Recent misdemeanor.

yeah dude.. don't give up.. it's going to be an uphill battle for you, but that doesn't mean you can't find a job. You can eliminate scheider, swift, jb hunt, werner, etc.. try some of the smaller companies. Or even try some local construction companies that haul stuff, it may work.. Good Luck and keep at it!

 

Huh? You obviously don't have kids in HS

 

Crazy,

I read your post and began to respond and then I thought...I'd better go walk the dog first. I think it prevented me from saying things in a manner that would not have been productive.

This is not a personal attack on you or on Jeremy. No one is perfect and all of us have made mistakes in life. However, I don't have to tell you that some of us have made choices that have resulted in more severe outcomes.

And yes years later, those choices continue to hang over the heads of those who made them.

Don't blame the consequences of your actions and the fact that there are many out there who didn't make the same poor decisions and refer to them as those who "kissed society's #####." I, honestly, have never read a more assinine comment on this board. For those who haven't broken the law are societal ##### kissers? No, I think they are more appropriately referred to as law-abiding citizens. What a concept.

You call it discouragement when the veterans of this board and of the trucking industry counsel Jeremy with regard to how difficult it will be for him to find the work he seeks based on his background check. I call it prudent advice from those who know.

Is it impossible for Jeremy to hire on with a company that will overlook his misdemeanor? Certainly not. May he have to "settle" for something "lesser" than what he has in mind...most likely. Is it improbable that he will be invited right in to an orientation...absolutely yes. That is why they told him what they did.

You say that companies hire for tax breaks and not to put good people in the seats of their equipment...and they "hope that they don't" succeed? Are you serious?

Certainly companies take advantage of tax incentives given them...you do too don't you? Don't you deduct everything you can from your income when you file your return? I assume you file a return?

If you are a first time homebuyer...you buy a home by a certain date, you get $8000. Is that a reason to rail against the homebuyer who took advantage of a tax credit? Isn't that the same thing?

While I don't personally feel your pain of a "10 year exile" I did just finish a commercial driving course at our local community college with a guy who committed a felony more than 22 years ago and no one will touch him!! I think that is totally UNREASONABLE. I would trust my wife, children and best friends with this guy. He is a great guy who did some stupid things a long time ago but he isn't sitting here blaming me or others for having "kissed society's #####" by not ruining my life committing crimes.

And yes, he's lived pretty much a model life since he got in trouble. It sucks. But it's their perogative.

You admitted that you were "young and dumb" then and I applaude you for admitting that. But to go further and accuse people of being "holier than thou" since they chose not to commit crime, and they answer questions honestly...is way off the mark. Why should those with conviction records be looked at in the same light of those out here who don't have records? Isn't that what you are saying?

Do yourself a favor...you are a young man...you hopefully have many more years here...lose your bitterness. You got your second chance...be thankful for that. You'll do yourself a huge favor as well as those who you interact with.

In conclusion, Jeremy asked a question...people here with experience in the business answered his question and they didn't sugar coat their answers.

And yes, Crazy, reality sucks sometimes. But, in most cases...reality is fair.

 

1. Your age is against you
2. Very recent misdemeaner against you
3. That charge has the word Transportaion in it. That may well be the biggest problem.
I always wish folks like you Good Luck, and I mean that. Because you will certainly need it !!

 

First off, noone should discourage anyone from TRYING to seek gainful employment. The schooling alone costs plenty of money, whether it came out of jeremy's pocket or the everyman taxpayer. And for anyone to just say give up or check back in 5 years is WRONG.

Ill apologize a bit, most of the rest of this thread was nothing more than experienced advice.

Bitter, perhaps a bit. Overboard, perhaps as well. There are many a thread on this board, concerning crim backrounds, ppl with poor credit trying to lease a truck, ppl with bad driving history, etc... And with those threads and the good advice some members give, along comes plenty of potshots from "holier than thou ppl," More so in other threads than this one maybe.

This is an impersonal board. You have all the sympathy in the world for the felon classmate of yours, you'd invite him home for dinner and all the good stuff, you give him a job landscaping your home, because he went through schooling with you. How wonderful. However, you share not my pain, because every other felon is just a felon to you. It doesn't get anymore judgemental than that. You dont know me.

Am I bitter, perhaps a bit, But my bitterness isn't toward you. Im angry with the people who take the potshots due to their holier than thou nature.

