There are over 73 million people in the United States that have some sort of criminal record. That comes out to about one-third of all working-age Americans. For many of these people, their backgrounds can create some very difficult barriers when it comes to their job search.
Michele Sedney, Director of Talent Acquisition at John Hopkins, mentions one of the biggest issues faced with when searching for talent. She states, “[There are] so many people who had something on their background. If you were going to disqualify everybody, then what are you going to be left with?”
When looking for top talent for a company, many hiring professionals are overlooking this substantial pool of candidates.
Candidates with criminal backgrounds understand the struggle of finding a job and therefore value their positions once they have it. This, in turn, creates a more loyal employee, reducing turnover. Quality of work of candidates with backgrounds has been shown to be equal to or greater than that of those without one. Hiring managers can also help reduce recidivism by offering candidates with backgrounds a second chance at work.
In the end, finding the best candidate for a job should be top priority for a company – regardless of criminal history.
For more information on how XCEL can help with you with your hiring needs, please contact us!
