Trucking and freight management companies are providing a lot more second chances to felons compared to other industries.
If you are a felon who has experience working in a freight management company then Estes can be your next employer. But do they hire felons?
Does Estes hire felons?
Yes. Estes hired felons for certain roles if they have the required skills and qualifications and meet the hiring criteria. Each case is evaluated individually and hiring decisions are made on case by case basis.
Estes has hired felons in the past and they continue to do so. There is no organization level policy with regards to hiring felons but they do hire felons. Some factors that are considered while hiring people with criminal backgrounds are
Nature of the offense – Felons convicted for violent crimes like robbery and carjacking will find it difficult to get hired. Felons involved in financial crimes will also find themselves ineligible for certain roles.
Time duration since the conviction – Felons who have conviction records older than 5-10 years are more likely to be offered a job. If they have a clean record since their release and have some work experience then it makes them a strong candidate.
Does Estes run background checks?
Estes runs background checks on all their new hires. Estes conducts an extensive background check that includes criminal history including misdemeanor and DUI charges as well.
Generally, background check reports also include educational records, credit reports and previous employment records.
Hiring felons is a tricky situation for employers. If they do not conduct background checks then it might be considered as negligence as the employer is responsible for the safety of all employees.
On the other hand, not hiring someone on the basis of their criminal records can be termed as discrimination. So they make sure to evaluate every applicant thoroughly before they make a decision.
It is advisable to be honest and upfront about your criminal background if it comes up during the hiring process. Any information that you try to hide will most likely come out in the background check.
At that point, it will be assumed that you intentionally tried to withhold information and your job application will most likely get rejected without giving you a chance to explain yourself.
So it is better to talk about the felony records when you have the opportunity and put forward your side of the story.
Highlight how you have learnt from the mistake and made necessary changes so that you don’t make the same mistake again. Talk about your future plans and ambitions. This helps the interviewer to trust you and also improves your chances of getting hired.
Does Estes conduct drug tests?
Estes conducts a drug test before they hire any applicant. Usually the applicant is asked to submit a urine sample at a designated testing centre. They also conduct a drug test if you are involved in any accident at the workplace.
How to get hired at Estes with a criminal record?
Estes is the largest, privately-owned freight shipping company in North America. Estes manages a fleet of more than 7,000 tractors and 30,000 trailers, as well as a network of 260+ terminals.
Estes provides employees with benefits like paid vacation, sick leaves, medical / dental / vision insurance, referral bonus and safety awards just to name a few.
If you wish to work with Estes, you can start by filing a basic application form in their job portal. You can select multiple roles that you find suitable for your skills and submit the application.
They have opportunities in roles like Driver, Mechanic, Supervisory/Management, Sales, Dock/Warehouse, Administrative Professional, Jockey, Maintenance/Facilities, Dispatch, IT, Customer Service, HR, etc.
If your profile is shortlisted, you will be called for a personal interview. The questions are usually based on your past experience and your skills. They also ask a few behavioral and situational questions like “how will you handle the situation if….”.
It all depends on the role for which you are being considered. Usually the hiring process can take up to 2 weeks from the day you appeared for the interview.