Finding a job after being incarcerated can be overwhelming.
Even beyond finding employers who will hire you, you still have to figure out how to interview, get to and from work and more.
Here are some tips we collected from employers and reentry organizations in Indianapolis to help make the job search a little less daunting.
Need a job? Start here.
It can be difficult to figure out which Indianapolis companies will consider hiring people with a criminal record.
The Marion County Reentry Coalition keeps a running list of job openings available to people with a criminal background in Indianapolis. To be on that list, according to senior associate Kinsey Bussell, employers have to be willing to work with people who were incarcerated or who have supervision requirements, such as an ankle monitor.
You can see how much the jobs generally pay, whether they require a high school diploma and whether the company is located near a bus line.
“We’re encouraging employers to think through what it would take to support somebody,” Bussell told Mirror Indy, “Most people don’t know what it means to be on supervision, and so just being willing to not judge people, and be transparent.”
Reentry organization 2nd Chance Indiana also has a job board, and will soon relaunch their job board with thousands more opportunities, per president Jim Cotterill. The organization encourages people to use what’s called the ABC approach when first getting out — any job, better job, career.
“Take any job you can get, because you have to have a job, and later get a better job, and then ultimately reach for a career,” Cotterill said.
You can also look online by searching “fair chance” on the online job board Indeed and selecting Indianapolis as your city. Jobs with the “fair chance” label mean that the employer will consider candidates who have been incarcerated or who have a record.
Make sure you can get to work
While applying for jobs, it’s important to consider how you’ll be able to get to work every day.
Nancy Cotterill, founder of 2nd Chance Indiana, recommends finding a job near where you’re living or staying. If that’s not possible, 2nd Chance Indiana works with local recovery hubs and employers to drive people to and from work in passenger vans.
Due to difficulties with federal funding, the transportation program is not being offered in Indy currently, but Cotterill said the organization is working to apply for grants and provide it in Indianapolis in the future.
Public Advocates in Community Reentry, or PACE, also offers bus passes to people who need help getting to or from work.
If you’ve lost your license, you might be able to get it back through the Marion County Prosecutor’s Second Chance workshops. Find out when the next one is by emailing Second.Chance@indy.gov.
Be transparent about your history
Reentry coordinators advise being as honest as possible about your record during a job interview, so that it doesn’t come up later.
“Just put it all on the table,” said Bussell.
At PACE’s job readiness training, you can learn how to bring up your charges in an interview in a professional manner.
“We do focus on having our participants be able to genuinely answer that question in a way in which it was a lesson learned,” said Shaffon Browder, PACE’s director for young adult services. “We all make mistakes.”
Top tips include steering the interview toward your skills as an employee and highlighting that your record is unrelated to the job you’re applying for, according to a comprehensive reentry guide from the University of Notre Dame.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Reentry is a tough process, and surrounding yourself with friends, family and community is one of the ways to get through it.
“Being around positive people who can support you, whether it’s family or friends, other men who are formerly incarcerated,” said Larry Smith, CEO of Fathers and Families Center, “that positive enforcement is absolutely crucial.”
Local reentry group Iron Sharpens Iron, for example, focuses on providing men who are just getting out of prison with mentors who were formerly incarcerated. That mentorship element goes a long way.
“As humans, we can think we’re alone, and particularly within reentry, it is very isolating,” said Bussell. “Getting people who have been there and been through it can really change someone’s success or ability to succeed.”
OK, so now what?
You don’t have to navigate the job search alone. Here are some local organizations that provide training, guidance and resources.
- Get connected with PACE employment services by filling out this online registration form, emailing sbrowder@paceindy.org or calling 317-612-6800.
- RecycleForce will hire any person after they get out, regardless of the charges on their record, according to CEO Tiana Johnson. Learn more online.
- Fathers and Families Center offers free education, training and services such as counseling to all dads, including those getting out of prison or jail. Start with the intro parenting class by calling 317-921-5935.
- Check out 2nd Chance Indiana’s online job board.
- In addition to its job guide, Marion County Reentry Coalition has a series of resources about how to get an ID, get your record expunged or get on Medicaid.
- Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana offers paid internships at its warehouses through its New Beginnings program. You must have reliable transportation for this role. For more information, call 317-524-3956 or email newbeginnings@goodwillindy.org.
- For women, Constructing Our Future offers job services, employment and other support. Make an initial appointment by calling 317-209-4624 during business hours.
If you need advice on a specific topic and Google’s not doing it for you, Notre Dame recently published a guide that covers nearly all aspects of life after prison in Indiana. That includes how to get an ID, where to go for legal assistance and how to navigate regaining custody of your kids.
You can view the document online here.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Claire Rafford covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire by email claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org, on most social media @clairerafford or on Signal 317-759-0429.
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