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How does a misdemeanor affect my employment chances?

On Behalf of | May 22, 2020 | Drug Crimes

Sending in a job application in California can be scary after a drug charge. While not as serious as a felony drug charge, a misdemeanor shows up on your background check.

The way you handle these minor offenses can impact your chances of landing a job.

Background check

According to BackgroundChecks.com, a misdemeanor offense can last on your criminal record for the rest of your life. When your potential employer pulls up your background check, the offense will show up.

The only way to completely remove the criminal charge is if the court seals your records or expunges the offense. However, depending on the service used to conduct the background check, the offense may not show up if it is much older. There are also some statutes in place for how long some states allow misdemeanors to pop up on the background check.

Honest application

This means that the best way to handle a misdemeanor charge is by being upfront on the job application. Then your employer will not find a surprise when conducting their background check.

By being honest on the application, you may know sooner whether or not the employer is willing to give you a chance. Someone who does not want to hire someone with a misdemeanor may let you know immediately. This allows you time to continue your search somewhere else.

While you can hope that the employer does not conduct a county background check, you cannot know for certain that they will not. Assume that the employer will discover the charge and be honest. The only exception to this would be in areas where employers cannot ask about your criminal past.