Skip to Navigation
Are you looking for an amazing job where you can put your customer service skills to work? If so, you’ll want to follow along with this article as we answer the question, does Men’s Wearhouse hire felons? We went directly to the company to get information that’ll give you an advantage in the application process.
Men’s Wearhouse is a specialty retailer dedicated to helping men love the way they look. For over 40 years, they’ve been providing personalized service to men looking for affordable designer apparel and tuxedo rentals. If you’ve ever considered working in the men’s apparel industry, keep reading. We’ll help you find out how you can get a job at Men’s Wearhouse with a felony.
Our goal at Relaunch Pad is to help former felons create better lives for themselves. Our team is made up of former felons and professionals with experience leading reentry programs. We know the challenges that come with life after prison firsthand. Therefore, these articles are designed to give you good advice and information that’ll help you land a job you’ll love.
In this article, we’ll answer questions like:
- Does Men’s Wearhouse do background checks?
- Does Men’s Wearhouse hire people with misdemeanors?
- What kind of jobs can I get at Men’s Wearhouse?
- What skills will I need to get a job here?
Now, let’s explore how to get hired at Men’s Wearhouse with a felony conviction in your past.
Does Men’s Wearhouse hire felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
Here’s what they said when we asked them directly:
“Men’s Wearhouse founder George Zimmer has been an outspoken advocate of providing felons with a second chance. As a result of this Men’s Wearhouse does not conduct criminal background checks for employees or those interviewing for positions.”
This is an extremely unique approach to the hiring process! Not only does Men’s Wearhouse hire former felons, they ignore a person’s criminal record entirely. Have you ever dreamed of walking into an interview and not having to talk about your record? Here’s your chance!
Has Men’s Wearhouse hired felons in the past?
Yes. According to job postings on their Careers Site, Men’s Wearhouse is looking for employees who value these guiding principles:
“Live the Golden Rule, practice teamwork, have respect for each other, be trustworthy, and keep an open mind and heart.”
They are much more concerned about an applicant’s character and values than they are about past mistakes.
Does Men’s Wearhouse hire people with misdemeanors?
Again, the answer here is a resounding: Yes! People with misdemeanors walk into an interview at Men’s Wearhouse on equal footing with every other applicant. It’s what you do with the interview that makes the biggest difference. (We’ll have more on that near the end of the article).
Is Men’s Wearhouse on the Ban the Box list?
The Ban the Box Campaign was created to encourage employers to remove any questions regarding criminal history from applications. Its goal is to delay questions about applicants’ legal histories until later in the hiring process. This ensures applicants are judged by their qualifications for the position, not their past mistakes.
The Fair Chance Business Pledge is a similar initiative. Companies following this pledge vow equal treatment to applicants, even former felons. You should get to know about these campaigns, and associations like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It’s good to know about programs designed to help people like yourself!
We didn’t find any connection between Men’s Wearhouse and these efforts. However, since they don’t do background checks at all, they’re definitely on the same page with those movements.
Does Men’s Wearhouse have special programs for hiring felons?
Men’s Wearhouse does not appear to have a specific program in place for hiring felons. However, they were founded on the principle of giving people a second chance. So, even though they don’t have specific programs, they still treat former felons kindly.
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
Relaunch Pad believes your odds of getting hired at Men’s Wearhouse with a felony are high. Compared to other companies, they are open to hiring former felons. Their hiring policies go above and beyond the standards of the Ban the Box list. This means that every applicant who comes through their door gets a fair chance.
The odds are good for someone with a record here, but you need to you stand out. We’ll give you some tips on how to do this in the next section.
What are some entry-level jobs?
Men’s Wearhouse is a clothing retailer. So, like similar stores, most of their jobs revolve around sales or clothes. Aside from tailoring positions, you don’t need to be highly skilled to apply. Here are their common retail store positions:
- Consultant. Greets and assists customers, runs the register and stocks shelves.
- Operation Associate. This is a behind-the-scenes job which focuses on receiving products and tracking inventory.
