Dice Career Advice Blog

Job interviewing is usually the most stressful step in landing a great job, but it can be made much worse if your stellar experience, spot-on qualifications, and remarkable accomplishments are marred by a single past mistake that could surface in the application process.

Job seekers charged with a felony because of a DUI or drug-possession, for instance, can feel hopeless when they are asked to disclose any criminal history. They may think to themselves at that very moment, "I have moved on…I am responsible…this has nothing to do with my abilities and qualifications….just look at my resume!!!"

There is a hot discussion thread on CNET’s TechRepublic site with varying perspectives on this issue in repsonse to a community member who recently shared his dilemma:

I’m a guy who has been programming C, C++/OOP and now PHP open source for about 20 years. I currently own my own business in a non-IT field, and its been doing pretty well for the last 3 years. I am currently looking at getting back into software development for the long-term good of my growing family.

I have a long resume of very good accomplishments (IBM Advanced Technologies, TransUnion, AT&T etc) in my field, and know C/C++ like the back of my hand (my recruiter told me I had one of the highest ProveIt.com scores he has seen). I sent off resumes last week and have several recruiters already sending Authorization to Represent contracts.

Here is the problem…back in the heyday of IT madness (around 1998 or so), I got caught with a drug-possession felony (it was NOT pot or cocaine, but MDMA). I was going through a divorce and got caught up with a reckless crowd of younger women, and ended up with this charge.

He goes on to ask, "I am wondering if this transgression will doom me forever in IT land." 

The responses on the thread are wide and varied and worth checking out, but one thing is for sure: Having a felony conviction does not automatically mean your chances for a great job are lost.

But some extra work is necessary. IT professionals with a felony conviction will need to rely more on every other factor that leads to employment, particularly networking skills.  A job interview is always easier with a referral from a friend or family member and will boost confidence. And if the topic does come up, a direct response explaining the situation and pointing out that the requirements of rehabilitation have been fulfilled–and the lessons learned–will keep your dignity intact while shifting focus away from the embarrassment.

Most technology and business professionals don’t have felony charges, but some may have other embarrassments that they can’t seem to escape. Thanks to the Internet and the ability it gives recruiters and employers to research candidates it’s critical for you to know what information about you is in the public domain.  Check out this useful article from Dice with guidelines for how to prevent digital dirt from compromising your career opportunities.

Dice recently published results from an internal study that found a surprising 94% of tech pros are satisfied with their current positions. The drivers of the high satisfaction among this group include job enjoyment, good pay, "liking" their field, and the ability to be creative. The survey also revealed a high likelihood of tech professionals to recommend their field to others (88 percent).  

According to Scot Melland, President and CEO of Dice, "The survey findings demonstrate that the technology field is not only growing, but it is thriving as an attractive career path for professionals." With IT unemployment in the U.S. down to just over 2%, there is much to be happy about.

The survey also found that tech pros are concerned about factors in their career that they have control over, such as keeping their skills current; 82 percent reported “very” or "somewhat" concerned with this issue. Compare that with 41 percent that are concerned with their job being outsourced and 37 percent concerned about being laid off due to budget cuts.  These results underscore the waning backlash against outsourcing/offshoring and the business shift from cost cutting to growth.

However, the study also reveals that the tech industry’s appeal looks different to those outside the industry. The survey found that 64 percent of non-tech adults are likely to recommend a career in technology. Comparatively, 73 percent of non-tech adults were likely to suggest a career in the healthcare industry to others, while 48 percent would recommend financial services.   

"Unfortunately, the technology field seems to have lost some of the luster and appeal it had only a few years ago. It’s critical that the industry address this image problem immediately if we are to generate more computer science graduates and effectively reach out to professionals from non-traditional backgrounds," said Melland.

While you hopefully keep that in mind, take a minute to check out this BNET blog post on what makes people love their jobs. And if you are one of the lucky ones who do, spread the good word to others.