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Are you a former felon looking for a job and have experience working with cars at a dealership? Then you might want to know: Does Lithia Motors hire felons? We went to the company directly to ask them.
Lithia Motors is an auto retailer that is one of the fastest-growing Fortune 500 companies. The company has more than 188 locations all over the country. If you’re interested in working at an automobile dealership, this article will help you get a job at Lithia Motors with a felony by answering questions like:
- Does Lithia Motors hire people with misdemeanors?
- How do I apply?
- Does Lithia Motors do background checks?
- Will my felony disqualify me?
Relaunch Pad wants to help you get your life back to normal. Why? Many of our team members are also former felons or have worked with them. We know the challenges you face because we’ve been there ourselves. We just want to pay it forward!
Let’s dive in and find out how to get hired at Lithia Motors with a felony record.
Does Lithia Motors hire felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
When we contacted Lithia Motors to ask if they hire former felons, this was the response we received:
“We look at each candidate on a case-by-case basis.”
The good news is you’re not automatically disqualified!
Has Lithia Motors hired felons in the past?
The company did tell us that they have hired felons. It just depends on how much time has passed since the conviction and the duties of the position.
Does Lithia Motors hire people with misdemeanors?
Given that Lithia motors is open to considering former felons on a case-by-case basis, it’s reasonable to assume that their hiring practices also wouldn’t automatically disqualify candidates with misdemeanors.
Is Lithia Motors on the Ban the Box list?
An important development in recent years for equal opportunity employment practices is the Ban the Box movement. Employers who agree to literally “ban the box” are committed to not making candidates answer questions about whether or not they have been convicted of a crime on job applications. This is an important step in giving everyone a fair chance in the hiring process.
Another initiative along the same lines is the Fair Chance Business Pledge. In addition to banning the box, companies that take this pledge “are committed to providing individuals with criminal records, including formerly incarcerated individuals, a fair chance to participate in the American economy.”
Lithia Motors has not added its name to these lists, but the way they hire is in line with them. Their basic job application does not ask about a candidate’s criminal history.
Does Lithia Motors have special programs for hiring felons?
We could find no evidence that Lithia Motors has any specific programs focused on hiring former felons, or helping them in other ways. But don’t let that stop you — most companies don’t have special programs for hiring or helping former felons.
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
In light of our research, Relaunch Pad ranks your odds of getting hired at Lithia Motors with a felony record as average. Any company that has decided not to ask about a candidate’s criminal history on their job application has taken an important step in the direction of equal employment opportunities. They may not have officially signed onto Ban the Box or the Fair Chance Business Pledge, but they do appear to be putting some of it into practice.
What are some entry-level jobs?
The Lithia Motors careers page lists all positions available at each location, including entry-level jobs like lot attendants, service porters and valets, receptionist and more. Their entry-level positions usually mention the following qualifications:
- A team player who is focused on providing exemplary customer service.
- Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment.
- Strong organizational skills and detail oriented.
- Effective communication skills.
- Professional appearance and work ethic.
Some of the many entry-level jobs at Lithia Motors include the following:
- Lube Technician
- Detailer
- Service Porter/Valet
- Lot Attendant
- Receptionist
- Cashier
- Parts Driver
- Shipping and Receiving Clerk
- Office Administrator
All of these entry-level positions are great places to start in a car dealership. As you show your employer that you are reliable, motivated and accountable, you will no doubt have a chance at being promoted into more advanced positions with higher compensation. An entry-level position at Lithia Motors is a great way to get your career in gear!
How to get hired at Lithia Motors with a felony
Although Lithia Motors is not on any official Ban the Box list, we know they follow it in practice. So how do you land a job with this fast-growing company? It’s important to customize your resume so it matches what they’re looking for.
Here’s what to do before you apply:
- These are retail car dealerships, which means they are always looking for salespeople and service mechanics. If you’ve done either of those jobs in the past, you’ll have a step up on the competition. Emphasize these positions on your resume by providing details about your duties and experiences.
