Proving Your Rehabilitation to a Future Employer: Success is in the Details!

Convincing a future employer to give you a job despite a New York State criminal record is not always easy.

I think like an attorney, and the best way I know to demonstrate, and prove who you are (a rehabilitated person) is by showing key evidence in the following categories:

School: Transcripts and letters from teachers. Use these to show grades, attitude, and attendance.

Job Training: Letters of reference from teachers/trainers to include types of programs, training, punctuality, teamwork, and skills building.

Employment: Letters from supervisors showing work product, promotions, and attitude.

Mental Health and/or Drug/Alcohol Counseling: Letters from doctors, counselors, and therapists.

These should indicate clean drug screens/tests, full participation and/or completion, your growth, understanding, and awareness of the causation of past behavior, your commitment to sobriety, and that you are not a risk to yourself or others. Sign a release form so that they can disclose information about your treatment.

Certificate of relief from disabilities or Certificate of good conduct: These certificates help show your rehabilitation. If you have no more than one felony conviction and any number of misdemeanors, you might be eligible for a Certificate of Relief from Disabilities. If you have more than one felony, you might be eligible for a Certificate of Good Conduct.

Letter from your Probation Officer as to your success while on probation. Clean drug screens, punctuality, completion of treatment, and attitude.

All this evidence of your life turn around will wow the majority of people for the rest as the song says, "forget them."

Larry Newman Criminal Defense Attorney