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Do you want to work in the food services industry, but aren’t sure what kind of work you want? Then you probably need to know, does Services Group of America hire felons? FSG is such a major player in the food industry that we want to make sure you have all the information you need to apply.
Relaunch Pad got answers directly from the company to help you get a job here. In fact, FSG is a large company that controls six other companies, so you have a lot of options. This is a great place to get a higher paying entry-level job.
Today we’re going to talk about how to get hired at Services Group of America with a record. We’ll also look into some other burning questions, like:
- Do they drug test employees?
- What kind of entry-level jobs do they have?
- Does Services Group of America do background checks?
- What’s it like to work here?
- Does Services Group of America hire people with misdemeanors?
Let’s jump into how to get a job at Services Group of America with a felony.
Does Services Group of America hire felons?
Official company policy for hiring felons
When we asked Services Group of America if they hired felons, they said that they do. This is great news for anyone looking to get a fresh start! We always see it as a positive sign when companies tell us up front that they hire former felons. Here is their official policy:
“We use the EEOC guidelines to make hiring decisions that are based on the nature and date of the conviction and how it will impact our position and business.”
Have they hired felons in the past?
FSG told us they have. It looks like you can get a job at Services Group of America with a felony.
Does Services Group of America hire people with misdemeanors?
While they did not directly state that they do, we are sure that they have since they’ve hired former felons before.
Is Services Group of America on the Ban the Box list?
We applaud the efforts of two programs that have worked to end discrimination those with a record face when trying to find a job: The Ban the Box campaign and the Fair Chance Business Pledge.
Ban the Box has been successful in getting many companies and government agencies to remove criminal history questions from their employment applications.
The Fair Chance Business Pledge began as a “call to action” for companies to give those with a record more opportunities. Today, hundreds of companies have taken the pledge.
Services Group of America told us that they do not ask criminal history questions on their applications, though they don’t participate in these programs.
Does Services Group of America have any special programs for hiring felons?
Services Group of America doesn’t have any programs geared towards helping felons, but don’t get discouraged. Your local job placement agencies and unemployment offices likely do. They often even have money available to help you get some new clothes to wear to job interviews.
What are the odds someone with a felony will get hired?
Based on the response we got from the company, we think there are high odds of getting hired at Services Group of America with a felony.
What are some entry-level jobs?
As we mentioned, SGA is actually a larger company that oversees six separate companies, all of which revolve around the food service industry:
- Food Services of America
- System Services of America
- Amerifresh
- Ameristar Meats
- GAMPAC
- Development Services of America
The only company that probably doesn’t have entry-level jobs is Development Services of America because it is set up solely to manage real estate owned by SGA. You’ll need special education or experience for these jobs.
We’ve researched all of these companies and found some examples of the kind of entry-level jobs available:
- Customer service
- Sales support
- Delivery drivers (CDL required)
- Clerks
- Shuttle drivers
- Mechanics
You can imagine there would be tons of shift work. Delivery drivers could have 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. shifts while sales personnel work 9 to 5.
How to get hired at Services Group of America with a felony
A good starting point for finding a job at SGA would be visiting the part of their website that lists the companies they control. From there, you should spend some time researching which one you think would be the best fit for you.
Once you figure out which company (or companies) you want to apply for, you can browse their open positions based on the region you want to search for a job in and apply directly online.
Let’s stop for a minute to talk about your resume. How does yours look? We know that men and women who have done time may not have the best-looking resume. Hell, you may not have ever even made one before.
We want to help. We’ve created a great guide to help you make a resume you can be proud of. You are not limited to your professional “real world” work experiences. Despite what others may tell you, prison teaches many valuable skills, pertaining to both jobs and life.
Consider the jobs you held in prison:
- Kitchen worker
- Janitorial services
- Dorm worker
- Librarian
- Clerk
- Landscaper
Now think of any vocation classes you may have taken:
- Maintenance
- Auto-body
- Brick masonry
- Culinary
You don’t forget all of these skills when you step out of the prison gates. Make them work for you!
If your skills match a job opening and you get called in for an interview, it’s time to start planning your first impression. Make sure you have nice clothing to wear, your hair is well-kept and you’ve brushed your teeth. Last but not least, cover any visible tattoos you have. We don’t know what the SGA policy is towards tattoos, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Before you go, practice answering some common interview questions in the mirror:
- Why do you think you would be a good fit for this company?
- What is your work experience and how does it fit the position you applied for?
- Do you have any criminal convictions?
Whoa. Yes, we sprung that one on you because you need to be ready to talk about it if they ask. Be honest. Admit you made mistakes and tell them you are ready for a fresh start.
Does Services Group of America do background checks?
Services Group of America did confirm that they do perform background checks and that they take place after a job offer is made.
Here’s what you need to know about background checks:
Many states don’t show charges or convictions that are more than seven years old, so if you are six years out, you may want to wait a little bit longer. Here are those states:
- California
- Colorado*
- Kansas*
- Maryland*
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire*
- New York*
- Texas*
- Washington*
*sometimes certain pay or salary bracket positions require one.
Many other states have decided not to show your not guilty convictions on a background check. However, they do show all guilty convictions regardless of how old they are. Here is a list of those states:
- Alaska
- California
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New York
There are still plenty of states that show everything on their background checks. Here is a list of those:
- 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
Company ratings
There are not many reviews for the larger company, Services Group of America. However, we did find plenty of reviews for Food Services of America, which is their largest company. For this section, we looked at FSA reviews that related to overall company culture.
Food Services of America scored a 3.4 out of a possible 5 on the website glassdoor.com and 60% of people would recommend working there to a friend.
Some of the most interesting points were:
- Most people praised the higher-than-average pay and great benefits. Many of their jobs are part of a union, so this isn’t surprising.
- People also seemed to genuinely enjoy their coworkers.
- They loved getting free soda and gym access.
- The jobs are physically demanding and that the work hours can be long.
- There were the usual complaints about management, but that is always going to depend on the location. Everyone has different experiences.
What felony convictions might have a hard time getting hired here?
You may still be wondering, does Services Group of America hire felons? We know that they do, but remember that they said hiring decisions are based on the nature and date of the conviction and how it will impact their business.
That means that they’ll be looking at your individual charges. If you have any theft charges on your record, then you may not be offered a job that puts you in a position to handle money. Also, if you have serious driving charges, you may not be considered for a job as a delivery driver.
Does Services Group of America drug test?
We could not find any information directly answering this question, but it is likely that they do. We base this off of what we know about the type of jobs they have available. For many of them, you are required to work around heavy equipment, so they likely do drug testing.
Have you applied for a job or worked here before? Share your experiences!
Have you ever worked here? If you have, let us know about your experiences in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
