Marriott Hiring Overview For 2023

Is Marriott on the Ban the Box list?

Unfortunately, Marriott International is not on the Ban the Box list, nor have they signed the Fair Chance Business Pledge.

But, what are these programs? The Ban the Box list is a commitment by companies to remove the checkbox asking if you’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony. The Fair Chance Business Pledge is similar to this program. It’s a pledge to look at your talents and skills rather than your criminal background.

Even though Marriott International doesn’t participate in either of these programs, we checked out a few of their online applications and there are no questions asking about prior convictions.

Does Marriott have special programs for hiring felons?

They don’t offer any special hiring programs for felons at this time.

What are the odds that someone with a felony will get hired?

We’ve done extensive research and give your odds of getting hired at Marriott with a felony as average. We haven’t been able to get a company statement from them and they aren’t on the Ban the Box list. We do know, however, that they’ve hired felons in the past and don’t ask about convictions on their application, so you have a pretty good shot at an entry-level position with the company.

What are some entry-level jobs?

The main entry-level jobs at Marriott International are in customer service, housekeeping and the kitchen. These positions consist of checking guests in and out of their rooms, cleaning the rooms and general maintenance of the facility, as well as cooking, serving or dishwashing.

Tips to get hired here with a felony

Are you ready to get a job at Marriott with a felony?

First of all, their application is pretty basic. You don’t need a resume, but having one on hand is always a good idea. If you need help, Relaunch Pad has a guide developed specifically for ex-felons.

Tell them about your previous work history, including the names and addresses of your past employers.

List any skills you have related to the hospitality field, like:

• Have you worked at a rival hotel previously?
• Do you have customer service skills from another job?
• Did you work in housekeeping while in prison?
• Do you have kitchen experience?

When it comes to the interview, keep it simple:

• Wear something nice, like dress pants and a button-down shirt or dress. Hide any tattoos and take out piercings until you know the company’s policy on these things.
• Arrive 10-15 minutes early to show them you are prompt and serious about the position.
• Go into detail about the skills you listed on your application. Let them know about your previous experience, skills and talents. Talk up where you learned these. Was it in prison? Did you learn it at a trade school? Maybe you taught yourself. Whatever is the case, don’t be shy about it. Be proud of your skills!

Marriott International will do a background check, so it’s just as important to be honest about your convictions. You don’t want them finding out another way and costing you your job.

If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll have a good chance at landing an entry-level position.

Online sources show that Marriott International will conduct a background check during the hiring process. Background checks vary state-to-state and not all are created equal.

Here’s what you need to know about background checks across the US:

The states on this list only go back seven years. So if your conviction was six years ago, we suggest waiting a year to apply here:

• California
• Colorado*
• Kansas*
• Maryland*
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nevada
• New Hampshire*
• New York*
• Texas*
• Washington*

(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)

These eight states won’t consider any verdicts in which you were found not guilty:

• Alaska
• California
• Hawaii
• Indiana (limited check)
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• New York

Be aware if you live in a state on this list, though. They will see your entire record, including any not guilty decisions:

• 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 did some online digging to bring you Marriott International’s ratings. Glassdoor.com gives them a 3.9 out of 5 star rating. Of the 7,000 reviews, 76% say they’d recommend their job to a friend and 92% are happy with the CEO. The benefits and compensation are good but sometimes the work-life balance can be hard with long hours.

What felonies Marriott will not hire

Marriott didn’t tell us the specific felonies they consider unhireable if found on a background check. Our research gave us some insight on what ones might be hangups for them, though, so read on.

What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?

Does Marriott hire felons? While it looks like they do, there are certain felonies that might hurt your chances. Since you’ll be working with a plethora of guests and co-workers, if your record includes the following felonies, you may have a tougher time getting hired at Marriott International:

• Violent crimes
• Drug- or alcohol-related crimes
• Theft and burglary
• Breaking and entering

Does Marriott hire sex offenders?

We don’t know, but if they do, they’ve kept it quiet. This is often one of the harder charges to overcome.

Does Marriott drug test?

They do drug test and say this on the application we saw:

“Prospective employees may be given a pre-employment drug test. Employment is conditioned upon a negative result. However, marijuana testing is not included in the pre-employment drug test for the location to which you have applied with the exception of positions subject to DOT testing. Applicants who refuse to be tested or have a confirmed positive drug test will not be hired and will be ineligible to re-apply for a period of six months.”

Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!

Now’s your chance to help others in your shoes. Did you get the job at Marriott with a felony on your record? Let us know. We’d love to hear the details below. You’ll be helping others in our community as well!