Blog Post: A Matter of Character

Important to finding the "right fit" with a potential employee are the various factors used to determine eligibility. Skill sets, character, personality, leadership potential, aptitude, competence, longevity and much more are considered vital when pursuing a field of candidates. When considering a candidate that has many, if not all of the fore mentioned qualities....What is it that matters most?

I have heard it said from instructors, pastors, motivational speakers and the like, that character is developed from the life situations and challenges we experience and how we choose to handle them. We would like to believe that these situations make us stronger, wiser, and more resilient as life continues to deliver greater opportunities for us to grow. An individual with a criminal history, unlike anyone else in society, has developed strong character, integrity, and can be extremely resilient.

Most of all the candidates with a criminal history have become educated, have worked hard on reconciliation of their relationships, and have made great strides in their personal development. In fact, when I work with these clients, their attitudes and drive are commendable, as they continue to become the functional and productive citizens we as a community would like to see. It is exciting to see their enthusiasm toward the future and what they want to contribute.

Unfortunately, as a community, we can hold grudges, stereotype, and forget that we are too ex-offenders to someone we hurt. A person who may have been, or still is near and dear to our heart. We can be like an embittered person that will not forgive and hold an offense over their head for a lifetime.It is understood that some business owners have insurance requirements, contractual restrictions and the like for reasons not to hire and nothing can be done about this. I ask that employers ponder the effect that not considering one of these individuals, meeting the same qualificaitons of anyone without a criminal history, can have on the individual themselves and the community. It can be devastating.

• The hope and excitement about a new future and reconciliation fade.
• Attitudes become cynical and hardened.
• Old behavioral patterns emerge again.
• Criminal behavior returns.
• Our families, businesses, and all that we own become threatened, AGAIN.
• They return to prison and we go back to paying $30,000 a year to incarcerate them.
• Our community loses out on an extremely talented individual, sometimes with a greater work ethic than those who have no criminal past.
• We build more prisons because these criminals "just don't learn."

I understand that this is not an easy subject to discuss and I do sincerely appreciate your having taken your time to engage. I am an advocate for some really amazing and talented people that could be of immense value to any employer reading this blog. My intent is to truly understand what it is, you the employer need, in order for one of these candidates to be hired by your company. (All things considered; insurance requirements, contractual restrictions, etc.) Is there anything that would lessen the fear or concern when hiring one of these individuals?

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I do solicit your inputs and it would be of great assistance to me if you took the time to "click" on the "recommend" button if you feel someone else might benefit from these words, and "comment" to share your opinions.