
Ask HN: How to handle a record during an interview? - melonbar
I have a record, I was convicted of a handful of felonies roughly five years ago and ended up going to prison. I have since then gotten an awesome job and am doing well. On a whim I put a few application in to some dream jobs (I reverse commute at the moment and would like to get closer to the city) and a few companies are actually very interested. I even have an interview coming up in a few days for full-stack React development. Do I disclose up front? Any input from people who do the hiring would be greatly appreciated. I would hate for it to be a perfect fit and no one says anything, only for it to be a huge issue down the road. I am confident that I can get a job on the merit of my code and I do not want to shoot myself in the foot. Thanks for any input!
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jrgnsd
An interview is more about how you present yourself than about your actual
skills, so make sure that you create a good impression first before telling
them. In my interviews I usually ask about a record towards the end of the
interview so that I'm not biased, but if it comes up earlier, be truthful
about it.

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mindcrime
My feeling is to take an "own it, and be up front about it" mindset. Tell them
what happened, admit that you goofed up, explain how/why you believe you
learned your lesson or whatever, and make it clear that you won't be doing
that again (whatever it was). Without knowing anything more about your
situation, that's the best advice I can think of.

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melonbar
I got involved in drug sales and ended up threatening a fellow dealer with a
weapon. I was going to a good school at the time and ended up going back to
school while away. Thanks a bunch for the advice!

