The Job Lounge has a great post today - Career Options for Ex-Felons that addresses the question of how & when to disclose your criminal history to a potential employer. While some of the information is California specific, much of it does apply in other places.



I especially like Kathy Knudson's comments on who can see expunged crimes vs dismissed, vs sealed. It was nice to see someone pointing out the difference between what the Law says, and how it works in real life. I added a comment about how important the choice of words can be in explaining your background to an employer (or landlord for that matter) -

I would add to be aware of the choice of specific words used when disclosing an criminal history. 'Kidnapping' for example - the general public thinks it involves duct tape & the trunk of a car.

While generally I suggest limiting the amount detail used in explanations, there are times when the details can be very helpful: 'Manufacturing of a controlled substance' is generally perceived as a meth lab - so if it was really about growing marijuana, I suggest making the detail clear.

I think my favorite example is a client who was getting zero response to his applications. A quick glance at a sample application revealed he was listing his crime as 'white slavery' - No wonder employers weren't calling him back! Making a minor change to 'violating the Mann Act' gave him a much better response to his application, and often the opportunity to explain the charges directly to the employer.