A job at a retail store might be just what you need to get your life back on track. Have you ever thought: Does Macy’s hire felons?
Macy’s is best known for their high-end retail stores and holiday parades. If you’re interested in helping others pick out the right outfits, we’ll help you get a job at Macy’s with a felony. We’ll start by looking at the following questions:
It’s hard finding work as a felon. We know because we’ve been in your shoes. Most of our team is made up of ex-offenders or those who’ve worked with them for a number of years. That’s why we directly contact companies and ask them if they hire former felons. We also do tons of background research to help you with your application and the interview process.
Now, let’s take a look at how to get hired at Macy’s with a felony record.
Attr: Wikimedia Commons; Author: Paulo JC Nogueira
We’ve been unable to contact Macy’s to ask about their hiring policy. Their website doesn’t say anything about it, either, so we’re not sure what their policy is.
However, we saw this in one of their job ads and it might just help you figure out how to get a job at Macy’s with a felony:
“PLEASE NOTE: A conviction will not necessarily be an automatic bar to employment. Factors such as the type and seriousness of the crime, the frequency of the violations, the amount of time that has elapsed since the crime was committed, your entire work and education history, the nature of the job sought and whether the circumstances of the crime directly or substantially relate to the circumstances of the job sought will be taken into consideration.”
Sources are conflicting as to whether or not Macy’s has hired felons in the past.
There isn’t enough information to answer this question at this time.
Ban the Box was started by All of Us or None as a campaign geared at removing the check box that asks about criminal convictions from applications. The program is designed to help former felons get back on their feet without fear of discrimination. The Fair Chance Business Pledge is a similar program that is a commitment by employers to look at your skills and talents rather than your convictions.
Unfortunately, Macy’s does not participate in either of these programs and they do ask about convictions on their application.
No, Macy’s doesn’t offer any special programs at this time.
After extensive research, we set your odds of getting hired at Macy’s with a felony at uncertain. We haven’t been able to contact them to find out their hiring policy for felons, they’re not on the Ban the Box list, and they do ask about convictions on their application. However, this doesn’t automatically disqualify you. If your charge is for something lesser or it’s been a while since you were convicted, you have a decent shot at an entry-level position.
The main entry-level jobs at Macy’s are in sales, mostly for retail associates. You’ll be interacting with the customer by assisting them with their purchases and then handling the closing transactions. If you have previous customer service experience, that’ll really come in handy. We’ll go into more detail on that in the next section.
We know Macy’s isn’t on the Ban the Box list and they ask about convictions on their resume, so how do you land the job? Start by customizing your resume to match what they’re looking for:
You’re dealing with customers in a retail setting, so any customer service skills you have are going to be useful. Be sure to list this experience and where you picked it up. Do you have previous work experience or did you learn some new skills in prison?
For example, when was a time you had to diffuse a tense situation during a customer complaint? Keeping the story positive, this makes a great share and shows your ability to keep cool in tense situations.
Also list how far you went in school. This is important so they can match your skills to the appropriate position.
Check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. You don’t want any small errors on your resume.
If you need extra help, that’s okay. Successful Release has a resume guide designed specifically to help felons.
Once you’ve completed your resume, search their careers page to find the right job and apply.
Now that you’ve made it to the interview process, we have some tips for Macy’s:
Dress business casual. You don’t have to be fancy, but wear something nice.
Arrive 10-15 minutes early. Show them that you’re on time and dependable.
Be happy. The company is looking for sales associates. They need to know they’re hiring someone who can smile through the hard parts.
Be honest. This is very important if you want the job. Tell them the truth about your past — the whole truth, and not just bits and pieces. You don’t want the company to find out the hard way.
Yes, online reports say Macy’s will do a background check during the hiring process. They’ve recently been in some trouble for their discrimination of ex-offenders, but have paid their fines and hopefully learned their lesson.
Here’s what you need to know about background checks:
Not all states conduct background checks the same way. For example, the states on this list only go back seven years:
(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)
While these states won’t consider any not guilty cases:
There are, however, some states that’ll still look at your entire record, including the not guilty verdicts. Be aware if your state is on this list:
We did some digging into Macy’s ratings. Glassdoor.com gives them 3.2 stars out of 5. While most employees are happy with their work environment and job as a whole, there are quite a few complaints about the low pay.
Does Macy’s hire felons? We still aren’t sure, but there are certain felonies that will hurt your chances. For example, since you’ll be working directly with money and expensive merchandise, theft charges will be a problem. Because you’ll also be dealing with the general public, any drug-related or violent crimes will also prove difficult.
It doesn’t appear that they do drug tests according to our online sources. However, it’s always best to prepare as if they do.
Did the information in this article help you get a job Macy’s with a felony? We’d love to hear the details. Who knows? You might help others who are in your shoes!
Leah is a recovering addict and mother of three. Her two oldest adult children are dealing with their own addictions and problems, one being recently released from prison and the other is currently incarcerated. Her goal is to give hope to not only her own children, but to others in similar situations.
