One of the biggest challenges for felons is finding an employer willing to work with them. Many employers are hesitant to give felons work. It is because they do not have trust that they have reformed. But, there are companies like Costco that hire felons to work in many capacities.
Let us look in-depth at Costco and how it operates around hiring felons to work with them.
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Who is Costco?
Costco is a retailer with a long history dating back to 1976. It is a warehouse club providing generic merchandise and name branding. The shops are in more than 600 locations across the USA. Costco offers a second chance to felons by giving them a fair chance of employment.
Does Costco Hire Felons?
The answer is positive. The company is among those called felon friendly. It is because it has adopted the ban the box initiative. It reviews a felon’s application as it would for any other applicant. The move is to help reduce recidivism rates and afford felons a second chance at life. Costco evaluates applications on an individual basis. If an applicant fits the company’s culture, they get the job.
Here are some factors the Costco considers when hiring a felon:
- How much time has passed since the felony?
- Costco hires more felons with older records than newer ones.
- How severe was the crime committed? A felon with any crimes involving violence, theft, and sex offenses will not get hired at Costco. Generally, society considers such felons a danger to society.
- Skills and experience. Costco offers entry-level jobs. Your skills and experience will put you in a better employment position.
- Are you a single or many times offender? Costco may hire a one-time offender as opposed to a many times offender.
- Your personality and attitude. How you present yourself matters a lot if you want to secure employment. Be able to convince the employer that you are a good fit for the company. That your criminal record does not amount to who you are as a person.
Why You Should Explain Your Felony to The Hiring Manager Yourself?
Before we get to the hiring process, know that your criminal history will come up at some point. You must be the one to raise the topic. It will make you look straightforward and honest. Here are some tips for clearing up your felony to the interviewer.
Only bring it up after you are sure the interviewer has a positive and accurate opinion about you. That way, whatever your criminal record shows will not outweigh your positive qualities.
Tell it with all honesty. Trying to soften a crime may not be a good idea if you are looking to be trusted. You can only win the interviewer by letting them see you regret making such a mistake. Do not take hours explaining your side of the story.
Be as brief as possible. Let the interviewer know you have tried to rise above the felony. Include issues related to further education and volunteerism. In general, it is the provable steps you have taken to become a better person. Always allow the interviewer to seek any explanation they might have on the issue.
Be open-minded and confident. The result of lying is losing a work opportunity. Again, it will be sad if you passed the interview only for the company to realize you have a record they didn’t know about.
Costco’s Hiring Process
First, Costco only hires persons 18 years and above. You will start an online application. Answer questions related to the position you are applying for.
The section will cover:
1 Your educational background
2 Work history
3 Your skills about the position you are applying for.
4 Any references you have that can vouch for you.
If the online application is accepted, a formal interview will follow. The interviewer will focus on your qualifications for the position you are seeking. Most jobs at Costco are either service-related or money-related. Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, high integrity, and basic arithmetic skills.
With your consent, the company will conduct the following background checks.
- Criminal background
- Confirmation from references provided
- A credit check.
Some states where an employer cannot run a background check if the crime is seven years and older. These are:-
- California
- Colorado
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- Texas
- New Mexico
- Washington
- New York
Among these states, Montana and California have no salary cap. For Colorado and Texas, cap the salary at $75,000. New York’s salary cap is $25,000, and the rest of the states have limited the salary to $20,000.
Jobs Available at Costco
There are many positions that a felon can apply for depending on their skill and experience. Below are the jobs and their average pay.
Cashier
Your work will involve clearing all money transactions with the customers. It would be best if you have a high level of honesty and integrity. The average pay for a cashier at Costco earns between $10-16 an hour.
Cashier Assistant
As a cashier, your work is assisting customers in packing and loading groceries in shopping carts. Assistant cashiers make between $9-13 per hour.
Stocker
As a stocker, your work is keeping the shelves well-stocked and organized at all times. A stocker can take home between $12 and $15 per hour.
Baker
The work involves baking all pastries, and the salary range is between $12 and $17 an hour.
Customer Representative
The work involves dealing with customer queries, complaints, concerns, and compliments. The expected salary for this position is between $13 and 17 per hour.
Cake Decorator
A decorator makes decorations on cakes as ordered by customers. They also decorate the stores’ cakes for display and sale on shelves. The average pay is between $ 11 and 16 per hour. Costco does not only offer entry-level jobs. Depending on your training and experience, you can apply for other professional positions.
Department Manager
You will be responsible for a specific department’s daily running and ensuring that everything works. The annual salary for a department manager is between $60,000 and $72,000.
Assistant Manager
An assistant manager’s work is to support the general manager. He is to ensure customer satisfaction. The average annual salary for assistant managers is $69,000 and $ 75,000.
General Manager
A general manager runs the store and its operations and ensures adherence to that Costco’s culture and guidelines. He/she handles hiring, firing, payrolls, and all managerial aspects of a store. A general manager’s take-home annual salary is between $80,000 and $100,000.
Conclusion
Costco is among the employers willing to give felons a second chance at life. But, the company cannot hire you if you prove to be dishonest. You will need to prove that you can do the job well.
Be open about your felony or felonies and you will have a fair chance of employment at Costco. Do not limit yourself to only entry-level jobs. Your qualification and skill should determine the position to apply for.
Many companies are not willing to offer felons work, but others are more tolerant. Please take advantage of the opportunity Costco offers and make the most out of it. Having a criminal past should not deter you from pushing ahead with life. Seek more incredible things for yourself. You can visit the Costco website today and look for work opportunities near you. There might be on your way to starting a new life and career.