I’d like to touch on a subject that most pardon applicants care a lot about: job applications. The most common reason that the pardon applicants I have worked with want to get a pardon is so that they can get steady jobs and keep them. Sometimes, potential employers get turned off by the fact that a person has a criminal record. They might not want to take a chance on someone who has committed a crime. Getting a pardon can be very helpful in the job search, and in this page and on others on the site, I will discuss tips for pardon applicants to help them get jobs. Here, I will discuss tips for your job interview.

Of course it is important to remember that you don’t always have to disclose your criminal history to a potential employer. Contact our office to learn more about situations where you need to explain your criminal history and situations where you do not.

Dress Appropriately

A job interview is, in most cases, a formal occasion. Even if you are applying for a job with a company that has a casual work atmosphere, it is always a good idea to dress formally for the interview. In most cases, you would rather dress too formally for the interview than not formally enough. For men, this means dress pants and a dress shirt or a full suit. For women, this means a skirt and a nice blouse or a full suit.

Arrive Early

If you want to be on time for your interview and make a good impression, you really need to be early for the interview. Arriving 5-10 minutes early will give you a chance to gather yourself and prepare for the interview, and it will show the interviewer that you are a hard working, prompt person.

Answer All Questions Honestly

When speaking with the interviewer, you should answer all questions completely and honestly. Sometimes, this might mean pausing to collect your thoughts or asking questions to clarify what the interviewer needs from you. This is ok! Just be sure to be respectful and as honest as possible.

Prepare For the Interview

While you don’t want to seem too rehearsed, and while you won’t have the opportunity to fully know beforehand what type of questions you will be asked, you can prepare for the interview beforehand. Consider some of the most common questions that you might be asked related to the job that you are interviewing for. Similarly, you can prepare any questions that you have and that you will want to ask at the appropriate time during the interview.

Relax!

While interviewing for jobs can be stressful and overwhelming, try not to stress out too much. You want to appear serious yet confident in your interview, so take a deep breath, and try to leave the nerves at the door.

These are just a few tips for nailing your job interview and making a good impression at a new company. While these tips can’t guarantee you a job, they will improve your chances of making a good impression on an interviewer, which could increase your chances of getting a job. For more help preparing for a job or getting a pardon to make this process easier, you can contact my office.