Ex cons getting hired

[jeffrey43]

I used to be a doper, been incarcerated a few times and have not had a conviction in ten years. I am graduating next month withh an ASS in HVAC. I am in PHI THETA CAPPA honor society and will graduate at the top 8% of my school. I am clean, and have a family, what are my chances of getting a job in this field???? My convictions are mostly drug related no dui's.

[maxster]

this is only if your going for service tech position..try to focus on the commercial side of the field they are more liberal on the PAST,and take a guy for what he learned from his past.residential service would be you going into somebodys home,and the compnies image is walking in with you...no matter what group you work with techs talk and won't think twice of commenting on your situation to customers so your going to have to do it cleaner and give that extra effort.every company will check your crimminal records before you sit down to an interview to determine if your worth the time even.

[jeffrey43]

Thank you for your post

[S.T.Ranger]

I used to be a doper, been incarcerated a few times and have not had a conviction in ten years. I am graduating next month withh an ASS in HVAC. I am in PHI THETA CAPPA honor society and will graduate at the top 8% of my school. I am clean, and have a family, what are my chances of getting a job in this field???? My convictions are mostly drug related no dui's.

Hello Jeffrey, I also am new to the site but did want to comment on your post: first, good job on getting (and staying) clean, I also used when I was younger (about 16 or so years clean now [note, this is not an NA plug...lol]), but really, many of the guys in the trade were users. That is not to say they were not good at what they did, they were. But back then, when it came to this trade, guys took pride in their work (it was all sheet metal duct systems then and it took more than a year for helpers to even consider being mechanics).

In my area there are a lot of smaller companies that would take into consideration hiring someone that has "gotten their act together," so to speak. I wouldn't let it worry you too much...there's a job for you out there somewhere, it is just a matter of finding it. As an owner of a small company who has only hired a few people (mostly with disastrous results...lol), I can tell you what I am looking for: someone that has my companies best interests at heart. When I worked for someone, I felt I was a pretty good employee, being mindful of both time and materials which I know saved the company a lot of money.

I wish I could find someone like that to hire. Haven't yet.

Lastly, not sure where you are at in the trade yet, if you have actually worked in HVAC yet or not, but I would advise that you go directly to service, though it would not hurt to work install long enough to understand it. If in your area install is all that is available, don't hesitate to do that for a time.

Sorry if this long, just hoped to encourage you that your past is...in the past. Good luck on your future career.

S.T.

[flanders]

I worked with a guy at a residential/commercial HVAC company that was in prison for 10 years. He was one of the nicest, most professional techs that I have worked with. He got the job because he got to know the service manager personally BEFORE he was hired. I don't know how many companies would hire someone with a checkered past without knowing if that past is BEHIND them. Good luck! :cheers:

[Home&Marine]

One of my Pals has a Felony conviction and he's been out for almost 10 years and is just now getting a chance to work again. (He was a licensed Pharmacist prior to.) Almost every way he turned he ran in to "Thanks but No Thanks" from driving a truck to working at the local Tech College.

Talk to your Instructors and see if they can offer any help with local companies. Many times they can help (and they'll be a good reference). I agree with contacting smaller companies and just be honest with them. If you're pretty sharp I think you'll do fine, we all make mistakes.

Good luck.

[jeffrey43]

S.T. Ranger

I really appriciate your post. It makes me feel like there is hope for me in this industry. I knew when I started this it was going to be tuff when I graduated, but your post was uplifting to say the least. If you are ever looking for someone who is honest and hardworking give me a shout. I would really appriciate the opportunity. I have worked the last two summers, working with a guy in St. Louis doing mostly installs, me and a buddy from school have done a few installs as well. I know enough to get by but am really looking for someone to take me under their wing and show me the tricks of the trade. I look at it like this if your out there doing it everyday, and you enjoy doing it, you will learn something new everyday.
The lab at school only teaches me so much, even if I seek out projects that are designed to teach me something specific, then I have to have the instructer approve it then the whole class is involved. I am better one on one hands on start to finish, thats how I learn and it sticks with me.

[S.T.Ranger]

S.T. Ranger

I really appriciate your post. It makes me feel like there is hope for me in this industry.


With the way you are going at this, there is more than hope, I think that you will probably have your own business before long. You remind me of my last employer: when he was a kid, his parents had their system changed out; he watched them do it, saw the check cut when they were done, and said, "That's what I am going to do when I grow up."

And he did. He took the tech classes while in school, got the required year when he got his journeyman's, and went into to business. When I went to work for him, he was doing maybe...maybe, twenty houses a year plus service. When I quit (yes...I quit, he was almost as hardheaded as me...lol), we were doing probably 125-150 new residential houses a year, some of those sizable homes, though for the most part starters.

No reason you can't do the same. You have a few things that are required for this trade: motivation, aptitude, and attitude (good).




I knew when I started this it was going to be tuff when I graduated, but your post was uplifting to say the least.


