Delivering The Mail

In Get Beyond Your Troubled Past, I introduce the concept of "Delivering the Mail"—strategically sharing your narrative with potential employers. This skill is crucial for any background-challenged job seeker, especially those with felonies.

Why is Delivering the Mail so important? Because when you have a troubled past, your story precedes you. Employers will learn about your background through formal background checks or informal Google searches. If you don't take control of your narrative, someone else will define it for you.

This is where the power of your Personal Narrative comes in. As I discussed in a previous post, crafting your own story is an opportunity to reframe your experiences, highlight your growth, and demonstrate your commitment to a new path. It's a chance to show employers that you are more than your worst mistakes, have learned from your challenges, and are ready to contribute your strengths.

But crafting your narrative is only half the battle. The other half is delivering it effectively, where many job seekers stumble. They overshare, diving into too much detail too soon, or they avoid the subject altogether, hoping their past won't come up.

Neither oversharing nor avoidance is effective. Oversharing can overwhelm or alienate an employer, while avoidance creates an atmosphere of secrecy and mistrust. The key is to be proactive and strategic about when and how you share your story. Take control of the narrative and present yourself in the best light.

Effective Mail Delivery is all about timing. You don't want to lead with your troubled past in your first interaction with a potential employer. Let them get to know your strengths and qualifications first. But you also don't want to wait until late in the hiring process, when an employer might feel blindsided or misled. The key is to find the right moment.

I recommend looking for natural openings to share your narrative. Typically, this comes during the first interview. For example, an employer may ask about a gap in your work history, a straightforward opening for you to present your narrative. However, you may need to proactively interject your narrative if it appears the interview will conclude without a natural opening.

Whenever you deliver your Mail, the key is to do it concisely and authentically. This is where your practiced 3-4 sentence narrative comes in handy.

You might say something like:

"I want to be transparent about my past. I struggled with addiction and incarceration for several years. That experience taught me a lot about personal responsibility. I am healthy and sober now and have been out of the system for 11 months. I'm committed to working hard at building my way back."

Notice how this narrative acknowledges the past but quickly pivots to the lessons learned and the commitment to a different future. It doesn't dwell on details or make excuses, but it also doesn't hide or minimize the reality of the experience.

After delivering your Mail, be prepared for follow-up questions. An employer might ask for more details about your background or how you've changed. Answer honestly but succinctly, always steering the conversation back to your strengths and showing enthusiasm for the opportunity.

Indeed, your primary objective is to proceed deeper into the hiring process and hopefully land the position. But you are also positioning yourself in the eyes of the employer. I have seen situations where an employer cannot hire someone due to company policy. Yet the employer was impressed with how the situation was handled, resulting in the name and phone number of someone who could help.

Delivering the Mail is about owning your story and demonstrating your integrity. It is also a deliberate act designed to maximize your chances of success. Creating your narrative and learning to Deliver the Mail effectively takes work and effort, but rewards await those who learn to do it well.

Onward!