A felon is anyone who commits a felony and has been convicted of the crime. Felony offenses can be punishable with a wide range of penalties, ranging from at least a year of imprisonment to death. For felons who complete their sentences and are released, several jobs and career fields offer opportunities for productive work.
Long-Distance Hauling
As long as a felon has a driver’s license, most long-distance hauling companies are willing to hire him. Long-distance driving is also an excellent way for felons to see the United States, as many hauling assignments cover thousands of miles. Many veteran drivers have traveled over a million miles in the course of their jobs.
Mercenary/Private Military Companies
Private military companies hire felons to work as contractors providing security for corporations, diplomats and journalists. Mercenaries generally do private battlefield work in areas such as Iraq. Since the most recent wars in the Middle East, the demand for private military services has increased. One PMC is ArmorGroup International, which has been established for 25 years and provides security services to national governments, international companies and worldwide security agencies in hostile environments.
Offshore Drilling
Another industry that hires felons is oil drilling. Oil drilling is a career field that has high-paying jobs, and workers are often in high demand. Many offshore drilling or oil rig jobs are in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Alaska. Oil rig jobs generally consist of a 14/21-day rotation, which means that workers are on the rig for 14 days and then have 21 days off.
Retail
Though some retail companies will not hire felons, many will. Felons are more likely to find work in the retail field if they were not charged with violent or burglary-related offenses. High-end stores and popular shopping malls, where demand for workers is high, are more likely to hire felons than smaller or discount stores.