Adult Criminal Record
Read about how having an adult criminal record can affect you when applying for a job.
When filling out a job application, the majority of the time there will be a question asking, “Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony?” You don’t want to be the person that has to check off the ‘yes’ box. Adult criminal records effect what people think of you and is a large deciding factor on whether or not you will get hired or not. If there is a position available at a law firm, for example, and you have a master’s degree, perfect qualifications, but you have to check off the ‘yes’ box to committing a felony, you will most likely be put at the bottom of the pile of applications. A company doesn’t want someone who will cause trouble, steal, or be untrustworthy. Although you may be morally righteous now, that’s not what the company thinks; they just see that you have committed a federal crime and will not want to hire you.
I’m interested in the medical field. If I had an adult criminal record for illegal narcotics, they probably would be very hesitant to hire me. Many doctors and nurses work long shifts and work under a lot of stress, so often times they will take drugs to keep themselves awake or to help them relax. Also, some medical personnel have easy access to drugs, medications, and even narcotics like marijuana. Your employer would not want to have to worry about you stealing drugs. Obviously, no one wants anyone to use drugs, especially our doctors, but unfortunately personnel in the medical field are more susceptible to illegal use; with that in mind, if I already have a history with drug problems, they definitely would not be likely to hire me; and, obviously, I need a supporting job to survive.
Having an adult criminal record is like having a target on your back. It raises red flags and warnings in the minds of employers. In this economy, especially, it’s bad to have a record. Everybody is looking for a job and there is a lot of competition. Any of those people with criminal records will probably have their applications disregarded.