This is the best advice I can tell you, from the perspective of both employee and employer: make yourself valuable to your company, and you will never worry about having a job.

Part of that is not losing the motivation you have right now. here is a tendency in all of us, I think, to have that motivation when we are hungry, but few there are that retain that motivation when times are good. Many forget that at one time all they were worried about was finding a job, and it turns to complaints about the job.

Your past will be a non-issue if you do one thing: keep the cmpanies best interests at heart. In doing that, you will make yourself valuable to them, and not only will that reputation carry you, but your company will not want to let you go.

For example, when doing install, there was no materials waste. About six months after I quit I went back (he had hired two crews to replace me) and there was a pile of lineset about eight feet wide by about three feet high. Thousands of dollars sitting there in replacement value.

Hardly anything went to waste.



If you are ever looking for someone who is honest and hardworking give me a shout.


I am in Virginia, and just trying to keep up with what I have now. I hired a few guys last year due to work volume, and it didn't work out so well.





I would really appriciate the opportunity. I have worked the last two summers, working with a guy in St. Louis doing mostly installs, me and a buddy from school have done a few installs as well.


A moonlighter..eh? Just kidding. Definitely motivated: most can't stand to do their 40, much less sidework. (But we both know that is where the real money is...lol)



I know enough to get by but am really looking for someone to take me under their wing and show me the tricks of the trade.


Be glad to help with any questions that I can.



I look at it like this if your out there doing it everyday, and you enjoy doing it, you will learn something new everyday.


True. Liking the work is the biggest hurdle. Many of the helpers I have had usually lasted about a week.


Gotta go, but again, as long as you hold on to that motivation, you will do well in this trade. Most companies are worried more about what you can do rather than what you have done, so hang in there.

S.T.

[baub]

But I think you have an AAS, (Associate of Applied Science). I would hate to see you put that on a resume.

BTW, when I used to have employees, I hired a reformed biker and druggie/drinker. He worked for me about 5 years and finally moved south. He had a key to my home and shop. So people can change for the better. Good luck!

[Some Dude]

I work with a guy with a tear drop tattoo .
I could care less , hes my dude, company loves him too, no biggie.

Keep the faith brother, anyone who wouldnt hire you is looking for sales people and not technicians ,you dont want to work for those chumps anyway.

[jeffrey43]

OOPS duh I feel stupid now yeah AAS

[jeffrey43]

I had to check my resume just to make sure lol

[wolfstrike]

the good news is i know of a supermarket refrigeration company that hired a guy right out of prison. ...but that's not everyone.

the bad news is, 20 years ago, i had a felony arrest that was turned into a misdemeanor conviction, and i later had it expunged.
the last two years i've been catching way more grief because of this, than i should.
many companies can't see my record, but some can.

in my area, some companies not only won't hire felons, recent ads say "don't apply with a misdemeanor"

i don't agre with a lot of things going on in this country now days.

good luck.
if the HVAC thing doesn't work out, many companies will pay you good money to drive with a CDL

[WFL-TX]

I work with a man that spent 8yrs in prison on assault charges + others. He needed to register with state and got turned down. However, he hired a lawyer and fought for something he wanted and we all signed letters for him. He is now a registered tech with the state :) He's a great guy and I trust him with my life! So don't give up!

[jeffrey43]

I will go at this myself if I have to. learn more by trial and error than to just fold up and go drive a damb truck

[Special Ed]

I used to be a doper, been incarcerated a few times and have not had a conviction in ten years. I am graduating next month withh an ASS in HVAC. I am in PHI THETA CAPPA honor society and will graduate at the top 8% of my school. I am clean, and have a family, what are my chances of getting a job in this field???? My convictions are mostly drug related no dui's.

Ten years is a long time. I think most co's would take the risk unless they're a Gov't contractor that requires a security clearance.

[secorp]

Ten years is a long time. I think most co's would take the risk unless they're a Gov't contractor that requires a security clearance.

Most Schools do not hire, maybe private but I doubt it.

[Special Ed]

Them too.

[SPBryant]

most do a 7yr background check...some do a 10yr.

[Pcc-LeeH]

The shop I work for has several guys (me included) in recovery. The boss had some personal experience in this matter, and he is willing to take a gamble on you, with a couple of rules. 1 year of clean time minimum, and consent to drug testing on a random basis. We have guys ranging from 1 year to 23 years in the program, and so far, nobody has screwed him. I give him a lot of respect for what he does!

[SPBryant]

The shop I work for has several guys (me included) in recovery. The boss had some personal experience in this matter, and he is willing to take a gamble on you, with a couple of rules. 1 year of clean time minimum, and consent to drug testing on a random basis. We have guys ranging from 1 year to 23 years in the program, and so far, nobody has screwed him. I give him a lot of respect for what he does!

Sounds like a good guy. It's nice to hear about people that give others a second chance. After all...we're all human, and all make mistakes.