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If you love clothes and connecting with people on your way to making a sale, then you may have wondered: Does Gap Inc. hire felons? Considering they’re made up of six companies (The Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Intermix, Hill City and Athleta), this is a pretty important question to answer!
This is a successful company that might have the perfect job for you. Today, we want to give you some information we’ve found out about whether or not they hire felons as well as these other important questions:
- Does Gap Inc. hire people with misdemeanors?
- What do the employees say about this company?
- What kind of entry-level positions are available?
- Does Gap Inc. drug test during the hiring process?
- What are some tips for getting hired with Gap Inc.?
- Does Gap Inc. do background checks?
We work hard to contact each company directly to bring you this information.
We are passionate about hiring former felons at Relaunch Pad. By practicing what we preach, we hope to extend opportunities to people in positions like yours. Now, let’s find out how to get a job at Gap Inc. with a felony.
Does The Gap hire felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
We haven’t gotten incontact with Gap Inc. directly yet, unfortunately. You’ll be the first to know when we do, and we’ll share their response here. However, we did plenty of research to get the information you need.
Have they hired felons in the past?
After browsing multiple job forums and discussion boards, we found mixed reviews. We saw many responses from people saying that they don’t hire felons. The good news is that we saw an equal number of responses saying that they do.
Does Gap Inc. hire people with misdemeanors?
We believe, based on our research, that Gap Inc. does hire those with misdemeanors.
Is Gap Inc. on the Ban the Box list?
We’ve seen great strides towards the inclusion of those with criminal records in the workplace over the last 10 years. Much of that has been due to two efforts: The Ban the Box campaign and the Fair Chance Business Pledge.
Ban the Box has become popular with both businesses and government employers. The “box” in Ban the Box refers to the little check mark next to the question of whether or not you have a criminal history. This campaign has encouraged hundreds of employers to leave this question off of their employment applications.
The Pledge encourages employers to give more opportunities to those with a criminal record already working within their organizations.
While Gap Inc. is not part of either campaign, they don’t ask criminal history questions on their applications. We even filled one out to make sure!
Does Gap Inc. have any special programs for hiring felons?
We couldn’t find any information that suggests Gap Inc. has programs designed to help felons. However, you should always check with your local unemployment office or job placement centers. These locations commonly deal with those getting out of prison and can point you in the right direction.
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
We think that the chances are average that a person will get hired at Gap Inc. with a felony conviction. We’re basing this opinion on the responses we’ve seen online. We can’t say there is a high chance of getting hired until we hear from the company about their official position.
What are some entry-level jobs?
When we browsed Gap Inc.’s job search website, we got a good idea about their entry-level positions.
A lot of the roles involve floor retail work. This can include jobs like clothing stocker, store greeter and cashier. In this type of workplace, entry-level workers often train in many jobs at once.
This is all going to be shift work, typically at a mall or retail outlet location. Business hours for Gap Inc. stores are typically from around 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. However, there are times when overnight work may be required, particularly in the busy seasons.
You will need a high school diploma or GED, though, so make sure you have that in order.
How to get hired at Gap Inc. with a felony
Fill out an application if this is the type of work you think you’d be good at. As you begin the application packet, you’ll be asked whether you want to upload a resume. Don’t panic. We know that you may not have a resume ready. That’s why we’ve created a guide to help.
You may not realize it, but you can create a great resume with the experience you have.
Think about the jobs you’ve had in the past, before prison. They can all be included. Now think about any prison jobs you’ve held. Most prisons require that their residents hold down a job or take classes. Guess what? All of that can be used on your resume. Did you work any of the following:
- Landscaping;
- Kitchen worker;
- Chapel staff;
- Captain or lieutenant’s clerk;
- Librarian; or
- Building maintenance?
These jobs all gave you skills you can take into a real-world job. Patience, teamwork and the ability to listen to a supervisor are all vital for rehabilitation. Make sure you talk about your experiences in a positive light!
Don’t waste any time after you fill out a resume and send in the application. It’s time to get ready for an interview. Here are some steps we recommend when you are called back to any job to speak with a hiring manager:
- Get a nice set of clothes. Don’t worry if you’re low on cash. Go to your local Salvation Army or unemployment and tell them what’s going on. They usually have clothes for these purposes.
- Get a fresh haircut and trim any facial hair you have.
- Cover any visible tattoos if you can. We don’t know Gap’s policy on this.
- Brush your teeth and be sure to put on some deodorant.
It wouldn’t hurt to practice answering some basic interview questions with a friend or even with yourself in a mirror:
- Do you have experience with this type of work?
- What do you know about Gap Inc.?
- What shifts would you like to work?
Does Gap Inc. do background checks?
Gap Inc. does do background checks.
Here’s what you need to know about background checks:
The problem is that background checks differ depending on which state you live in. Some states only show information that goes back seven years, so if you’re close to that timeframe, you may want to wait before applying. Those states are:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
*sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.
Other states go back indefinitely, but only show charges that you were actually found guilty of. They leave off any charges that were dropped or in which you were found not guilty. Here are those states:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana (limited check)
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
Then there are many states that still show all of your past criminal history on their background checks. They show all of your guilty verdicts and pleas as well as any charges where you were found not guilty. Those states include:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- DC
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Indiana (intensive check)
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
Company ratings
The website glassdoor.com shows us that Gap Inc. has a 3.6 out of a possible 5 star rating and 63% of people say they would recommend working there a friend.
One of the first things that people talk about is their employee discount. They love it. They also love the flexible working hours and that management is organized. Overall, most people have fun working for Gap Inc.
As with most retail jobs, one of the main complaints was about low pay. People also said that the stores could get very busy and stressful, especially around the holidays.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Are you still wondering: Does Gap Inc. hire felons? We think they do, but we want you to be aware of some convictions that may give you a harder time getting hired.
- Since the majority of people at The Gap work directly with customers, those with a sex crime conviction may have a harder time getting hired.
- If you have any theft-related convictions, you may not get hired. A lot of employees are cross-trained and work with merchandise and cash, so they may be wary of those with former theft charges.
Does Gap Inc. drug test?
In our research, we have seen that Gap Inc. does not drug test their employees.
Have you applied for a job or worked here before? Share your experiences!
We would love to hear from you if you’ve ever worked here. If you have any suggestions about how to get hired at Gap Inc. with a felony, leave a comment below!
