5 ms·

Tighten your explanation a bit: I was arrested for selling marijuana to a roommate in the dorms while a freshman at [Name of School] in 200?. This was an espec

by rbobby 13y ago

Tighten your explanation a bit: I was arrested for selling marijuana to a roommate in the dorms while a freshman at [Name of School] in 200?. This was an especially difficult period for me; my father/mother had committed suicide the year before and I was having a difficult time coping with his/her death and being on my own at college for the first time. This led to me making a very poor choice, one that I regretted then and continue to regret today. I agreed to plead guilty, and was given N months of probation with no jail time. I successfully completed my probation in 200? without incident. It was a well deserved wake up call, one that helped to set me back on course. I completed my degree at [Name of School] and have been working in IT ever since. You don't need to explain that the roommate was working for the police. You don't need to offer information that you were regularly selling. You don't want to call it narcotics. You don't want to mention that you were facing 8 years in prison. You don't want to use the word habit (if you must "to support my use/consumption"). If they ask if you were selling lots, deflect (who knows what "lots" is... you weren't Scarface you were a troubled kid just trying to get by). If you also got community service you should also mention it (N months of probation and N hours of community service). If you did something special for your community service (eg. worked with disadvantaged kids) you could mention that (if you just picked up trash on the highway I wouldn't). Practice saying the explanation and writing it. You want it to sound natural... especially as it's the truth. It's embarrassing but frankly even for a position requiring trust (eg. handling money) I don't see your conviction as a serious problem. Note that if you still smoke you should consider stopping (or getting a prescription) as some larger companies require drug tests.

csfelon 13y ago
Yes, I agree. I think the version I gave was a bit more "theatrical" because I was writing it out for a non-employer. And no I don't use illegal drugs - and am not a heavy drinker. I have coped with depression and anxiety with the help of psychotherapy and anti-depression drugs. Which have worked very well, and helped me lead a balanced and healthy life.
- aestra 13y ago
  No. Don't mention depression or your treatment for mental illness or use of psychotropic medications. There is still serious stigma against mental illness.
  - DanBC 13y ago
    People with a mental illness are covered under discrimination laws in the US. While it's probably a good idea to not disclose (in the US) before you have the job it's something that people need to think about. The EEOC advice is here. http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/index.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/index.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/index.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/index.cfm
  - csfelon 13y ago
    I take a "less is more approach" if someone asks: Were you depressed? I say: "Absolutely, I had just experienced a parents suicide" and I've done a lot of work on learning adult coping skills so that I won't repeat that sort of thing. Again this is all if they ask... It's a weird cross section because once the door is open, someone can ask pretty much any question they may have been legally prohibited from asking in an interview because I disclosed it - I often feel it changes the dynamic of an interview in a very serious way. I usually try to use it is an op. to ingratiate that person to my ability to cope with stress and perform under pressure.
SwellJoe 13y ago
I've noticed a common trend among several convicted felons in my friend circle (I lead an interesting life) that, in a lot of cases, they're still punishing themselves, sometimes decades later. It's a self-reinforcing cycle...don't get a job because of the conviction, beat yourself up and tell yourself you're worthless because of the conviction, don't get the next job because you interviewed horribly while worrying about and wanting to explain away the conviction. One friend, however, has had a lot of years to deal with it (he was convicted of drug trafficking and spent several years incarcerated), and has started to come out the other side. When asked about his conviction, he's not cagey about it, or apologetic about it, but he also doesn't go overboard with explanations. He simply says what happened and that he hasn't had any trouble with the law, or with drugs, since. Besides, this is for pot. Nobody in California cares about pot, so most of the companies he wants to work for aren't going to care that much about a pot conviction. Apple might (because I feel like they might be hypocritical enough to judge someone for being involved with a drug that one of the founders of the company was known to be very fond of), but I doubt Google would (but, maybe I'm wrong, I don't have any insight into the Google hiring process these days and don't have any inside people to ask). But, I would definitely trim down the sad sack tale. Just state the facts of what the conviction was for (like "I sold a gram of pot to my roommate in college" or whatever), and that you've had no run-ins with the law since. And, I'd probably mention it if/when the company says they're going to do a background check. If I were in a hiring position (and I have been in the past, and likely will in the future), I wouldn't consider this relevant, at all, to the decision. And, I'd probably even accept a lot "worse" kinds of felony than this. That may be because of my current experience with friends who have a felony in their past and with my level of knowledge of how the system works, and who the system targets (for example, white folks are far less likely to be convicted on felony charges than black folks for the same crimes, so black folks are far more likely to have a criminal record, even if they just did the same sorts of things me and all my white friends did growing up).

