As you may already know there are not as many careers for felons as you like but there are still a number of options. Many careers for felons have the opportunity for advancement, raises and the potential to move or transfer within the company you choose to work for.

Many felons become discouraged when applying for jobs because they are turned down time after time. There are several reasons that this happens; the most common reason is because you are applying to the wrong type of companies. Some companies will simply not consider a felon for a job or a career in that particular position. Below we will give you a list and information on which industries offer careers for felons most often.

1) Truck Driving Career

There are a ton of truck driving companies out there that will hire felons depending on what the type of felony and the length of time since the conviction. This can be a fairly high paying career with good benefits. Most truck drivers earn about $800 dollars per week and have very secure jobs. The downside to trucking is the amount of time that you will spend away from home. All in all this is a great career for felons.
We have several pages dedicated to getting a job as a truck driver.

• How to become a truck driver with a felony
• Can you be a truck driver with a felony
• Can you get a CDL with a felony
• List of trucking companies that hire felons

2) Construction Companies

Construction is a great sector to work in if you are a felon looking for a career. Many construction companies are small and have many different positions. This will allow you to actually talk to the owner and show him your worth and skills. This is much better than dealing with a person that sits in a Human Resources office all day that has no clue about who you are.
The other great part about working in construction is that it allows you to learn a particular trade while earning money. This can allow you to possibly start your own business in the future if you so choose to. Remember to not just think about construction in general but all the trades and companies within that industry.

Some trades within the construction industry:

• Tile
• Carpentry
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Welding
• Pipe Fitting
• Carpet
• HVAC
• Roofing

These are only a few of the niche industries within the construction trade. Roofing companies are almost always looking for people that are willing to work hard whether they are a felon or not. The great thing about construction is that you will get regular raises and move up if you put your time in. Learn more about construction jobs here.

3) Landscaping

This can be another great career choice for felons for several reasons. Like construction most landscape companies are small businesses which is a great thing because you will be able to talk directly with the owner. This will give you a huge advantage; the other reason it is a great career path for felons is because it is something you can do yourself with little to no training.

Even if you do not have anyone willing to hire you, you can always cut grass for customers. You can have flyers printed out and distributed for almost no cost. Offer a first time mow for a super low cost of about 10 dollars. If you do a great job most people will have you come back then you can charge them $15 or $20 dollars a mow. If you mow 5 yards a day, 5 days a week you will be making $500 a week minus costs, which are very minimal.

4) Fast Food Restaurants

Not really one of the best high paying careers for felons but it is still a job that will pay you. Many people will make a blanket statement about a particular chain saying that they will not hire felons but most of the time this is not true.

The vast majority of fast food chains are franchises. This means that each restaurant or small group of restaurants are owned by individuals rather than corporations. With that being said you may find a fast food restaurant that hires felons on one side of town while the same brand on the other side of town does not. There is some room for advancement in these types of jobs but it can take awhile to move up. Remember that some restaurants may be felon friendly while others are not so apply to everyone possible.

Restaurants that may hire felons:

• McDonald’s
• Starbucks
• Subway
• Taco bell
• Olive Garden
• Pizza Hut
• 7-11
• Wendy’s
• Cracker Barrel
• IHOP

5) Drilling and Oil Companies

There are many small drilling companies out there that will hire felons. This can be one of the better careers for felons because of the high pay. The down side is that it is dirty hard work and you have to live in the right area to find a job doing this type of work.

This is the best list of land drilling companies.

6) Newspaper Contractor

Most large newspapers contract out their delivery to individuals. For the most part the day of paperboys is over. These jobs start very early in the morning (about 3 AM). You go to the newspaper printing house, pick up about 400 papers and deliver them to houses that are on your list. The pay is typically only about 200 dollars a week but most do not do a background check or anything. The other downside is that this is a seven day a week job and Sunday papers are very bulky and heavy.

Indeed is a great place to search for newspaper delivery contractor jobs.

7) Temp Agencies

Temp agencies can be a great option for felons to find a career. Why? Because temp agencies work with a large number and a wide variety of different employers. This means that there is a good chance that the temp agency may have a employer that does not require a background check. Some jobs may not be the best but it is possible to find a good career through a temp agency. See our list of felon friendly temp agencies here.

8) Work from Home/Online Careers

There are a number of real jobs that can be worked from the comfort of your home. We have an entire page dedicated to legit online careers for felons.

9) Self Employment

Becoming self employed and having your own business doesn’t have to be expensive. We have many low cost start up ideas, some even won’t cost you a penny.

• Freelancing – Upwork connects freelance workers with employers, NO background checks!
• Self Employment Ideas – See a list of ideas and low cost start ups.