In my experience (interviewed a lot of people in 40 years in the software business), mostly you see DUIs, marijuana possession, and things like burglary or auto

In my experience (interviewed a lot of people in 40 years in the software business), mostly you see DUIs, marijuana possession, and things like burglary or auto theft, vandalism, trespassing from way back when the candidate was a teenager or young adult. It would matter how far back the incident occurred and if the candidate only had one conviction rather than a pattern of repeated criminal behavior. I don't think someone should get penalized their whole life for a mistake, but multiple convictions or recent convictions will make anyone wonder about who they are hiring. I've hired candidates who had drug-related convictions but had stayed away from drugs for years. I hired a man who had a fairly old conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm because he had a good explanation (and even though I'm not a fan of carrying guns). I have passed on people who had stolen from their employer or had convictions for violent crimes like assault, robbery, or sex offenses. An employer has to consider more than giving a candidate with a record a second chance. They also have to consider the safety (real or perceived) of their other employees. If people at a company find out that they're working alongside someone with a history of violent assaults they aren't going to like that. Sometimes a person can get their criminal record sealed or expunged, maybe worth it to discuss with a lawyer.