Job Search / Criminal record may cut your chances of getting hired by half

It’s hard enough finding a job these days without having to explain a criminal record. According to a hiring discrimination study conducted by Princeton professor Devah Pager, having a criminal record may cut your chances of getting hired by half.

When researchers sent 25 young men with similar levels of job experience and education to employers with fake resumes, those with a minor drug possession conviction were 50 percent less likely to get called back or offered a job.

Studies like this show that people with criminal records are often caught in a catch 22: companies are less likely to hire them based on their criminal history, but if they can’t find a job, they’re more likely to commit a re-offense…

According to recent research by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), over two-thirds of employers now conduct background checks on prospective employees.

There are also many resources for ex-offenders seeking employment…

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor

via American Money: Job Hunting With a Criminal Record | News | BET.