By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Finding a career after incarceration can be a daunting challenge, but it is entirely possible with the right guidance. Here is a breakdown of the resources available through CareerOneStop to help you navigate this transition and build the future you deserve.
Video Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction to CareerOneStop and the WorkforceGPS webinar.
00:17 – Addressing the uncertainty and unique barriers faced after incarceration.
00:46 – Overview of CareerOneStop: A free, national resource available even inside many correctional facilities.
01:07 – Step 1: Building a Foundation – Meeting essential needs before applying for jobs.
01:19 – Using the “Work-Ready Checklist” to handle practical roadblocks like ID documentation and record expungement.
01:52 – Step 2: Exploring Career Paths – Discovering which jobs fit your interests.
02:00 – Taking the 5-minute Interest Assessment to see long-term outlooks and median wages for various careers.
02:26 – Identifying “Common First Jobs” that have fewer barriers to entry.
02:40 – Step 3: Gaining In-Demand Skills – Becoming a top candidate through credentials.
02:51 – Identifying “Hot Certifications” (marked with a chili pepper icon) that employers mention most in job postings.
03:20 – Exploring apprenticeships and short-term certificate programs.
03:35 – Step 4: Mastering the Job Search – Applying with confidence and preparing for interviews.
03:58 – Tips for addressing your criminal record honestly while focusing on your growth and work ethic.
04:13 – Practicing job applications in a stress-free zone to prepare for questions about salary and conviction history.
04:30 – Conclusion: Transforming initial uncertainty into genuine empowerment.
Welcome to The Explainer. Today, we’re diving into a really powerful set of free tools designed for anyone looking for a second chance to build a great career. What you’re about to see is based on a webinar from WorkforceGPS, and it breaks down this fantastic resource from the US government called Career One Stop.
So let’s just state the obvious. Trying to find a job after being released can feel, well, it can feel like an impossible challenge, right? The uncertainty, all the unique barriers. It can be really hard to even know where to start, but here’s the good news.
The challenge is absolutely real, but there is a clear path forward. The US Department of Labor sponsors this amazing website called Career One Stop, and it’s literally designed to guide you through every single step of the process. So what exactly is this thing? You can think of it like your own personal career coach that’s on call 24 seven.
It’s a national resource, it’s trustworthy, and it is 100% free. You don’t even need an account to use it. And this is a huge deal.
It’s actually available inside a lot of correctional facilities, which means you can start planning your future even before you’re released. Okay. So where do you even begin? Well, the very first and honestly, the most critical step is all about building a solid foundation before you even think about filling out a single job application.
The site has something called a work ready checklist. Now this isn’t about resumes or interviews just yet. It’s all about tackling those immediate practical roadblocks first, because, you know, when you handle that stuff, you build the confidence you need to walk into a job search, feeling prepared and in control, and this is where the site’s practical side, just, it really shines.
It doesn’t just hand you a to-do list and say, good luck. Nope. It connects you with real local resources for everything from getting your ID to finding a local nonprofit that can offer direct hands-on support right there in your own community.
All right. So once you’ve got that foundation set, you are ready for the fun part, exploring what kind of work you actually want to do. If you have no idea where to start, there’s this fantastic interest assessment.
It only takes about five minutes. You can do it on a computer, a tablet, whatever. And it helps connect the dots between what you genuinely enjoy and real world jobs that fit.
And your results pop up in the super simple clear table. You immediately see the career, what it’s long-term outlook is, and the national wage data. And from there, you can actually sort it to see, you know, what are the highest paying careers or which ones have the biggest demand right now? And Hey, what if you just need to start working right away? The site’s got you covered there too, with a special list of common first jobs.
Your Conviction: Employment Checks
These are really practical options and fields that often have fewer barriers to entry, giving you immediate ideas to get your search started. Okay. Now let’s talk about a real game changer.
Moving beyond just any job to a great career by gaining the skills and the credentials that employers are actively looking for. So one of the coolest features on Career One Stop is how it helps you find the right certifications. And what you’re going to want to look for is this little chili pepper icon right next to a certification.
That little chili pepper. It’s like a secret weapon. It means employers are mentioning that specific credential more than any other in their job postings.
So for a cook, that ServeSafe food handler cert is a hot one. In just a couple of clicks, you know exactly what credential is going to make your application jump to the top of the pile. The site also points you to two really powerful training paths.
You’ve got apprenticeships where you literally earn a full-time wage while you learn a skilled trade, and you’ve got short-term certificate programs that can get you qualified for a better job in less than 12 weeks. So having a great resume is one thing, but actually getting through the application and the interview is a whole other beast. Career One Stop has specific tools to help you build real confidence for this make or break stage of the process.
Just listen to how one person described the feeling of being asked about their criminal record. That quote, it just says it all. It’s a moment that can totally throw you off your game in an interview.
So to get you ready, the site gives you this clear, actionable advice. Prepare a simple, honest statement. Don’t overshare.
Instead, you learn how to pivot the conversation to focus on your growth, your work ethic, and the skills you bring to the table today. And this tool, this is just brilliant. The practice job application lets you walk through a real application in a totally stress-free zone.
It even gives you tips for those super tricky questions about salary history or your conviction, so you are fully prepared when it actually counts. You see how this all connects? By following this path, you start with your basic needs. You explore careers you’d actually like, get the right training, and then you master the job search.
That whole initial feeling of uncertainty starts to transform into this genuine sense of empowerment. Career One-Stop really does provide the map. So the big takeaway here is that a structured, supported, and totally free path to a new career is out there, available to you right now.
The real question isn’t just about finding a job, is it? It’s about building the future you truly want. And with tools like these, that future is absolutely within your reach.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, all as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 3100 episodes, and is a member of The Forbes Coaches Council.
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