Here's my thoughts on your situation, based of my own expirience: >This is correct. I have a criminal record (though hopefully after probation it gets deleted

Here's my thoughts on your situation, based of my own expirience: >This is correct. I have a criminal record (though hopefully after probation it gets deleted - deferred adjucation) I can't emphasize enough how important it getting "deleted" can be for your future earning potential. You should of course expect to encounter situations where you'll need disclose and explain the situation in your future, regardless of the adjudication, as it certainly is a part of your history/ life story. However, by not having the conviction show up on a standard background check, you can also expect to avoid those situations where: >and bang - background check, and I was out the next day. By controlling the disclosure, you can ensure the opportunity to offer further explaination. IME, Humans tend to be much more understanding, flexible, reasonable and compassionate toward this topic in face to face situations. Also, just the simple act of admitting and reflecting on past mistakes can help to humanize you as a candidate, and lead to developing more personal relationships than you otherwise would have.