With more than a million Black men incarcerated in America today, I probably will not be the last student in this situation.

Dear "T,"

Your letter was exceptionally thoughtful, honest, and promising. Your ending comments particularly lingered in my mind--"more than a million Black men incarcerated," "probably not the last in this situation"--as I began researching your concerns to give you a thorough and hopeful response.

The good news is that you are a talented, intelligent brother with a strong academic background. You are about to earn a premium degree in a period marked by a strong national economy, with the availability of high tech positions out-numbering the available college graduate applicant pool. 

You are also someone who has learned to turn adversity around by proving your abilities and by not lingering on mistakes. It is a tribute to your "work in progress" that you are being sought out by faculty and by your community to share your knowledge and real-life experiences. I commend you on your vision and character. If I were hiring engineers, you'd certainly be someone I'd be anxious to interview, on the basis of what you have shared with me. But what would recruiters of engineering graduates have to say? I sought the advice of colleagues who I knew would give me candid and practical advice based on company policy and practice to share with you.

We were limited in some ways because we did not know whether you were convicted for theft, drugs, assault, or some other crime. What you were convicted for would be an important consideration for some industries. For example, one colleague said you would not be hired in his finance area if your crime involved theft, although he admitted that they would probably not be candid with you about why they would not hire you.

A major Fortune 500 company recruiter said that there are two issues that his company would consider--privacy and the conviction. "Regarding your right to privacy, you should not bring up this type of information as part of the initial interview process; however, it might come up as 'an addition' to the interview during the conversation when the interviewer reviews the hiring process. I would not recommend that you bring the subject up during the interview because you do not know what the hiring practices of the company are and or its process of employment. Wait until you see the application for employment," he says.

"Now some comments about the conviction. As part of the employment process (after the interview and completing the paperwork) a company could ask--and has the legal right to do so--the following questions:

1. Have you in the past "X" years been convicted of or pleaded guilty or no contest to a crime or other offense including military service convictions or guilty pleas?

The key item in this statement is "X" number of years. If your conviction was within (in our company's case) the last seven years, then you would have to answer the question 'yes.' We do a background check on everyone who comes in, including a criminal background check. If the investigation shows that a candidate committed a crime within the seven-years and failed to indicate it on the application for employment (legal document), the offer to the candidate would be rescinded immediately for falsifying the application. For the company, the number of years out is important. The more years for the "search" the more it costs to have the search done. We feel seven years is sufficient; some have up to five years. By the way, this process of doing the search of court records is reliable and relatively fast about three to four weeks for all the United States.

2. Are you currently on parole, probation, work release program, conditional  release, or serving a weekend sentence as a result of a conviction or guilty  plea?

This is easy. If you are somehow committed to perform some service, then that commitment could affect your ability to work or travel for the company.

3. The date(s), place(s) of the offense and charge(s).

Space is provided for you to list the above activity, if any.

4. In the past "X" years, have you been confined (incarcerated) as a result of  the sentence of any court (include military)?

Again with our company the 'X' is seven years. These court sentences include traffic tickets, appearances in court and so forth.

5. Are you currently under indictment or are a defendant in a criminal proceeding?
If you are, you must provide the information.

As to whether your conviction was within the seven years, as a gauge, I would be precise as to when did the crime occur and when did you complete the sentence (if any), and when was the "whole thing, i.e., probation over? For my company, if the time of the process of signing the application for employment is one day more than seven years, do not include information on the conviction. If, on the other hand, it is one day less (six years, 364 days), you must include the information. Though extreme, this example is designed to make the point; the fact that the document the candidate signs is "a legal document" is in my view worth repeating. However, if it is clear, i.e., seven years since the crime was committed and the probation, etc., is over and the company requested five years, your should answer 'NO' and feel safe from both his previous experience and privacy."

Another colleague from a major utility company offered these insights:

"Be honest and forthcoming not on your resume but on the application; be sure to explain the past, but focus on the 'now' and the future! If the crime does not directly relate to the position you are seeking it should not hinder you.

"Be sure to include this conviction on the application (do not put this information on your resume, however.).

