People don’t know that there are actually companies that are paid an incentive by the government to hire convicted felons. Work One, the state employment agency, hires employment specialists who work to find or persuade companies to hire felons in Indiana. WorkOne’s program for ex-offenders, for example, helped 150 felons secure employment during 2005.

When looking for a job you should look for one that has a tax credit that can be used to pay for skill development and training for felons. Employers consider the development of communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills as a first priority.

Places to avoid looking applying for a job are long term temporary employment agencies. You will have better luck at a Labor Ready employment service for short term or daily employment until you are hired at one of the companies or businesses which you have applied to.

Keep in mind that small companies are more likely to hire a felon as the owners are more involved in the day to day business, and can see firsthand the ability of their hires to perform the tasks involved in the job.