Ill never get how you could think I blame you for anything I have ever done. I blame you for judging me before ever shaking my hand or looking me in the eye.

 

Just wait until you find out what banging that hot little 17 year old can cost you....in the future. At your age now.

One of our locals learned this lesson all too well. It (the conviction) hunted his ### down over 40 years later, and cost him dearly.

I'm not implying he had to do jail time, he never done a day. I'm implying it cost him big $$$$ in business, and advancement.

You're at a precarious age, when temptation assaults you from every direction. And you won't see the full impact, for many years to come.

 

Crazy,

After I wrote this discourse, I thought that it would probably be more appropriately sent to you via PM but I am too lazy to start over. So, here goes...for all others, please feel free to disregard.


Again, you call it discouragement, others here call it giving prudent advice that was sought by Jeremy. If you see someone about to embark on peeing into the wind and HE ASKS you if he's likely to get urine all over him...are you going to tell him "go ahead and pee...yeah, you'll get some on you but the wind may eventually shift"? Or are you going to tell him to pee in another direction until the wind shifts?

The potshots taken are ridiculous...I agree. Those are probably the same morons who, as kids, provoked a fights between others, stood by and watched good kids get beat up (and laughed about it) and then were the first to dash off when the principal came around the corner pointing fingers at others all the way.

Truth be known...these are the same folks who have done the same things (or far worse) but they simply didn't get caught. Far too many people are cold and uncaring. Unfortunately, those types will always be around. I sucks but it's true. Get used to it.

I was in agreement with you about my friend (someone who has a felony on his record...not my "Felon Friend" as you referred to him) until you went off the deep end with the "you give him a job landscaping your home" part. Huh? That was assinine statement #2 for you.

I have learned that the trucking industry (and many other industries that use the same zero tolerance hiring criteria) is missing out on a great opportunity with this guy and many others like him. He was not only 1 of the 2 best students in the class, his interpersonal skills would make him an asset with any company. However, they establish the hiring criteria...you want different criteria...start a company and set the rules.

Another point...I am not judging him, you nor anyone else who has been convicted of a misdemeanor, felony, or of stealing cookies from a cookie jar. I didn't know, NOR DID I CARE, that he possessed a felony conviction until he shared that with me. As we would talk, I became puzzled (until I knew more about the hiring process with alot of these companies which involves insurance underwriting requirements and related costs as well as entrusting a new employee with 10's of thousands, 100's of thousands, of someone else's freight).

I couldn't understand why he wasn't getting anywhere with any of these companies (not even the starter companies)...because I had gotten to know him and his skills. When he shared with me his background, I then understood the difficulties he was having but I didn't say that I agreed with the outcome.

And just as a point...I didn't look at him any differently after he told me about his background than I did before. What it did was confused me as to why a company could be so objective with their hiring criteria...that one's mistakes from so long ago could still be haunting him. Remember, what he did was more than 22 years ago!!!

Again, follow the money...it's all about risk which will lead one right to the money.

As far as ignorant people judging you...you'd better learn to increase the thickness of your skin. That will likely be with you for your entire life. Although you have perhaps satisfied the terms that the law established (i.e., "you've done your time"), most people are ignorant...they hear felony and think, "this guy is a murderer". And unfortunately, many questions on job applications regarding backgrounds start with "HAVE YOU EVER...". That is a question you and many others will never be able to answer no. That is just a fact of your life from this point forward. It's how you deal with it that will make the difference in your life.

I think we all judge people to an extent...some obviously more than others. For example, we all judge people in the way we choose our friends.

And for the record...I am not "holier than thou". I am a realist and not afraid to give my opinion when one asks. Heck, if I asked those of my friends and colleagues, closest to me, if they thought I was crazy to leave a profession after 15 years, one in which I could earn 2,3, 4 times easy what I will earn in the driver's seat of a semi, 98% would certainly say yes...and would be making the call to the psychiatrist before we parted company. It's just something I have to do right now in my life...to either get it out of my system or to pursue something I truly will love doing regardless of the financial rewards or lack thereof.

I am just glad that I had givers of good advice and counsel in my life early on (namely good parents who taught me well) and as importantly, that I listened to them and acted on that counsel. Unfortunately, there are so many today that can't say that.

Bottom line, I try to live by the following standard:

"I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men." D&C 64:10

Until I am "The Lord"...I'll forgo handing down any adjudication.

All the best.