Seeking advice: IT Career change at 29 w/ criminal record

Hey all,

DC metro native here. I'd really appreciate some advice here as I'm at a bit of a crossroads, and I'm thinking of giving a career in IT a try. If you've been around and want to chime in, I'd really appreciate your frankness.

Background: Years ago, I got a B.S. in Business Information Technology from Virginia Tech. I never made much use of the degree since my last job interview was over 10 years ago. Since my early teens, I've been an online entrepreneur. I hit a mini-jackpot shortly after college after selling an online business for around half a million. I then started a web consulting/design business with someone else which we gradually ended somewhat recently. For the past several years, I've been investing as well as trading short term. I made some good money (NOK, TSLA, FB, AAPL), had that subconscious boost in confidence.. long story short, I made some poor decisions mainly involving shorter term financial bets on Tesla. Lost a LOT of money.

For the past few months, I've been trying to stay grounded and research my options. I could give my short term trading another shot as I 'feel' it's my passion but with the little capitol I have left, most everyone would probably call me crazy. As days go by, I think it may make sense to get a 'normal' job. Since I had such a passion for internet/technology at such a young age, and since I have that degree, IT sounds like a good idea. If the business I sold didn't take off, I probably would have been working in IT right after graduation.

Not long after high school, I was convicted of felony eluding police (non-violent) and reckless driving. Just a split second, bone headed decision-- they wouldn't reduce it in part because I had a history of speeding. Nobody was hurt, no property was damaged, nobody else in my car, no drugs whatsoever involved. There was no reason. Luckily, the Judge gave me under a week of jail. I also got two DUI's in my early 20's, a couple other reckless driving convictions and a driving while suspended early in my life. Drinking is no longer an issue in my life at all.

So I have the (old) Business IT degree and a bunch of crap on my record. I did a little research on here and it seems like not all smaller companies even check your background. Good thing is I don't look like someone with any type of criminal record. Not sure if it's even realistic for me to land even a very basic entry level IT job if they won't provide some upfront training.

Honestly, I really don't know much about servers/networking/OS's other than Windows/etc. I forgot the majority of what I learned in college as it's been so long. I guess an option is to get a cert or two under my belt before entering the job market. I'm familiar with things like Office/Photoshop/etc, and I'm lightly familiar with taking a PC apart, configuring windows, etc.

I'm thinking of just renovating my resume and posting it ASAP, and maybe a recruiter ill get in touch. Thanks guys.

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paul78

Welcome to the TE forums. Sounds like you made some mistakes when you were younger and you paid for it. It's unfortunate that you have to keep continuing to pay for it.

This topic has come up - you can read these two threads if it's helpful to you:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/85732-criminal-record-advive-please.html
http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/75759-job-felonies.html

I'll summarize my opinion for what it's worth if it's helpful to you.

Since you live in the US, the first and foremost advice when talking with prospective employers is to be honest and upfront about the criminal record during the interview process. If a background check is conducted, your criminal record will likely be discovered depending on the state and type of background check that is conducted.

Here is the key for you - in the US, it is illegal for hiring companies to discriminate against job applicants with criminal records if the crime has no bearing on the job being performed. At some point, I hope that someone will test some of the newer rules in the Supreme Court (I believe that it has not been to the supreme court yet despite several law suits). Guidance has been issued by the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) that states that employers CANNOT use blanket policies to exclude the hiring of an applicant.

According to the EEOC - "If the employer does not show that such an exclusion is “job related and consistent with business necessity” for the position in question, the exclusion is unlawful under Title VII." Title VII is in reference to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

So, if you are told that you cannot be hired simply because you have a criminal record, the employer may be breaking the law in the US.

There will be some industries that will continue to have higher standards of hiring because of their risk management programs - for example - health care, financial services, or anything related to interaction with minors. But even so, the EEOC guidance prescribes that each applicant must be evaluated in an individual basis.

