With so many people struggling to find employment, a person might be inclined to ask, “Why spend time helping those who have broken the law? Why not help those who have played by the rules?”

It is a legitimate question, and one that I initially grappled with, but quickly resolved. The answer is simple. People that have made mistakes, that have committed crimes, but are now committed to returning to work, and improving the quality of their lives are deserving of our help and of our time. Our country will be worse off if we release people from prison and then do nothing to help them return to being productive, wage-earning members of society. If we do nothing to help, if we continue to punish those who have already repaid their debt to society, we leave those people with very few options, almost all of which force the person to resort to crimes to survive. Our communities will be made safer if we help ex-offenders return to work. There are thousands of websites dedicated to helping people without a felony find work. There are few, if any, that specialize in helping those with a criminal history.

And that is why this site exists.

Career criminals, or those who wish to lounge on our nation’s social services will find nothing of value on this site. Then again, they will never come across it in the first place. Those folks will not be googling “How to find a job with a criminal history” or “Help finding work with a felony.”  The people that visit this site have made an active choice to seek help getting back to work. Those people are absolutely deserving of help and assistance. And it is the mission of this site to provide that help and assistance.

About the Founder:

Michael Kennard spent four years as a job developer with Focus Employment Services in Tempe, Arizona. During his time there, he helped countless numbers of clients with criminal histories build the skills they needed to find their next job. He learned first-hand what challenges ex-offenders faced as they transitioned back, and he was struck by the lack of resources available to assist them in their process.

On a couple occasions, he has provided Pro-Bono career counseling services, resume review, and interview coaching to inmates serving time at FCI Phoenix, a medium security federal detention facility.

Michael Kennard has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Colorado-Boulder, and has received the Professional of Human Resources (PHR) Certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute. He lives in Glendale, Arizona.