51% companies in US hire people with criminal record: Survey

NEW YORK: Contrary to perception that having a criminal record can impede chances of getting a job, more than half (51 per cent) of the companies in the US have hired such people, a new survey has said.

Also, hiring managers at nearly two-third of the US companies believe that such persons should be upfront and honest about their conviction when seeking a job, it said.

The study said having a run-in with the law can have long-term repercussions for job hunting, but organisations are open to giving people second chances.

The survey, carried out by research firm Harris Interactive on behalf of a leading human capital solutions provider CareerBuilder, was conducted among nearly 2,300 hiring managers across the US.

Asked what job seekers with criminal records should do to make themselves more employable, 68 per cent of the hiring managers recommended being upfront and honest about the conviction and the stress faced by them.

Other suggestions included being willing to work their way up, staying positive and preparing while in prison (by way of taking classes, getting a degree or vocational training).

The hiring managers also asked such people not to apply to jobs where their record would automatically disqualify them.

The recommended work for such persons included volunteering work, freelance or temporary assignments, joining the military, starting own business and monitoring the social media for prevailing job trends.