, be careful of what you share, and stay professional at all times — if so, you will win!
TB42 bids everyone Happy Holidays and happy job hunting!
