The biggest challenge for felons after returning home is finding a job.
Even companies known to hire felons typically do a background check.
In looking for work, a felon who has experience working in a retail grocery may want to apply for a job at Wegmans.
This blog post will cover whether or not Wegmans runs background checks.
- What is Included in a Background Check?
- Wegmans Application
- An Opportunity for Felons?
- Can You Run a Background Check on Yourself?
- Tips for Getting a Job at Wegmans
Contents
What is Included in a Wegmans Background Check?
Employers who review an applicant’s background don’t want someone who doesn’t succeed after starting a job.
This is considered to be a “bad hire,” which is someone who:
- Doesn’t produce quality work
- Has a negative attitude
- Doesn’t work well with other employees
- Doesn’t deal well with customers
- Doesn’t have the skills they stated on an application
- Has attendance problems
- Is dishonest on the job
The last category is the biggest issue for felons.
Their criminal history can be a problem even if they are now committed to living an honest lifestyle.
An employer will view credit reports, driving records, and educational records in addition to criminal offenses.
Background information helps an employer determine a candidate’s past mistakes, character, and financial fitness, and to find any hiring risks for the security and safety of the company.
The criminal record review of a background check includes examining criminal history files for any criminal offenses, which will reveal all convictions and non-convictions, including cases not prosecuted or those dismissed.
Convictions can be reported without a time limit while a non-conviction will show up for seven years.
A crime will not show up on a background check, if a felon has his or her record expunged.
Wegmans Application
Wegmans is a regional grocery store chain that operates large grocery markets.
Each Wegmans location has job opportunities in areas like store operations, culinary, hospitality, pharmacy services, and management.
Wegmans evaluates applicants through an interview process for each position.
However, regardless of the position, Wegmans looks for applicants that demonstrate the company’s values of diligence, care, respect, and excellence.
Wegmans only conducts basic interviews for entry-level store jobs, such as cashier, customer service associate, clerk, and cart attendant positions.
The Wegmans interview process for entry-level jobs typically begins with a phone interview, which emphasizes basic questions about job interest and availability.
Applicants who successfully complete phone interviews participate in face-to-face job interviews with an assistant or store manager.
Wegmans interviews include situational questions regarding how applicants handled certain situations in the past.
Common interview questions include:
- “Can you tell me about a time when you disagreed with team members over how to solve a problem? What did you do?”
- “Could you describe a time when you couldn’t complete a task in time? How did you react?”
Applicants may also have to answer questions relating to the store, like:
- “What is a product that you’re excited about and why?”
- “Which one of our core values do you identify with?”
An Opportunity for Felons?
Wegmans is a family-owned, supermarket chain founded in 1916 with 95 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
It is one of the largest private companies in the U.S. with 47,000 employees.
Wegmans believes that good people, working toward a common goal, can accomplish anything they decide to do.
Their goal is to be the very best at serving the needs of their customers.
They believe that they can achieve their goal only if they fulfill the needs of their own people.
During the application process, an applicant will be asked to consent to a pre-employment background check.
Any employment offers that are made will be contingent upon passing this background check.
An applicant will also need to consent to a pre-employment drug screening.
While Wegmans does hire felons, they do not hire anyone with a violent or sexual offense.
They also typically don’t employ individuals with a conviction of theft or forgery.
For other crimes, Wegmans will consider an applicant based on:
- The nature of the offense and the circumstances
- Length of time since the conviction
- Work experience
- An applicant’s skills related to the job for which they are applying
The background check is run for Wegmans to protect itself, its employees, and its customers.
In evaluating the results, they look for discrepancies between the report and their responses on the application.
They also evaluate the nature of any criminal offenses discovered by the report.
A felon would have the best chance at getting a job at Wegmans by having his or her record expunged.
Can You Run a Background Check on Yourself?
Doing a background check on him or herself before applying at Wegmans will allow a felon to know exactly what will be discovered when Wegmans does their review.
A felon with any questions can contact an attorney.
It is essential to take action and not risk a chance on the results.
There are different kinds of personal background checks that a felon can run:
- From the court in which he or she was charged
- A credit report which will help determine how financially responsible an individual is
- Driving records for any job involving driving, such as a truck driver
- An educational report through the National Student Clearing House
For someone wanting to do a background check on themselves, there are places that can help.
Tips for Getting a Job at Wegmans
Suggestions for a felon to increase his or her chances to be hired at Wegmans are:
- Arrive early to practice answers to basic interview questions
- Dress appropriately
- Make a positive first impression on the interviewers
- Show a friendly, courteous, and energetic personality
- Make consistent eye contact with hiring representatives
- Sit with straight posture
- Speak clearly
- End each Wegmans interview with a firm handshake
- Express gratitude for the interview opportunity
Don’t hide the fact that he or she has a felony conviction if it comes up.
Instead, explain the facts about that conviction without being too emotional.
It is never a good idea to lie about one’s past on an application.
This could result in not being considered for a job if Wegmans finds out about it.
A felon should highlight skills and abilities that qualify him or her for the job during the interview.
A felon must take responsibility for past actions and explain how he or she is putting his or her life in order.
Doing his or her own background check allows a felon to know what an employer will see on the record.
A felon needs to remember that he or she is not defined by his or her crime.
We are not defined by our mistakes but in how we recover from them.
He or she must be willing to see him or herself in a different light, ready to establish an honest life.
The best opportunity for success in a new life begins with having support from family and friends.
So what do you think about this blog post about whether Wegmans runs background checks?
Have you or someone you know had Wegmans run a background check?
What was that like and were they successful in being hired?
Please tell us in the comments below.