You may want to consider engaging with an attorney to see if you can get some of your criminal record expunged or reduced to a misdemeanor. Recently, I learned of a process in some states called a Certificate of Rehabilitation - an attorney may be able to you also guide you through that process.

Since this is a technology forum, you probably won't find many opinions regard your current short-term trading. I used to short-term trade but I closed my positions daily and I was mostly trading spreads as I had a low risk tolerance and it was a part-time hobby versus trying to make a living at it. Personally, I could never day-trade full time.

From a practical standpoint, if you want to start in IT - how about starting with a certificate or two? Based on your description of your current skillset, you may benefit from the process. Is there something in particular about IT that interests you - start there.

Good luck.

volfkhat

Wow dude....
me thinks you have an appropriate user-handle :]

You don't sound like the kind of person who would last long in the "rat race".
Having your own "thing" is probably where your passion is.

Having a criminal conviction will definitely get you rejected from many IT opportunities.
(Government-subcontracts come immediately to mind)
That's the country/system we live in. Period.

And if you are a Minority (non-white guy) with a conviction.... it's almost game-over.
(just my opinion; no hate please)

I think being your own Boss is the best way to go for you.

Additionally, saying that you want to work in IT.... isn't really saying much.
(IT covers a very Broad spectrum)

You may want to better refine your focus.
(Social-Media guru, Marketing guru, Sales guru, etc)
What exactly did your website/business do?

Lastly,

Not sure if it's even realistic for me to land even a very basic entry level IT job if they won't provide some upfront training.

Upfront training?
lol... yeah... right.

You will be, most assuredly, on your own.

paul78

volfkhat wrote: »

...And if you are a Minority (non-white guy) with a conviction.... it's almost game-over.
(just my opinion; no hate please)...

Actually you are not the only person that shares that position. The EEOC does watch for it and they actually won a consent decree on that specific topic about a year ago. The claim was that the company (can't remember which but it was a car company) allegedly discriminated on basis of race by applying criminal background checks unfairly. I think the company paid over a 1 million dollars in fines.

volfkhat wrote: »

... You don't sound like the kind of person who would last long in the "rat race" ... Having your own "thing" is probably where your passion is ...
You may want to better refine your focus.
(Social-Media guru, Marketing guru, Sales guru, etc)

+1 - that's great advice actually. There are tech related jobs which a self-starter could do. The one that comes to my mind is SEO consulting. I have a friend that got out of the rat race and basically self-trained and does that as a business. He helps small companies with their SEO needs.

LaSeeno

How long ago was your last criminal conviction? Most places don't look past 7-10 years. I believe it actually falls under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and unless it's a high profile or government position it won't be a potential issue.

anhtran35

It sucks that you have a criminal record; however, you seem to be an entrepreneur. Be your own boss and find a passion and you will make $$$. IT can be a difficult and some case boring field. You can be given an oppt by some smaller start ups. Or just start your own. Maybe try recruiting etc...

AvgITGeek

Please tell me I'm wrong. Hope I'm not wrong but this smells of bullshit.

blahdawg

Hey man. Your thread hits so close to home with me that i feel obligated to create an account and give you some pointers. I typically lurk the site once a month. I am 33 today, have an associates, have two DUI's, a driving on suspended, reckless, and several other charges. All of this occurred around the ages of 22-27. I am originally from Winchester (working in Rosslyn at the time) so my charges were also in Virginia. Simply put, i had a drug and alcohol problem. I now work for a major institution doing devOPs where i am provided a decent salary with great benefits. If this is something that you really want, my advice is this:

1. Be right with yourself regarding all your charges. What i mean by this is place them in the past. There is nothing you can do at this point to make them go away. I know this because Virginia does not allow you to expunge DUI's. Just accept the fact that you screwed yourself and don't let anyone bring you down regarding it. You will need to be determined.

2. noVA will be a difficult place to get jobs for you. I am sure you already know this due to the mass influx of jobs that require clearances. This doesn't mean give up. It just means you will most likely need to apply at different places throughout the area. I can tell you right now that getting a job at places like Lockheed will be very difficult no matter what your qualifications are. Before i left the area i was hired at a small MSP doing tier 1-2 level work.

