What Should I Include in My Letter of Explanation About My Criminal History?
Telling the truth about your criminal convictions is critical because this honesty gives you the best opportunity to demonstrate your honesty to an employer. If you are applying for work, have a criminal record, and know the employer is going to run a background check, you should have a letter of explanation (LOE) prepared.
There are four elements to any good LOE:
What Happened
In a factual and high-level manner, present what happened in your past. A good example of this would be: “In my youth, I fell in with the wrong crowd, became addicted, and committed several crimes related to my addiction.”
What’s Different
Quickly pivot to what is different in your life now that demonstrates that you are not the same person you were before. For example: “After being incarcerated, I know that my life has to be different. Since my release, I have enrolled in school, volunteered at my church, and reconnected with my family. I also regularly attend 12-step meetings. All of these things provide me structure and support.”
New Skills/Recommendations
Make sure to highlight any new skills you’ve learned or recommendations that you can point to: “While incarcerated, I was very active in rehabilitation activities and learned landscaping and construction skills. Since my release, I have updated my computer skills through a free online course at my local library. I performed some volunteer landscaping work at my church and have attached a letter of recommendation from my pastor.”
How You Can Help the Employer
You always want to finish the letter by stating to the employer how you can help them. Employers advertise jobs because they have a need, and you want to make it clear that you are the person who can help them: “If given the opportunity, I am sure I could be successful at your company as an {insert job position here} because of my attention to detail, ability to follow directions and dedication.”
Depending on your situation, the employer may still ask for more details about any specific convictions that show up on the background check, but this format is an excellent starting point for discussing your history. This letter of explanation can also serve as an excellent basis for the verbal explanation you may need to present at some point.
