How to Address Your Criminal History in a Job Interview

It isn’t always clear what the best strategy for dealing with your past criminal history in a job interview. On the one hand you want to be honest, but the temptation to ignore whatever black marks might be on your criminal record are immense. No matter how repentant or reformed you might be, there is always the very real possibility that your criminal record is all your potential employer will see, completely overshadowing the positives you bring to the table. So what is the best way to address your criminal history without dooming your chances for the job?

First and foremost, don’t lie. You don’t have to bring up your record if the interviewer doesn't ask, but if they do, you must tell the truth. Many states prohibit employers from asking about arrest records, but most can ask about past convictions. If an application asks about a past conviction check yes. Where it asks you to explain just write that you will explain in the interview. This indicates that you have nothing to hide and are willing to discuss it openly. Of course some employers will make an instantaneous decision against you, but many others will appreciate the honesty.

If you do need to or choose to discuss your criminal record turn the experience into a positive. Don’t whine about how you were innocent or the judge railroaded you or your attorney was bad. This just makes you look unrepentant and unsympathetic. If you discuss what happened and what you learned from it calmly and confidently, interviewers are more likely to be impressed by your honesty.

Discuss how the experience helped you to make positive changes in your life. Be upbeat about it. The more positive you are about the past, the more likely. Maybe you could talk about how your time in prison made you realize that you were associating with the wrong people and since your release you have cut them out of it.

Not only should you talk about what you learned, but you should also highlight any work experience you might have received. If you were incarcerated and took part in training or had other work experience there, put that on your resume, just as you would list any other work experience or education. However, leave that off if it is unrelated to your current job goals. No use cluttering your resume with experience working in the prison laundry when you are trying to get a customer service job.

Some with criminal records avoid applying at companies that they know will do background checks and lie if asked. It isn’t difficult to understand why. Surely ticking off the yes box beside the convictions question causes many job opportunities to evaporate, but being honest up front will ensure that if you do get the job, it won’t disappear after several months when your employers discovers the past you chose to cover up. You are almost certain to lose the job at that point.

So be honest and be positive. This won’t prevent all employers from overlooking your criminal past, but it will help you land a job with the right employer.