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If you have a love for trucks and are thinking of a job in the automotive industry, then this question may have crossed your mind: Does GMC hire felons?
As you likely know, GMC (or General Motors Company) is one of the major domestic manufacturers of vehicles in the United States. They make trucks, sport utility vehicles, vans, motorhomes, buses, fire trucks, ambulances and military vehicles.
So, if you’d like to know how to get hired at GMC, here are a few other questions you might want the answers to:
- Does GMC do background checks?
- Where can I find out about job openings?
- In addition to those with felonies, does GMC hire people with misdemeanors?
Our staff at Relaunch Pad get in touch directly with each company to ask such questions. We can help you prepare for the job hunt with our unique expertise. As former felons or those experienced in assisting them, our staff goes above and beyond to find the answers to your questions.
Does GMC hire felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
We don’t yet have GMC’s official policy. However, while we’re waiting to find out, let’s review what our research says.
Here’s part of the privacy agreement found on the company’s online application:
“We do not collect or process any sensitive Personal Information (e.g. information concerning religion, racial, ethnic origin, political opinions or other beliefs, union affiliation or activities, health, sexuality, criminal administrative proceedings or sanctions) as part of our hiring process unless required by law. Therefore, we ask that you do not disclose or otherwise send this information through our website or directly to General Motors.” (Emphasis ours.)
It suggests they treat applicants with criminal records fairly. Also, their website confirms that they abide by EEOC requirements and don’t discriminate on any grounds covered by that legislation when hiring.
Has GMC hired felons in the past?
According to comments from employees on online review sites, GMC has hired felons in the past.
Does GMC hire people with misdemeanors?
From what we’ve found out, it appears that GMC will hire people with misdemeanors.
Is GMC on the Ban the Box list?
Our research uncovered that GMC is not on the Ban the Box list. As you may know, companies that are on this list are upfront about their commitment to treat someone with a criminal record just like any other applicant. In other words, their job application form doesn’t have a criminal record check box.
We can tell you that GMC has also not taken the Fair Chance Business Pledge, either.
Does GMC have special programs for hiring felons?
No. There are no programs designed to help you get a job at GMC with a felony.
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
We believe the odds are uncertain. For one, there’s nothing on their website or in online reviews that tells us you can get a job at GMC with a felony. For another, the company doesn’t support initiatives like Ban the Box list or the Fair Chance Business Pledge. However, the privacy agreement job applicants sign says that the company won’t consider your criminal record unless required by law. You’ll want to read the section on background checks to see how this might help you!
What are some entry-level jobs?
We found examples of entry-level jobs in manufacturing and in the warehouse. These jobs don’t require post-secondary education.
If you haven’t finished high school, take a look at these jobs:
- Production Team Member — Assemble vehicles on the production line.
- Material Handler — Move materials within the manufacturing facility by operating material handling equipment such as a forklift truck.
- Warehouse Worker — Pick and ship automotive parts from the GMC warehouse.
Here’s an example of a job that asks for a high school diploma or equivalent:
- Production Group Leader — Supervise employees working in vehicle production operations.
How to get hired at GMC with a felony
Start out by going to the company’s careers page on their website. Here’s what you can find, all with a few clicks of the mouse from this page:
- Job openings by type and location to help you decide what to apply for.
- Answers from employees about what their typical workday is like and what they like about working at GMC.
- Information about GMC’s vision, training and benefits that could help you answer a question in the interview about why you want to work for the company.
To apply for a job, you must first create an account linked to your email. Have your resume handy as a reference to fill in the online application — you don’t want to forget anything important!
After you’ve applied, you should prepare for an interview. Whether you get one or not, practice is useful!
Go through your resume and think about questions the hiring manager might ask you. Then come up with how you’ll answer, particularly if they ask about gaps in employment while you were incarcerated or in a rehab program.
Decide how you want to impress on the hiring manager that you’ll be a good employee. Do you want them to know that you’re a hard worker, a team player, eager to learn or all of these? Think of a few good short personal stories to use in the interview that show your character strengths. For example, did you finish high school despite some adversity? Have you volunteered to help youth at a drop in centre?
Finally, ask for a referral or recommendation. If you know someone who works at GMC, see if they’ll put your name forward to better your chances of getting hired.
Does GMC do background checks?
Yes, GMC says in their job postings that they conduct background checks. However, there is no information about what exactly the background check involves. That’s why it’s important to be honest in your application and be prepared that any information you provide could be verified by GMC.
This is what we can tell you about how background checks are handled in across the United States:
Some states will only check the last seven years of your criminal record. These include:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)
Take heart! These states disregard charges where you were found not guilty:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana (limited check)
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
However, the majority of states will consider your entire record. This includes those charges where you were found not guilty if you live in one of the following:
- 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
GMC has some decent ratings on both glassdoor.com and indeed.com.
There are 4,100 reviews on Glassdoor that give the company a 3.5 out of 5 star rating. What’s more, 82% say they’d recommend the GMC to a friend and an incredible 100% say they approve of the CEO! Not surprisingly, the company makes Glassdoor’s Top CEO list for 2017 and 2018.
On Indeed, 7,100 reviews give them 4.1 out of 5. Also, 84% approve of the CEO. The highest rating is for pay and benefits. This is followed by work-life balance and culture.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Some types of convictions might make it more difficult to get a job at GMC with a felony.
For example, if you have a history of drug and alcohol charges, make sure you can explain the circumstances. GMC is a fast-paced work environment and they count on their employees to show up on time and not intoxicated or hung over. The hiring manager will want to be convinced that you have dealt with any substance abuse problem and can safely meet your obligations on the job.
The company also wants team players who can get along well with their co-workers. So, if you’ve got assault-related charges in your background, this could also make it more difficult to get hired. Be ready to explain any charges like these and how you’ve dealt with any personal problems that contributed to them.
Does GMC drug test?
Yes, they do. Based on online comments from GMC employees, this is part of the background check process.
Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!
Readers, what valuable information can you add to this article? What do you think about how we answered the question: Does GMC hire felons?
