The job market is the toughest it has been in a long time. With no economic recovery in sight, employers are not chomping at the bit to hire new people. Every job is coveted, and with about 6 applicants vying for every available job, it is critical that you stand out among the competition.
A criminal record can kill your job prospects. Even a misdemeanor record. Even a misdemeanor arrest where the charges were dropped. Any little blemish in your past can automatically render you unemployable, despite your work history, experience, and education.
In 2011, sealing or expunging your criminal record has never been more important. If you are eligible to have your record sealed or expunged, you can legally deny that you were ever arrested to a prospective employer.
Click here to determine whether you are eligible to have your record sealed or expunged.
Gaining employment is the number one reason why people choose to clean their criminal records. However, there are many benefits to getting an old arrest sealed or expunged.
How about finding a place to live? Several apartment buildings and condominimum associations in South Florida will deny rental applications of prospective tenants who have criminal records. Since criminal records are available online, any landlord or property manager can view your entire criminal history with a few clicks of a mouse. If you are looking to buy a home, homeowners' associations may reject prospective buyers with criminal records.
Need a special type of license for your job? Before the State of Florida will issue a professional license, a background check will be conducted. If you have an arrest record, your request for a state license can be denied. While there are some agencies that are entitled to sealed or expunged records, many licensing agencies are not, therefore you may be able to deny your arrest on your license application if your record has been cleaned.
Need money for school, a car, or a home? When you have a criminal history, banks and the federal government can deny you student and bank loans. If your record is clean, you may deny your arrest to any lender.
What about your reputation? You may have made a mistake in the past that you kept quiet and dealt with it on your own. Perhaps your friends, family, co-workers, don't know about it. Maybe your boss doesn't know about it. If your record is available to the public, any friend, family member, or colleague can find it very easily. All they need is a computer. Once your record is clean, the information is removed from all public databases.
The bottom line: get your record sealed or expunged if you can. If not for employment reasons then do it for peace of mind. You already dealt with the arrest. Why let its memory plague you forever? Call me to discuss whether your are eligible to seal or expunge your record. I provide all the necessary documents to my clients and can begin the process instantly. Expect 4-6 months for completion.