Had encounters with the law? A look at Fair-Chance Hiring & Opportunities | E213

Jonaed interviews Khalilah KO Olokunola, a senior advisor for TalentNova and founder of Reengineering HR, about skills-first hiring and navigating the workforce for justice-impacted individuals. They discuss the challenges faced by justice-impacted individuals in finding employment, the importance of community support, the impact of Ban-the-Box policies, and the skills and certifications that justice-impacted individuals possess. They also explore the process of building confidence, the rights of justice-impacted individuals in the hiring process, and the future of fair-chance hiring. Khalilah shares insights into TalentNova, a platform that provides career tools and resources for justice-impacted individuals. Key Points DiscussedJustice-impacted individuals face unique challenges in finding employment, and community support is crucial in navigating the workforce.Ban-the-Box policies have been instrumental in giving justice-impacted individuals a fair chance at employment by removing questions about criminal records from job applications.Justice-impacted individuals possess valuable skills such as resilience, loyalty, teamwork, and leadership, which can be translated into the workplace.Listing jobs and certifications obtained while serving time can help fill employment gaps and showcase relevant experience and skills.Building confidence during the job search process is essential, and it can be achieved through community support, self-reflection, and positive language.Seeking out community-based organizations that provide resume assistance, interview coaching, and other resources can greatly benefit justice-impacted individuals.Knowing and exercising one's rights in the hiring process, such as when to disclose criminal history, can help level the playing field for justice-impacted individuals.The future of fair-chance hiring involves collaboration between employers, community organizations, and technology platforms to create opportunities and remove barriers for justice-impacted individuals.TalentNova is a platform that offers career tools, including resume and cover letter builders, interview courses, and coaching, to support justice-impacted individuals in their job search and career advancement. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Fair Chance Employment 03:03 Understanding Justice Impacted Individuals 08:40 The Impact of Ban the Box Policies 10:20 Uncovering the Hidden Skills of Justice Impacted Individuals 19:10 Building a Supportive Community for Successful Reentry 26:50 Career Growth Opportunities for Justice Impacted Individuals 31:28 Talent Nova: Career Tools and Support for Justice Impacted Individuals Support/Contact Khalilah:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalilahequipsWebsite: https://reengineeringhr.com/ Books and resources mentioned in this podcast:Resume course: https://bit.ly/podcastpcaTalentNova: https://talentnova.com/Dress for Success: https://dressforsuccess.org/ Need career or resume advice? Follow and/or connect with Jonaed Iqbal on LinkedIn. - LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/JonaedIqbalND   Connect with us on social media! - LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/NoDegreeLinkedIn - Facebook: https://bit.ly/NoDegreeFB - Instagram: https://bit.ly/NoDegreeIG - Twitter: https://bit.ly/NoDegreeTW - TikTok: https://bit.ly/3qfUD2V   Thank you for sponsoring our show. If you'd like to support our mission to end the stigma and economic disparity that comes along with not having a college degree, please share with a friend, drop us a review on Apple Podcast and/or subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nodegree.   Remember, no degree? No problem! Whether you're contemplating college or you're a college dropout, get started with your no-degree job search at nodegree.com.