3. Be ready to have a solid response regarding your criminal history. I don't mean excuses. I mean you need to explain the truth and how you are not that person anymore. My issue was that i matured early. I made stupid decisions at a young age. i was focusing on things that were not important. I was sentenced to 120 days in jail (not my only stint). I served 105. I went in withdrawing off methadone (which was utterly horrible). I lost a very good job at the time, my long term girlfriend, and several family members who gave me numerous chances. I had a lot riding on me to prove myself that i am not scum. I couldn't let the guilt swallow me up. You can't let yourself become discouraged. Accept the mistakes you made and move on. Again, just briefly and honestly explain your charges and explain why your not that person anymore. You need to prove this somehow to them.

3. People will scoff, patronize, lead you on, etc surrounding your issues. This happens at interviews and even when you get the job. Forget them. Write them off as idiots who don't accept the fact that everyone is different and everyone makes mistakes. A lot of people though generally will not care though throughout this process as long as you are honest and demonstrated steps to change your life.

4. Be prepared to work your ass off. By this i mean you need to be better than most other candidates in whatever position you're going for. You need to be a subject matter expert. The moment i accepted my issue and knew nothing would get in my way, i jumped hardcore into linux, zfs, ceph, automation, elk, lamps, lemps, mean stacks, scripting, php, python you name it. I had a daughter man so i had to bust my ass lol.

5. Get out of noVA dude that place drains your soul. I know it seems great due to the amount of jobs. I am paid a very fair salary that i can honestly say if i was to move back i would not make anymore money. It feels great being some place smaller. I own a decent house with land and do not have to be stuck in that crappy traffic.

Good luck

iDShaDoW

TLDR - You WILL hit obstacles to employment. No denying that fact. But if you keep at it, you'll find someone who doesn't care and will give you a chance to prove yourself.

Long Version:
I'm also in the NoVA area and have some stuff on my record but not quite as serious as you or blahdawg above:
-Some speeding tickets including a reckless driving
-2 driving on a suspended
-Misdemeanor possession of marijuana

My mom got me a lawyer at the time who wasn't a criminal lawyer whom advised me to plead guilty and take the bargain. Big mistake (in hindsight) as I would have been offered the bargain anyway if I pled not guilty or no contest; and since I pled guilty I can't expunge it according to Virginia law.

For my first job out of college, I managed to do some lawyer-ish "interpretation" of the job questionnaire lol - it asked if I was ever convicted of a crime and I put "no" because, technically, I was arrested and charged but it was dismissed which is not a conviction. I'm not suggesting you do anything dishonest but just thought it was funny that the wording of the applications played out in my favor in that situation.

The 2nd questionnaire (once I was already hired and 2 weeks in) asked if I was ever arrested to which I answered "yes". I was nervous as hell and saw my manager kinda stop and look at the answer to that but he left without saying anything and that was that. He later remarked that he wouldn't have hired me if he knew from the get go but he's a very straight shooter type. I was pretty much the star of the team (from a technical perspective) and when he left for another company, he said I had a spot if I wanted.

Unfortunately, an opportunity with more growth potential led me elsewhere. I've since interviewed and been at two other places who conducted background checks but either didn't see anything come back or they didn't care.

The Federal government wasn't even aware I had a criminal charge at the state level until I mentioned it on my Public Trust form at which point the investigation records show they dug further into it, added it to their file on me, and then granted my clearance. I now also hold a Secret Clearance.

Anyhow, some places will do a background check, some won't. You won't know until you try and, hopefully, someone will give you a fair shot. Just be honest as lying is an immediate disqualification if they find out. Having a background is not an immediate disqualification to some employers. At the same time, all this stuff was roughly 6 years in the past at the time I was going through the background investigations.

As long as you can show them you've stayed out of trouble and the past is in the past, someone will give you a fair shot.

