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The Caption reads "Jobs for felons, real jobs that you can get." Image banner with a woman at work and a man getting a job.

Making the adjustment from being in prison to living on the outside as a convicted felon can be very challenging. Many felons have a hard time finding housing and employers that are willing to provide jobs for felons. Our organization, Help For Felons specializes in providing information about felon friendly jobs and much more.

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List of Jobs for Felons & Companies that Hire Felons

We will not sugar coat anything here, we simply tell you the truth and give you the knowledge and tools to find a job. It is hard to find jobs for felons but not impossible. We know of many success stories and it all comes down to having a cool head and a good attitude!

Many of you are probably wondering where does a felon get a job? We are happy to tell you that there are some companies out there that do hire felons, it’s just a matter of finding out which companies will hire you and applying to as many as possible.

Online Jobs For Felons – Work from home

  • These are all legitimate, good paying and reputable companies
  • None of these jobs require a background check of any kind
  • Easy to apply, start quickly or the same day
  • A wide variety of jobs for felons, suited for different skill sets
  • Save money on gas, food and other expenses

Temp Agencies – Which ones hire felons

  • A wide variety of employers gives a greater chance of getting a job as a felon
  • Temp agencies are always in need of workers
  • Quickly search multiple jobs
  •  Temp jobs can become permanent

Becoming A Truck Driver With A Felony

  • List of trucking companies that hire felons
  • Getting a CDL with a felony
  • A step by step guide on becoming a trucker
  • Trucking schools that accept felons

Start Your Own Business – Self employment

  • Are you willing to work harder than everyone else to get a larger reward
  • Low cost start ups that anyone can do with enough planning
  • Have unlimited earning potential
  • Be your own boss and let go of your past
  • Have something you can believe in

Quick Ways To Get Cash

  • Easy to get day jobs for felons
  • Where to sell stuff for cash
  • Unique ways to find money
  • Borrow money
  • Fast emergency cash ideas

Career Paths – Felon friendly Industries

  • Which fields are easier to find jobs in
  • What pays the best
  • Career Ideas
  • Who has jobs for felons

Does that company hire felons?

We  have number of helpful blog articles titled “Does (fill in the blank company) Hire felons“. These articles are about the large employers and their hiring policies concerning felons in the United States. We also cover there exact policies regarding hiring felons and the best way to apply to them. This is an ongoing project and we will be adding new companies daily to weekly so please bookmark us and check back soon!

Post Office – Home Depot – Costco – Starbucks – Lowe’s – McDonald’s – Walmart – AT&T – UPS – Walgreens – Kroger – Amazon – AutoZone – Best Buy – IHOP – Applebee’s

Search jobs for felons

Search each state for jobs that hire felons. We are still working on this page so check back soon to see if your state has been added yet!

Tips and Information about Finding Jobs For Felons

There is a list of companies that have jobs for felons at the bottom of the page, you will see it on most felon job related sites or pages online. The truth is that it is HIGHLY OUTDATED at best. We are not even unsure as to if the companies on it will actually still hire a felon. Our advice is to read the below article as it is chalked full of helpful tips, companies and jobs for felons. There is no magic list or bullet out there, it all comes down to knowledge and attitude!

Not all company locations are the same!

It is very important to keep in mind that specific company locations may hire felons or even a parolee while another may not. Let’s use Mcdonald’s as an example; Mcdonald’s has many stores all over the United States but each store is individually owned and operated (for the most part), policies regarding hiring felons can vary greatly from location to location, even within the same city or town. We have found that there is very little rhyme or reason behind this except that each location has different managers and owners with different personalities, policies and views.

Because of the varying policies regarding the hiring of convicted felons many rumors start as to who will and who will not hire someone with a criminal background or felony conviction. It is very important to fill out every application you possibly can at every location. It is also important to note that there is a lot of misinformation on the internet dealing with jobs for felons and related subjects. If it sounds too good to be true then it is! Our organization Help For Felons strives to supply real up to date information for felons and their families.

Where to look for a job that will hire a felon?

Most very large corporations have blanket policies and are filled with cookie cutter managers that will not hire felons. These are the last places that I would look for a job as a felon. There is so much red tape and policies to get through. Think outside the box for a little bit rather than like everyone else. This article on How to Find a Job as a Felon may be helpful in addition to the below article although it is a little thin (working on that).