- Tailor-Alterations. Fix and alter clothes for customers. You need to know a little something about tailoring for this position (sewing, measuring, etc.).
Entry-level jobs are a great place to start. They give you time to learn the business and see what skills you need to get ahead. You also can use this time to make friends and impress supervisors.
How to get hired at Men’s Wearhouse with a felony
We know that Men’s Wearhouse allows all applicants to come in on equal footing. The question is, how do you give yourself an advantage over other applicants?
First, be sure to leave any mannerisms or negative ways of thinking you picked up in prison at the door. This is a chance for you to be the best version of yourself. Don’t let those things get in the way.
Your past work experience, or even jobs you did in prison, apply here. Have you ever had to stock shelves? Can you run a cash register? Do you have experience doing inventory? Have you ever worked in shipping or receiving? Did you ever have to alter uniforms in prison? These jobs all build skills that can give you a leg up in applying for entry-level positions here.
Looking over the job descriptions posted online, here are some helpful tips:
- Be sure to look neat, clean and professional when you come into the store.
- If you have tattoos, cover them up until you know if the store allows them.
- Bring in a great resume. Your local Career Center can help you with this.
- Be sure to highlight any previous customer service experience.
- Be enthusiastic! Stand out because you’re excited to be there.
- Don’t just sit back and answer their questions. Engage them by bringing some of your own questions.
Read through the available jobs. Do any interest you? More importantly, can you think of a few skills that match what they’re looking for in the posting? This gets easier over time. However, to get started, you should take your resume to a local career counselor to get some tips. Many temp agencies also provide this service.
Interview tips
Your time with the manager in the interview is key. Impressing them is the best way to get your foot in the door. So, make sure you come across as the type of employee they’re looking for. Let them know you’re responsible and will always be there when scheduled. You’re a go-getter; you’re willing to go above and beyond whatever’s asked of you. And you’re a team player, willing to do whatever it takes to support the rest of the team at the store.
Does Men’s Wearhouse do background checks?
No. In an interview with Business 2.0 Magazine, George Zimmer said that he believes “in giving people a second chance.” With that in mind, employees and interviewees don’t have to go through background checks.
Even though Men’s Wearhouse doesn’t do background checks, the following information could be relevant to other jobs you apply for:
Some 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. This is also great news for former felons living in these states! If your felony conviction was seven years ago, these states won’t even look at them in the check:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York *
- Texas *
- Washington*
(* sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.)
Even better, there are states that don’t consider court cases where you were found not guilty. Eight states are currently on this list:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
However, there are still some states that will look at your whole record. This includes your not guilty verdicts. Be aware, if you live in one of these states, that they 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
Let’s take a look at how current and former employees rank Men’s Wearhouse on glassdoor.com. At this point, over 800 people have posted reviews of their experiences working here. Overall, they ranked the company at 3.2 out of 5 stars. Plus, over half of those who have worked here would recommend the company to a friend.
Here’s what some employees had to say about the company:
“Overall great company to work for”
“Good place to work”
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
Does Men’s Wearhouse hire felons? You bet! And we know they do not do background checks. With that in mind, most felony convictions will not affect your ability to get a job here. However, some felonies have state- or country-wide restrictions. These kinds of felonies will impact you, even if the company doesn’t background check. You will be responsible for meeting these terms.
If your felony requires registration as a sex offender, you may have restrictions which would keep you from working here. Be sure to check and see if the store location is too close to a park, school, or daycare. Also, if you are restricted from contact with anyone underage, be aware that they offer boys’ apparel.
Does Men’s Wearhouse drug test?
Research doesn’t show that Men’s Wearhouse drug tests. This means they’re not likely to have you do a drug test when they bring you on board. However, it doesn’t mean they will never drug test.
Share your experiences! Have you applied for a job or worked here?
We want to hear from you! What other advice would you give to someone trying to get a job at Men’s Wearhouse with a felony? Most importantly, what success have you had getting jobs after release?
Let us know!