Most people do want to see others succeed.

p@r0tuXus

iDShaDoW wrote: »

My mom got me a lawyer at the time who wasn't a criminal lawyer whom advised me to plead guilty and take the bargain. Big mistake (in hindsight) as I would have been offered the bargain anyway if I pled not guilty or no contest; and since I pled guilty I can't expunge it according to Virginia law.

For my first job out of college, I managed to do some lawyer-ish "interpretation" of the job questionnaire lol - it asked if I was ever convicted of a crime and I put "no" because, technically, I was arrested and charged but it was dismissed which is not a conviction.

So you pled guilty but weren't convicted? How does that work?

volfkhat

Great insight guys!!

DAVID Q

theodyssey wrote: »

Hey all,

DC metro native here. I'd really appreciate some advice here as I'm at a bit of a crossroads, and I'm thinking of giving a career in IT a try. If you've been around and want to chime in, I'd really appreciate your frankness.

Background: Years ago, I got a B.S. in Business Information Technology from Virginia Tech. I never made much use of the degree since my last job interview was over 10 years ago. Since my early teens, I've been an online entrepreneur. I hit a mini-jackpot shortly after college after selling an online business for around half a million. I then started a web consulting/design business with someone else which we gradually ended somewhat recently. For the past several years, I've been investing as well as trading short term. I made some good money (NOK, TSLA, FB, AAPL), had that subconscious boost in confidence.. long story short, I made some poor decisions mainly involving shorter term financial bets on Tesla. Lost a LOT of money.

For the past few months, I've been trying to stay grounded and research my options. I could give my short term trading another shot as I 'feel' it's my passion but with the little capitol I have left, most everyone would probably call me crazy. As days go by, I think it may make sense to get a 'normal' job. Since I had such a passion for internet/technology at such a young age, and since I have that degree, IT sounds like a good idea. If the business I sold didn't take off, I probably would have been working in IT right after graduation.

Not long after high school, I was convicted of felony eluding police (non-violent) and reckless driving. Just a split second, bone headed decision-- they wouldn't reduce it in part because I had a history of speeding. Nobody was hurt, no property was damaged, nobody else in my car, no drugs whatsoever involved. There was no reason. Luckily, the Judge gave me under a week of jail. I also got two DUI's in my early 20's, a couple other reckless driving convictions and a driving while suspended early in my life. Drinking is no longer an issue in my life at all.

So I have the (old) Business IT degree and a bunch of crap on my record. I did a little research on here and it seems like not all smaller companies even check your background. Good thing is I don't look like someone with any type of criminal record. Not sure if it's even realistic for me to land even a very basic entry level IT job if they won't provide some upfront training.

Honestly, I really don't know much about servers/networking/OS's other than Windows/etc. I forgot the majority of what I learned in college as it's been so long. I guess an option is to get a cert or two under my belt before entering the job market. I'm familiar with things like Office/Photoshop/etc, and I'm lightly familiar with taking a PC apart, configuring windows, etc.

I'm thinking of just renovating my resume and posting it ASAP, and maybe a recruiter ill get in touch. Thanks guys.

Although my situation is slightly different from yours, I'm kind of in a similar predicament and don't really know where to turn to as far as IT employment is concern, because of experience,time and GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE although the aptitude is their in terms of basic computer networking,hardware, and software skills.

I think your best move along with a resume and good sales presentation is to PEOPLE NETWORK into a Job while trying to obtain a few certifications under your belt.

Also along with NETWORKING, the Resume format that you use will count as well.

Choosing a Format: Chronological, Functional, or Combination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj1yAYOqcJs

How to Build a Functional Resume
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQqG45-4uys

Reading from your experiences I think the COMBINATION FORMAT which consists of FUNCTIONAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL will be your best bet. In the Functional Resume, it will mainly put much emphasis on computer and application skills you gained while self employed, plus theirs a space on the resume where you CAN HIGHLIGHT EDUCATION LEVEL AND ANY OTHER CERTIFICATES YOU MAY HAVE GAINED. The one thing I think you have GOING is SELF ENTREPRENEURSHIP many employees value that.

