I'm wondering if having a federal felony for lying to a federal agent about a firearm will make it difficult for me to get a job as a software engineer, especially if I pursue my education through a top program. What are my chances of employment in this field given my background?
5 Answers
If a decent amount of time has passed since your incident and you’ve stayed clean, you may have a chance to get it cleared from your record. If your felony is recent, it might be tougher, so focusing on proving your reliability will be key.
It really depends on the specific company and whether you can convince them you've changed for the better. Over time, your past may matter less, but it will still be a hurdle. We had a guy with a DUI who managed to get hired, so it's not impossible.
Focus on smaller companies instead of big firms or anything that requires security clearance. The issue isn’t just the firearm felony but the fact that it involves lying, which raises trust concerns for employers.
So are you saying I should give up or what?
Some companies don’t run background checks, which might help. If you can get your felony expunged, that would definitely improve your chances. Until then, startups might be your best bet since they often have more flexible hiring policies.
You can't expunge federal felonies. But I can still work at startups?
What about freelancing?
It's going to be pretty tough. You might find that your job options are limited unless your felony gets expunged. But hey, starting your own business is still an option! It could allow you to bypass some of the traditional hurdles.
So what you're saying is that I will be limited to working for startups?
What about freelancing?
Ohh okay.