A criminal conviction comes with numerous potential ramifications, depending on the severity of the charge. For instance, you could find yourself facing significant financial fines or time in jail. You may have to spend time on probation or do community service.
But are these the only ramifications you should be worried about? Or could a conviction actually affect your career moving forward?
It can have a major impact
The truth is that a criminal conviction can certainly affect your career, though it depends on the career you have and the conviction that you receive.
For one thing, many employers will run background checks. If you have a criminal conviction on your record, that can make it harder to get a job simply because other candidates may be preferred over you, even if all of your other qualifications are the same. Some employers have no problem hiring workers with a record, but others do, so your pool of potential employers shrinks.
Additionally, you have to consider the specifics of that career itself and the type of conviction you received. If you are a commercial driver but you get a DUI conviction, it may mean that you cannot hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL), so you need to start an entirely new career. If you are interested in a career like being a security guard or a police officer but you have a felony record, it means you cannot possess a firearm, so any career where you need to do so would be impossible.
For all of these reasons and more, it is very important to carefully consider your criminal defense options when facing charges.