While you navigate your recent assault charge in and out of Texas’s legal system, you must continue your search for a new job. You feel qualified for several positions, but how does your recent interaction with the police affect your chances of employment?
Chron offers tips for finding a job when you have a misdemeanor assault on your record. Your charge need not derail your career entirely.
Explain what happened
You may feel shame or anxiety when thinking about bringing up your charge with hiring managers, but you must find the willingness to go into detail regarding the circumstances. No matter the catalyst for your actions before police arrested you, take ownership of what happened. You must show companies what you learned from the experience and what you do to ensure it does not happen again.
Practice honesty
Any business that runs a background check on you may easily learn of your criminal charge, so do not lie about it. A company open to hiring a person with a criminal record may dismiss you from the pool of candidates if you skirt around the truth or lie outright.
Demonstrate what you learned
How do you live life differently because of your assault charge? Did the experience help you realize aspects about yourself that you want to work on? Do you attend therapy or other counseling services now? Let recruiters know you not only take responsibility for what transpired, but also that you use the experience to improve yourself and become an asset in the workplace.
You must understand your rights and options as someone with a criminal record seeking employment. Gathering facts lets you know which moves to make and what chances to take.