Include an explanation with the conviction information (i.e., when the conviction occurred, especially if you were a minor at the time, circumstances of the situation, etc.).

An employer should not discriminate based on the conviction, unless the conviction is relevant to the position for which you are being considered. For example, if you embezzled money, a company wouldn't hire you to work with money.

Our company would weigh all the facts (even if you are being considered for a nuclear site) before automatically weeding you out because of the conviction.

The important thing is that you should be truthful with any employer as all employers conduct background checks."

These two responses were typical of what I received from several corporate recruiters. Most seemed sensitive to your desire to start your career as an engineer and want me to send them your resume! 

My advice is to stay positive and focused. Prepare well for your interviews and emphasize how your skills and abilities will benefit the organization. Be extremely clear on the organization's history, and its current employment needs. Pay attention to whether the organization has a social consciousness, as this may prove to be helpful, if the past has to be brought up. Anticipate that this issue may have to be addressed in your interview, and if so, you continue to describe the situation the way you have described it to me--a past difficult journey that you have successfully traveled. 

My very best to you.
 

I would like your advice. I have been offered a position that I very much want to accept, but it would require me to move to a small Southern town that I know nothing about. I did visit it once for the on-site interview, but the organization had so many things planned at the company, that I didn't get to see much of the city. I am reluctant to leave home, but I know it is important for me to take advantage of this great job opportunity. What should I do to get ready to move to this town, so I won't feel so alone and so scared?

Dear Tasha:

Leaving the safe and familiar for new horizons is an experience that many students must face after they graduate from college. It is only natural to be a little scared, a little apprehensive. Take heart. There are lots of things you can do to allay your fears and to start familiarizing yourself with your new hometown and to begin networking. Here are some tips to get you started.

Find out whether the company has a second visit planned for you where they introduce you to the community. Some organizations organize a picnic or day where all their new hires for that location are brought together and introduced to a variety of services and programs offered in the community and to key people to know.

Ask your company about relocation expenses, which should include a paid visit to locate housing.

To assist you in understanding your new community, contact the local Chamber of Commerce, the Visitors Bureau and Traveler's Aid to receive their new-resident welcome packages. These can include maps, directories of civic organizations, businesses, and ethnic communities, city or community history and facts, as well as places to see and visit such as churches, colleges, museums, theaters, dining establishments, health clubs and neighborhood characteristics.

Subscribe to a local newspaper (including an African-American local newspaper or publication, if available) so that you can start to learn what goes on there. (This is a great graduation gift that you can suggest that someone give you!) If funds are limited, you also can see if the town's newspaper is on the Internet. At any rate, read as much as you can about the community. 

Talk to your relatives, friends to see if anyone has a relative or knows anyone in the area. If so, contact them by letter. Tell them you are relocating to the area and would like to meet them. They may respond and even treat you to a welcome dinner if you are lucky!

Contact the local offices of the Urban League, the NAACP, and your sorority to introduce yourself, to take out a membership, to obtain any community calendars that they might have, and to get their recommendations about neighborhoods where you will not be isolated and where you can have linkages to the Black community. It is very important that you do this to not feel so alone or to end up in a neighborhood where you would be discriminated against. These people will know where you can have a positive and comfortable living situation in accordance with your interests and means.

Schedule a sight-seeing trip or a city sponsored historical tour to learn even more about your community.

Join a Black church or an organization or volunteer for some community service activity that will further introduce you to the Black community.

Contact a good real estate agent and let him or her show you safe neighborhoods where our people live and are welcome.

Be alert and friendly to salespeople, taxi-drivers, physicians, and community leaders. Try to network with them to learn more about the community, things to avoid, people to watch out for, and people to get to know. But beware; do not make friends too quickly or give out your telephone number or address or any other personal information, or let people know that you are alone until you really are more connected and have gotten to know them.

Once you have completed this list, I can assure you that you will be well on your way to establishing yourself in your new community, and you will gain a lot of respect and professional credibility in the process.
 

Linda Bates Parker is your Online Campus Advisor. She has authored the Campus Advisor column for THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine for over 13 years. Parker is the director of the Career Development Center at the University of Cincinnati and president of Black Career Women a national organization.

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