Their are certain computer organizations you could join within your city especailly Washington D.C. area, but before you go on that adventure You will have to come up with a way to explain your questionable background to key individuals you may run across.

That way they can help you maneuver around those difficult traps that real employers may look at that can hinder you from getting employed .

THE BEST ORGNIZATIONS:
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/Top-IT-Organizations
National BDPA
National BDPA

ALSO READ THIS BOOK FROM MY BOY COACH-JAE
"FROM FELONY TO FORBES "
IAMLIFESKILLS: Making Your NEXT Chance, Your BEST Chance.
https://www.facebook.com/iamlifeskills
https://twitter.com/IAmLifeSkills

I say as long as you still have a passion for technology the individuals you run across will be able to assist you to work around it in terms of helping you find employment in the CIVILIAN SECTOR.

Now trying to find employment within the government SECTOR, that maybe more of a challenge, because of a requirement for SECURITY CLEARANCE which of course will require a background check. By the way looking into getting your record EXPUNGED IF ITS ONLY ONE FELONY.

Your best be in terms of re-education,self-learning ,and certification studies TO OBTAIN (COMPTIA A+ AND SEC+ ALONG WITH A WINDOWS CERTIFICATION AND LINUX) will be with FREE sites like
1.www.jobskillshare.org/
2.www.cybrary.it
3.www.Lynda.com(FREE TO JOIN AT YOUR ONLINE LOCAL LIBRARY WITHIN CERTAIN REGIONS, AND STATES WITHIN UNITED STATES, BUT NOT ALL LIBRARYIES WILL USE THE SAME RESOURCE. CERTAIN LIBRAYRIES MAY HABE SOMETHING ELSE IN PLACE OF LYNDA.COM JUST RESEARCH YOU LOCAL BRANCH)

TRIAL AND PAID SITES
5.http://www.testout.com
6.https://www.pluralsight.com

iDShaDoW

p@r0tuXus wrote: »

So you pled guilty but weren't convicted? How does that work?

Virginia has a 251 Disposition for First Offenders. You go through a program and then they dismiss the case upon successful completion. I'm not in law (had thought about studying for LSAT and going into law then working for the US PTO or something - I'm not a big talker/extrovert type). You would think if you pled guilty they'd say case closed, you're guilty, here's your fine/penalty and call it a day.

It's weird too though because I went back and was doing a lot of personal research on laws and expungement years later. The incident shows up on my arrest record but nothing on an actual criminal background investigation. The actual dismissed case/charges get sealed away in Richmond and typically aren't accessible by anyone except government entities.

My first professional career employer is a big Federal IT contractor and the security officer went through my background check results with me to give me a chance to dispute any discrepancies and the document had nothing relating to my arrest or charges.

DAVID Q wrote: »

Although my situation is slightly different from yours, I'm kind of in a similar predicament and don't really know where to turn to as far as IT employment is concern, because of experience,time and GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE although the aptitude is their in terms of basic computer networking,hardware, and software skills.

My brother is in the same situation. He has a Bachelor's in IT and worked for the county public school system. Got into a physical altercation with another employee (other guy initiated) and then my brother went and quit instead of going to HR and pressing charges or filing a lawsuit.

Fast forward years later and he has been doing non-IT jobs but has had trouble getting any decent gigs even though he and I lived and breathed IT growing up and he has an aptitude for it. They all say that there's a big time gap since the last time he's been in IT.

Just keep at it, either you keep at it and get something and start your way up the ladder or you throw in the towel. He took on a jr. sys admin position in DC which was kind of a bait and switch as he was doing more deskside support stuff but now they see that he has an aptitude and asked if he was interested in moving to another project and doing actual systems admin stuff relating to VMware.

He was pretty much at the point where he threw in the towel but then he saw how quickly my career (and salary) progressed over a span of 4 years even though I had lowballed myself at $42k/yr straight out of college in a high Cost of Living area.