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Lola needs advice again: criminal!


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Okay, so I just got offered another job, a great job working as a teacher in what I would consider to be an ideal environment. But I forgot one thing: 4 years ago I got a DWI. I was not drunk but I had had 2 1/2 drinks and so I was above the legal limit just barely and got convicted. Anyway, I am no drinker/partyer at all. This was just an after work thing...I felt ok to drive, I felt fine. Well, of course they are going to run a criminal history, and mentioned it but I could not bear to tell them about this. So I think I need to tell them, or should I just wait and let them find it? I don't think it should harm the offer at all but I"m not sure. Should I

1. call them and tell them

2. email them

3. wait and see if they bring it up after the check

 

and what should I say?

 

Please help.

Lola

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I've been on the hiring end with teachers. If you got a good feel from the person (or any of the people) hiring you it might be a good idea to call them and ask if you can meet again to discuss some thing concerning your interview. Before you arrange the meeting try to get someone like a minister, priest or rabbi to write you a character reference letter that specifically mentions your "sober" lifestyle. Any other kind of letter would be useful.

 

At your meeting don't go thru a whole Jimmy Swaggart, "I have sinned" routine but lay your cards on the table and stress how you made a mistake, take responsibility for it and also stress that you wanted them to know so that they see you are a person of integrity and that you didn't want the issue to enmmerge out of context . tell them you wanted to bring it up during the interview but were unsure how to broach the subject.

 

 

Next thing to do is get a lawyer who works in the area of pardons. After a time you may be eligible for a pardon. that'll help you in future job searches. Check it out: Knowledge is Power. Good luck.

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Thanks, so helpful. Yes, I could tell they really really like me and I feel the same way. This is sooo embarrassing but I think you are right and that in person is the best way to go. I am not affiliated with a church, but all of my references were stellar. I wonder if I need a letter like you say. Don't know who I"d ask to write it. Hmmm. THanks again.

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when i was on the other side of the table, i had to tell people that we would run criminal background checks and ask them if they had anything on their record. if they didn't disclose something during the interview that later turned up on the report, it was a HUGE red flag and we never hired them. never.

 

some companies may be more lenient with this, but my company dealt with highly vulnerable people, so it was very important that we be able to trust our employees. vulnerable people include the elderly, the disabled, and children. i assume that schools have similar attitudes about background checks.

 

what you need to remember that it's more than them trying to protect the children, they also need to protect themselves from lawsuits. they need to be able to say that you were upfront about it and that you had discussed it in your interview and that you came with wonderful reccomendations that addressed the concern.

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Right, this all makes sense of course. I truly had forgotten about it, then the guy called me and was so happy himself, so nice. Then when he briefly mentioned the backround check it was like a bolt of lightening and I was tongue tied. I will call him tomorrow. Talk about dream job, this would be it. And I am truly not a risk at all, I am so not that. Sigh. I hope this works out still.

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i hope it works out for you too.

 

don't worry about it so much.

 

call him to tell him about it, and then it's out of your hands.

 

good luck!

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wouldn't worry much about it. it happened 4 years ago.. if it was recent they might reconsider, but since it was awhile ago it's alright! now if you have more serious charges like battery, aassault.. they'd never hire you.

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yay. Lola followed your advice and it all went well. Many thanks to the Loveshackers.

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