Small Locally owned businesses

There are many advantages of applying at small businesses as a felon.

  • You can walk in the door and talk to the owner. No human recourses department to deal with or cookie cutter store managers. At the least you will get a chance to explain yourself and what happened in your past. Bring a resume with you and understand that the interview already started when you walked through the door.
  • You may be able to work out a deal working for cash or just part time to see how you work out. This may not be ideal but it is a start to allow you to build a trusting relationship with the owner. Getting your foot in the door should be your main goal.
  • Even if the owner can not give you a job be very polite and give him a resume anyway if he will take it. Remember that small local business owners are a tight group and they all know each other so ask if they know of anyone that could be hiring.
  • Local restaurants can be really easy to get into. Not pizza hut but independent free standing restaurants often times have jobs for felons..

Start by looking on Craigslist under gigs and jobs. Many small business use craigslist to advertise because it is either super cheap for them or free. After you have applied to every job possible on Craigslist then it is time to hit the streets with resumes in hand. Walk in and ask if the owner is available, tell them that you’re curious as to whether they are hiring or not. Remember to check craigslist daily for new job and gig postings!

 Temp agencies

Temp agencies have a very wide variety of jobs for felons and positions available from random employers, some big corporations and some small businesses. It may be worth your time to walk in and talk to them since you never know what they have. We have an article about temp agencies that may be very helpful to you if you are interested.

Make your own job? Yes it is possible!

We are talking about self employment here. While this may sound crazy it has worked well for a number of of our readers. Read the book  Guerilla Marketing from Amazon to come up with free marketing ideas. Here are just a few business ideas:

  • Landscaping – Cutting grass can be a profitable but you can not be afraid of hard work and long hours. The start up costs are nearly nothing in comparison to most businesses. A push lawnmower, gas and a string trimmer is about all you need. Have some flyers printed up and work super cheap until you have a client list!
  • Cleaning – Same concept as above. Print up some flyers, use facebook, craigslist and other free advertising methods. Low start up costs and anyone can do it if you know how to clean well. Remember to go above and beyond what is expected of you!
  • Work Online – Yes there are real work online jobs, I have done them in the past I promise you. Check out Upwork and become a freelancer. These are sites with all types of work from writing articles, IT work and creative projects. There are many people that make a good living off of these sites and it is NOT A SCAM!!!

Large Companies

I know I said that your chances are slim or at least harder for a big company hiring you as a felon.

Make your job finding a job

Life may be hard at the moment but it is very important to be motivated and stay positive when seeking out a felon friendly employer. Have purpose in your life and make finding a job your job until you find one. Put in at least 8 hours a day into finding a job, working on job related skills, contacting places that may hire felons or learning a new skill. Never let your past bring you down, be happy that you are free and make use of all your abilities and skills.

It may be helpful to stay on a regular schedule because it gives you a sense of purpose and dignity. Wake up early in the morning and go to sleep at a decent hour, this will help you stay focused on finding a job and will prepare your body and mind for a regular work schedule when you do get hired.

Felon Friendly Careers

Some careers paths have more felon friendly jobs and positions than others. Some small to mid-sized general construction companies will be willing to give you a chance. Roofing companies are another good option when seeking employment and they always seem to short people since the work is so hard. Construction also allows you to earn money while you learn a particular trade or skill. Mastering a trade allows you to market yourself easily and will allow you to earn more money in the future. You could even become self employed!

Many felons also find opportunity in manufacturing and warehousing. Order selectors, forklift drivers, packers and loaders are good positions to apply for when trying to get your foot in the door and often pay better than most low skill jobs for felons. This article about Career Paths For Felons may have some helpful information for you if you are interested in further reading.

Your chances of getting a job as a felon

Your chances of getting a job as a felon are really good if you put the effort into finding one. On the other side of the coin is if you do not put the effort in then nothing is going to happen for you. You may very well be hired after only putting in 10 application or it may take 200. The important thing is to keep trying every single day.

We had one individual tell us that he submitted nearly 100 applications to a variety of companies and never heard back from anyone. Then out of the blue he got a call, was interviewed and started the next week.

Each person will have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to finding a job. Many factors come into play such as:

  • Length of time since conviction
  • Type of conviction
  • Experience
  • Age
  • The Amount of available work in your area
  • Skills
  • Previous experience
  • Attitude