Pretty serious conviction here - served six years in prison. Had significant experience before incarceration, which helped me get a telecommute job within a mo

Pretty serious conviction here - served six years in prison. Had significant experience before incarceration, which helped me get a telecommute job within a month of release. Crappy pay (1/2 - 1/3 of industry standard). Kept getting additional gigs, all telecommute. Worked my way up to industry standard in short order. 4 1/2 years later I have all the work I can handle, and am limited by my own desire to work. A few times background check concerns have popped up. I was 100% up front. I haven't seen it get in the way as a result - and my situation is far more serious than a drug conviction. However, I have to be smart. I see a lot of juicy gigs that require clearance, or in other ways would be a concern. Just look the other way. I can understand wanting the "high profile" employers, but I think the lower profile, the better. As has been mentioned, some companies simply cannot hire you. (In the same way that some apartment complexes can't offer leases to felons, as their particular liability insurance dictates) tl;dr I have a serious felony and prison experience - I've built up a good development career working from home and laying low.