Thanks for the replies. You all are right. The lying probaly just added to the fact that I was a criminal. But I was at a point in my life that all I needed was a job, and was ready to get one at any cost. About my parole officer knowing, yes I did serve time (9 yrs.) thee parole offices here in Calif. only ask that you bring them a copy of your paystubs. And ask if your employer knows about your parole. If not they don't go and introduce themselves. I am now off parole. I went back to school and graduated as a Medical Biller and Insurance Specialist. I have a account with Monster online. I think I am just a little gun shy, pardon the pun, to go apply in person. For the fact that I tell the truth now on my resumes. It juust seems alot easier over thr internet that face to face. I think that it also why I wanted to join this web site. For advice that was true and knowledgable.
Thanks again!

The public equates being a felon with being dishonest, so demonstrating dishonesty in any way just freaks out employers. Understandably so, I think. Even though being honest makes it hard to get a job, once you do get one and do well at it, I think it actually gives you more high esteem in the eyes of future employers than it would for someone doing equally well who isn't a felon. I've been an employer myself, so I know how an employer thinks. Even though honesty might make it a longer struggle to get a job, it will pay off double in the long run if you do well at it. Even if it's kind of a crappy first job you get, if you shine at it and go the extra mile, you'll be really glad you did in the long run. I'm not a felon myself, but I'm an alcoholic, so I faced some of the same challenges when I first got sober. If it's any encouragement to hear my story, I went from high school drop-out, welfare mom, alcoholic with minimum wage to self-employed business person with an $85,000 a year income in the first 5 years I was sober. And I did it by starting with piddly little jobs where I did what I said-----threw myself into shining where I was and doing work beyond the call of duty. Being alcoholic will give you just as much stigma in a job hunt as being a felon will, believe me, so I know what you're facing.

Now the down side-------don't do what I did and become a workaholic at the expense of your health. I worked 16 hours a day seven days a week without a day off for almost three years to get that $85,000 a year and then my body rebelled and I almost died. Now I haven't got that good health anymore. Would I do that again? Not on your life! Money isn't what's all-important in life. But aside from that, the rest of it I would do again-------the extra effort in the piddly jobs to work toward better ones.

It is a tough employment situation even if everything is on your side! You can be the perfect candidate and you are up against so many other perfect candidates in this economic market... You have to be able to differentiate yourself through your strengths, experience, and even your personality. It is more the 'connection' that takes place between the employer and the candidate than other factors in a lot of hires...

Statistics have shown that most employers (most people) hire 'in their own image', so a turn down for a job may just be that you did not match the employers own personality expectations... So many factors aside from having a past felony record.

We are dealing with so many ignorant opinions too...

I had a candidate's g/f leave a message for me Monday. Her b/f could not make the interview scheduled for him later that day. Said that he had an accident.

Later that day I got a call from the candidate - he was in jail and looking for a letter of employment for his lawyer to expidite his release. Over the weekend he got into a minor accident but was driving while under suspension... (maybe a bit more than that but that was his story)

Anyway, now the people that I work with don't want to represent him again? Why? He has worked for us and been a great employee for over 6 months but now with this knowledge they don't want anything to do with him. I am fighting their opinions and pushing for him to be placed again because what happened not a factor in his performance... They just don't understand. My colleagues have opinion that he is now a 'bad person' and I have to find a way to get them past this...