ex-offenders Archives - The Voice of Job Seekers

Life and Jobs Matter for Women Ex-Offenders

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I published a show a couple of months ago featuring how male ex-offenders in Montgomery County, MD transition back to society with Alisa Smedley. This week, Donna Rojas shares the significance of life and career training to women ex-offenders. You should take note Montgomery County Correctional Job Facility is a model for the United States to help ex-offenders thrive in their transition back to life. We discuss how the White House has visited their facility to see how Montgomery County job program could benefit other inmate programs.

How important is it to society to see ex-offenders experience smooth transitions? As usual, your feedback is essential for this discussion.

Here’s how you can participate:

Call and leave a voicemail or text me at 708-365-9822
Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message
Send email feedback to mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Donna is a Montgomery County Correctional Facility American Job Center Program Specialist. She has been featured on NPR, PBS, and the Washington Journal. She is a Human Rights Hall of Fame Nominee from the Montgomery County Department Office of Human Rights. She has received the Excellence Award from the Montgomery County Department of Correction & Rehabilitation and the Montgomery County Maryland’s Diversity Award.

Here are some highlights of our conversation:

We discussed Former Attorney General Eric Holder’s visit to Montgomery County Correctional Facility to see and hear about what they were doing to help returning citizens from a pre-release perspective
What tweaks have been made since it was created? They asked ex-offenders 1o years ago what was needed for their transition.
A “One-Stop” center was placed within the facility to help ex-offenders with life and job skills
The “life-ready” piece contain the most challenges, meeting them where they are. Ranging from highly educated to those who never completed high school
How gender responses and differences are considered makes a difference in preparing women and men for transition
The way we traditionally think about roles are obsolete in determining the needs for ex-offender transition
Women ex-offender relationships has much to do with their crimes—their trauma must be addressed in the training. Sensitivity in the approach will differ from male counterparts
Donna uses the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teams” to help with development

Need help with your career goals, directions, or efforts? Do you need coaching or instruction? I am here for it! Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

No show on May 30. I will publish articles that week, but not a show. Feel free to subscribe to the show in iTunes. July 26 will be the last show of the summer (although it’s possible I will publish one or two short shows between July 27 – Sept 5. On September 6, I will start the fall season of shows. I hope you will find value in them.

I would still like to help self-published career professionals promote their books. If you’re interested, find more info here.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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Note: My side of the conversation this week has noise I could not filter out in post production. However, Alisa’s side of the conversation had perfect audio. I published this show because of the outstanding content Alisa provides about ex-offenders find careers. I apologize for the audio quality, but it is a worthwhile investment of your time.

It is important ex-offenders find work and be productive members of society. Like many of us, they need direction and inspiration from many sources. Alisa Smedley can relate to how important it is personally and professionally. She has taught and coached thousands how to find jobs and to be a money-earning, tax-paying citizen. All of us can learn and know how we can be a positive influence in their lives, jobs, and careers.

Are you an ex-offender who is working? I would love for you to contribute to this conversation. Here’s how:

Call and leave a voicemail at 708-365-9822
Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message
Send email feedback to mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Alisa is a MCCF American Job Coordinator for the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights. She has won several awards for her work such as the Excellence Award and a Human Rights Hall of Fame Nominee. She has appeared on CNN, NPR, and Wall Street Journal as an expert in helping ex-offenders in transition to find jobs and careers to contribute to society. Here are a few highlights from our conversation:

Alisa shares her personal story of a family member’s crime affecting her life and career forever
One of her goals for ex-offenders she teaches is to identify criminal thinking
“Fast money does not last…” hard work is essential
Her program helps their awareness of the alternatives of career production versus crime
Many industries don’t care about your prison record, they care if you can do the job
Get the first job you can to get the discipline, then career mobility will come
Any job – better job – career is a realistic progression for ex-offenders
“Education, preparation, and training must be done…”
“Planting seeds and changing their minds is a great first step…”
Ex-offenders should hang around people who are like-minded with dreams and goals
Inspiring and visualizing better places will help them shift their thinking and often works as a deterrent

Need help with your career goals, directions, or efforts? Do you need coaching or instruction? I am here for it!Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

I would still like to help self-published career professionals promote their books. If you’re interested, find more info here.

For the first time in 1 1/2 years, I am opening to career professionals to write guest articles. If you’re interested, you can go here for further topics and directions to submit.