- Speaking of your resume, it’s time to give it a major overhaul to ensure it works in your favor. Be sure to check out our Complete Guide to Making an Incredible Resume (for Former Felons).
- If you’re going to apply for an entry-level position, take another look at the qualifications listed in the previous section. If you ever had a job that required teamwork and good communication, be sure to mention it, or how you’ve learned those kinds of skills in other settings.
When you land an interview, you may feel a wave of panic if you haven’t done a job interview in a while. Just take a deep breath and relax. You’ve got this. Here are our interview tips for Lithia Motors:
- Attitude: The core values of Lithia Motors are described as delivering honest value, earning customers for life, taking personal ownership, improving constantly and having fun! You want to embody these values in your interview. Be confident and relaxed, but not too informal. If you tend to ramble when you’re nervous, keep your answers to questions short and to the point without oversharing.
- Appearance: If you’re applying for an entry-level position, there’s no need to wear anything too dressy. Just wear nice, clean clothes. In general, you want them to see you as every other person and not as someone who looks like they’ve done time.
- Body Language: The trick here is to stay relaxed and natural. Avoid acting as nervous as you might feel, maintain good eye contact, sit up straight (no slouching), and shake hands firmly before and after the interview.
- Employment History: If you have one or more big gaps in your employment history due to incarceration, the interviewer will probably ask about the gap, but they won’t know why the gap exists. You don’t need to say it was because of being incarcerated. It’s fair to answer a question about an employment gap by saying you went through a tough time personally, and then immediately shift your answer to the present and how excited you are about the position and being back on track in your life. Upbeat and focused on the present and future is the way to go.
Does Lithia Motors do background checks?
Nearly every job you see posted on the Lithia Motors website includes this statement:
“We are an equal opportunity employer and a drug-free workplace. A criminal history background check and pre-employment drug screen will be conducted on the final candidate prior to beginning employment.”
This statement indicates that your criminal record shouldn’t even come up until you’re a finalist for the job. That is when the “case-by-case” basis of considering a felony or misdemeanor record would come into play.
Here’s what you need to know about background checks:
A number of states don’t even consider information more than seven years old. This means that if your offense was six years ago, you’ll want to wait until next year to apply. If your felony conviction was seven or more years ago, these states won’t even look at them during a background check:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.
If you were found not guilty, then the following states won’t even look at those cases during background checks:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
In spite of progress made in some places, many states still look at your whole record, including any not guilty verdicts. Here are the states that will see everything:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- DC
- Delaware
- Florida
- Idaho
- Indiana
- 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
How does Lithia Motors stack up as a place to work? Glassdoor.com rates Lithia Motors a solid 3.5 out of a possible 5 stars based on 234 reviews. Among those, 62% would recommend working for Lithia Motors to a friend. People especially like the compensation and benefits they get (3.6 out of 5 stars) at Lithia Motors. Any complaints are mostly about management being too focused on the bottom line.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Does Lithia Motors hire felons? We believe they are open to it, but certain felonies might hurt your chances. Here are a few examples:
- Since these are car dealerships, if your conviction is related to auto theft, you’ll have a tough time getting hired.
- Cashier positions probably won’t work out if your felony record includes theft or other money-related charges.
- Social positions such as sales, receptionist and so on will be harder to get if your record is for any act of violence.
Keep in mind, though, that your felony record won’t come up in your initial application. It will only come up after the company has made you an offer, at which point they would run a background check.
Does Lithia Motors drug test?
As previously mentioned, Lithia Motors will conduct a pre-employment drug screening after making you a job offer and before your employment begins.
Have you applied for a job or worked here? Share your experiences!
We want to give you a chance to help others who are you in your shoes. Did the information in this article help you get a job at Lithia Motors with a felony?
Give us all the juicy details you can, including the good, the bad and the ugly. Please help us help others in the community!
