I think it is my responsibility to go back where I came from and help others. At one time, I was just a guy with a few numbers behind my name and jealous of those who had titles or letters behind their name. Today, I no longer care about those titles.
Below, you will find my first layer of talks and curriculum of working with inmates. My goal is to help them get jobs and housing that they would not normally get. I have no interest in business feeling sorry for them, nor implementing some policy to hire them. I have no interest in menial for them as well. They can get that themselves. I want them to be able to be above what companies are looking for and be hand selected because of who they are and what they can do.
Whether people help me with this cause or not, I will succeed.
Over 600,00 ex-offenders and felons will be released this year. Without stable employment or housing, many of them will return to incarceration within the year. Too many inmates are not prepared to compete for jobs. Without even the basic skills necessary to be considered for employment, the prospects of getting hired will be bleak at best.
my plan is for inmates to start preparing for release by planning successful job searches long before the release date comes. There are critical areas that will make an ex-offenders job search more successful.
When ex-offenders look for jobs, there is a product to sell. That product is a set of skills. When we talk about skills, we are talking about the combination of hard and soft skills.
In my opinion, the soft skills of punctuality, work ethic, dependability ability to learn quickly, team player, professionalism, responsibility honesty and flexibility are by far greater than any hard skill they could learn.
Anytime I meet with a person with a background, the first thing I tell them is “the interview is a business meeting”. Approach it the same way you would if you were a business looking to partner with another business. It is your performance at this business meeting that will get you partnered. This not an interrogation where the interviewer fires question after question at you. Your answers to the interviewer’s questions should be conversational pieces that gives an insight to your personality and attitude, to see if you would be a good fit. If the question of your record comes up, and it probably will, briefly acknowledge it but do not spend too much time talking about it. But, at the same time, be very transparent about it. I’ve recommended in many cases to print out your background and have it ready. Show them that even though you have a background, it does not define you any longer. Honesty and transparency will build trust.
Focus on what has happened since your conviction and what you have done to make yourself a better person. Find someone to work with and practice interviewing. This person should be a professional, and understanding of what you are trying to do. Think of the most difficult questions you can think of and practice answering them until you sound natural. Practice, practice and more practice is the key.
