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Asheville Yoga Center is a fitness studio located in North Carolina. Doing yoga for a living sounds amazing, but does Asheville Yoga Center hire felons?
We understand that former felons approach their job hunts with a unique set of challenges. That’s why we at Relaunch Pad make a special point of providing the best information possible about a wide range of employers.
To do this, we go directly to the source to ask businesses about their hiring policies. And, to ensure that our company profiles are well-crafted, we make sure to hire both experts on the job market and former felons with firsthand experience trying to find work after prison.
We also look into a variety of other important questions that might impact if you get hired. Here are some of the things we will profile in this article:
- Does Asheville Yoga Center hire people with misdemeanors?
- Will my specific record stop me from getting the job?
- For that matter, does Asheville Yoga Center do background checks?
Let’s get to it, shall we? Read on for everything you need to know about Asheville Yoga Center!
Does Asheville Yoga Center hire felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
To find out how Asheville Yoga Center approaches hiring former felons, we went ahead and asked them directly. Here is what they said:
“We are a small business and may not have all of the formalities you are looking for in our processes. However, to best answer your questions, we are not opposed to hiring former felons and would definitely be willing to work with the right candidates to hire them and create a successful environment.”
Has Asheville Yoga Center hired felons in the past?
We also asked the company if they have hired former felons in the past. According to the person we spoke to, they have.
Ordinarily, we would go into details on things we found in our research about the company. However, Asheville Yoga Center is a smaller business and doesn’t have much of a web presence at this time. Unfortunately, we were not able to find any reports from people who used to work there.
Does Asheville Yoga Center hire people with misdemeanors?
The person that we spoke to from Asheville Yoga Center specifically mentioned that they have employed people with misdemeanors in the past!
Is Asheville Yoga Center on the Ban the Box list?
The Ban the Box list is an effort to remove questions about a person’s criminal record from job applications. Removing questions about a candidate’s criminal history gives them a better chance to be considered. Unfortunately, former felons are often disqualified from consideration when employers find out about their past.
The Fair Chance Business Pledge is a similar movement in which employers voluntarily promise to be fair in their hiring policies.
Unfortunately, Asheville Yoga Center is not involved in either movement. In fact, we asked them specifically if they feature questions about an applicant’s record on their application. Here is what they said:
“We do ask about prior convictions and this is not an exclusionary item if answered yes.”
This basically just means that your record will not exclude you from consideration.
Does Asheville Yoga Center have special programs for hiring felons?
Some companies have special programs that make it easier for former felons to get hired right out of prison. These programs are rare, but they can be very helpful as you scour the market for work.
Here is what Asheville Yoga Center told us when we asked them if they have any special programs:
“No, again we are a small business and do not have a big enough need for this. But I would be supportive of aiding the individuals to other resources that may be available in the community.”
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
Let’s go over what we have learned about Asheville Yoga Center so far. The company has hired former felons in the past, though has no policy in place about it. They do ask about criminal records, but say that won’t necessarily stop an applicant from getting a job.
So, does Asheville Yoga Center hire felons? We rate your chances of getting hired as average. It seems that the right candidate may get hired even if they do have a felony on their record.
What are some entry-level jobs?
According to the company themselves, most of their entry-level positions have to do with maintenance or customer service.
However, being a yoga and fitness studio, they also hire instructors. These jobs will go to people with relevant experience, and could be a good opportunity for candidates that fit the bill.
How to get hired at Asheville Yoga Center with a felony
Now that we know it’s possible to get a job at Asheville Yoga Center with a felony, let’s take a look at how you can increase your odds of standing out.
First things first, you will need to put together a good resume. Since most of their entry-level jobs involve maintenance or customer service, it will be to your benefit if you can highlight relevant experience in either of those two fields. It may actually help your case if you acquired experience through a prison job. This shows a commitment to personal improvement and advancement that the company is looking for.
Demonstrating an interest in fitness will help you here as well. Have you taken any yoga classes? Don’t forget to mention them!
Having a trusted friend or family member look the application over before you send it out will make sure it’s the best it can be. If you want to really up the ‘wow’ factor, take your resme to a professional career center. These places may even be able to help you with your interview outfit if you need!
Speaking of the interview, here are a few tips you should know before you go:
- Fitness studios look for happy, upbeat people. Have your best smile ready!
- Brush up on your yoga poses before you go. If you’re looking for reception or instructor positions, you need to be able to talk with members about yoga.
- It’s also important that you arrive prepared to be honest. Since the company does ask about former convictions on their applications, they will know about your history. Speak about your past mistakes in a way that shows maturity and personal growth. Own the mistakes of your past, and be prepared to discuss the ways that you are moving towards a more productive future.
- If you feel uncomfortable speaking so openly and honestly with a stranger, it may help to do a practice round first. Consider sitting down with a friend or family member to go over some common interview questions.
Does Asheville Yoga Center do background checks?
Asheville Yoga Center does do background checks.
However, your location can impact what the company learns about your past.
For example, some states only look seven years back into your record. Here are those states:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
*Payscale can impact what shows up on a background check.
Furthermore, there are also some states that will not include details about not guilty convictions. If you live in one of these places, only things that you were convicted of will show up on your background check:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana (limited check)
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
Unfortunately, though, many states still feature a candidate’s entire record on their background checks. If you live in one of these states, your entire past will be revealed on your background check:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- DC
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Indiana (extensive check)
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Company ratings
We also went online to find out what it is like to work at Asheville Yoga Center. If you do manage to get a job at Asheville Yoga Center with a felony, here is what you can expect.
According to glassdoor.com, the company earned 3.3 out of 5 potential stars. The lowest rating was 2.7 for senior management and the highest was 3.8 for work-life balance.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Even though Asheville Yoga Center seems fairly open to hiring former felons, some convictions may still disqualify you. For example, since they deal with money, they may be less likely to hire people with theft convictions.
And, since they feature customer service jobs, it’s likely that they will also be hesitant to hire people with violent or sexual convictions.
Does Asheville Yoga Center drug test?
It seems that they may test for drugs.
Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!
If you have worked here before we would like to hear from you. Did this article help you figure out how to get hired at Asheville Yoga Center with a felony?
Tell us everything you can so that we can better serve the community.