by rbobby 13y ago

csfelon 13y ago

Yes, I agree. I think the version I gave was a bit more "theatrical" because I was writing it out for a non-employer. And no I don't use illegal drugs - and am not a heavy drinker. I have coped with depression and anxiety with the help of psychotherapy and anti-depression drugs. Which have worked very well, and helped me lead a balanced and healthy life.

aestra 13y ago
No. Don't mention depression or your treatment for mental illness or use of psychotropic medications. There is still serious stigma against mental illness.
- DanBC 13y ago
  People with a mental illness are covered under discrimination laws in the US. While it's probably a good idea to not disclose (in the US) before you have the job it's something that people need to think about. The EEOC advice is here. http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/index.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/employees/index.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/index.cfm http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/practices/index.cfm
- csfelon 13y ago
  I take a "less is more approach" if someone asks: Were you depressed? I say: "Absolutely, I had just experienced a parents suicide" and I've done a lot of work on learning adult coping skills so that I won't repeat that sort of thing. Again this is all if they ask... It's a weird cross section because once the door is open, someone can ask pretty much any question they may have been legally prohibited from asking in an interview because I disclosed it - I often feel it changes the dynamic of an interview in a very serious way. I usually try to use it is an op. to ingratiate that person to my ability to cope with stress and perform under pressure.

SwellJoe 13y ago

I've noticed a common trend among several convicted felons in my friend circle (I lead an interesting life) that, in a lot of cases, they're still punishing themselves, sometimes decades later. It's a self-reinforcing cycle...don't get a job because of the conviction, beat yourself up and tell yourself you're worthless because of the conviction, don't get the next job because you interviewed horribly while worrying about and wanting to explain away the conviction. One friend, however, has had a lot of years to deal with it (he was convicted of drug trafficking and spent several years incarcerated), and has started to come out the other side. When asked about his conviction, he's not cagey about it, or apologetic about it, but he also doesn't go overboard with explanations. He simply says what happened and that he hasn't had any trouble with the law, or with drugs, since. Besides, this is for pot. Nobody in California cares about pot, so most of the companies he wants to work for aren't going to care that much about a pot conviction. Apple might (because I feel like they might be hypocritical enough to judge someone for being involved with a drug that one of the founders of the company was known to be very fond of), but I doubt Google would (but, maybe I'm wrong, I don't have any insight into the Google hiring process these days and don't have any inside people to ask). But, I would definitely trim down the sad sack tale. Just state the facts of what the conviction was for (like "I sold a gram of pot to my roommate in college" or whatever), and that you've had no run-ins with the law since. And, I'd probably mention it if/when the company says they're going to do a background check. If I were in a hiring position (and I have been in the past, and likely will in the future), I wouldn't consider this relevant, at all, to the decision. And, I'd probably even accept a lot "worse" kinds of felony than this. That may be because of my current experience with friends who have a felony in their past and with my level of knowledge of how the system works, and who the system targets (for example, white folks are far less likely to be convicted on felony charges than black folks for the same crimes, so black folks are far more likely to have a criminal record, even if they just did the same sorts of things me and all my white friends did growing up).