Jails to Jobs

For many incarcerated prisoners, the thought of finding employment once they are released can be a daunting task. And this is where Jails to Jobs comes along to help directly with this issue. Jails to Jobs is an organization that helps ex-offenders find the tools they may need to help themselves find gainful employment, from resume writing to handling interviews.

In the words of Jails to Jobs, “The most critical factors in achieving a successful job hunt are attitude, persistence and having a plan. The first thing you must do is to create a mind set and put together the tools you need to carry out your search.”

Which begins the process of Jails to Jobs helping each and every individual ex-prisoner find their unique potential in the working world. Ex-prisoners begin with a self-assessment and then move on to applying past work experience skills to find potential jobs that may require some of those same skills.

Instead of spending your days searching websites and sending out scores of resumes, you will focus on uncovering the hidden job market or, in other words, those jobs that aren’t typically advertised or posted.

Another key factor in Jobs to Jails approach to job searches is to make sure you understand your online image. They encourage ex-inmates to Google themselves and if necessary, remove any posts, pictures or undesirable text that you may have previously posted about yourself via Facebook, YouTube or MySpace. If your Facebook account is in serious need of re-vamping, Jobs to Jails suggests deleting the account.

Another simple suggestion for helping with your online job search, is to make sure that your email signature, language and address is simple, straight forward and appropriate. Be careful with flippant addresses! The same applies with your phone voice message. Try and avoid adding rebellious song lyrics or rude words on your voice message. A simple -“Hi, this is (your name) I am not available at the moment. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks!”  Simple techniques that are often overlooked.

Positive thinking, words and actions can be very helpful in your job search according to Jails to Jobs. Positive thoughts and attitudes can help to rewire our thinking and reinforce positive attitudes which ultimately translate to a more positive person which employers are always on the look out for.

Along with these simple guidelines, psychological behavioral shifts and positive reinforcement attitudes, Jails to Jobs offers many practical links to help with your job search. Also included in Jails to Jobs website are many, many links to potential job site markets, from Green Careers to Work at Home Jobs.

Jails to Jobs can also help you obtain your GED, find intern and apprenticeship programs, learn networking techniques, write your resume, improve interview techniques, and provide tips for projecting a confident and professional image to hiring managers. 

Jails to Jobs is primarily a San Francisco Bay Area based organization, this website- One-Stop Career Center can help ex-offenders in other parts of the country with these same helpful tools.