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Whether this is your first time looking for jobs for felons in Minneapolis or your tenth, we’ve got you covered. The team at Relaunch Pad has reached out to over 1,000 employers to find out how they handle hiring people with criminal records. We also researched Minnesota’s job market to give you an idea of the best places to send your resume.
A lot of us are ex-felons, too, so we’ve got direct experience looking for work like you are now. It can be overwhelming, considering everything that goes into the job search. With a population of over 425,000, Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and has a pretty strong economy. Its major industries are commerce, health care, trucking, railroad and manufacturing.
That’s a lot to sift through, but also a lot of potential! Read on for the first 10 places you should apply to locally when looking for a job with a criminal background.
Jobs that hire felons in Minneapolis
Roll up your sleeves and see what our search feature can do to help you look for jobs that hire felons in Minneapolis. Type in the kind of position you’d like and see what comes up. Do you want to work in customer service, trucking, manufacturing or something else? The search function below will help you filter your results!
Top companies that hire felons in Minneapolis
Minneapolis is a twin city to St. Paul, the state capital, just across the Mississippi River. People travel between the cities for shopping and entertainment, so service businesses thrive here. Those types of businesses are known to have lots of entry-level roles that have fewer barriers in the hiring process in general. Good news if you’re looking for a job, fast.
Focus your job search on the largest employers. Some of the best companies that hire felons in Minneapolis do so because they have the biggest workforces. Essentially, they hire all the time. Click on one of the company names here to jump directly to their section or continue on for resume tips.
It’s important to have an up-to-date resume when you apply for a job. Take a look at our guide to writing a terrific resume with a criminal record. It will help you impress the hiring manager with your skills and experience.
West Elm
A fantastic local choice, West Elm is your spot if you’ve got the right attitude for service. The company sells furniture and other household items and require a go-getter personality in their sales staff. This might be an excellent fit for you if you can hustle.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Sales and Design Associate
- Home Stylist
- Sales Lead
- Design Staff
Trio Landscaping
As the name suggests, this is a landscape company. You’ll be working outdoors a lot of the time, frequently doing manual labor and often running powered tools and yard maintenance machines. Keep inclement weather and the different seasons in mind when you apply to work here.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Administration
- Yard Maintenance
- Landscaper
- Installation Technician
Hell’s Kitchen
Do you know this restaurant? You really should, and not just for their food. Hell’s Kitchen is known for hiring justice-involved people, so it’s a great place to get restarted!
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Host
- Server
- Cook
- Dishwasher
- Bartender
Coustic-Glo International
Do you enjoy doing home repair jobs? Then you might want to apply with this international ceiling and wall restoration company. If you’re willing to work hard and improve your skills on-the-job, it can be satisfying to see the results of your handiwork.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Salesperson
- Drywaller
- Painter
- Cleaner
General Mills
How does a job with one of the biggest food producers in the country sound? General Mills manufactures and sells many of the cereal and baking products that are probably in your kitchen cupboard. This is a well-established company with good entry-level manufacturing jobs and other opportunities.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Storeroom Assistant
- Retail sales Representative
- Process Operator
- Process Assistant
- Packing Machine Operator
Metropolitan Council
A position at the Metropolitan Council might interest you. The Council manages city buses, neighborhood parks, and treats the wastewater for the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Light Rail Transit Helper
- Park Maintenance
- HR assistant
- Plant operator
Star Tribune
Do you love learning about your city? Maybe you’d like to be part of a busy team getting the daily news out to your neighbors. The Star Tribune has thousands of subscribers. They need people ready to work together in a fast-paced environment.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Warehouse Loader
- Warehouse Leader
- Driver
- Press Maintenance Cleaner
FixtRite
Automotove jobs are hard, but typically pay well and provide really useful life skills. FixtRite is an auto services and repair shop that will take a chance on the right candidate.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- General Labor
- Administration
- Mechanic
- Technician
University of Minnesota
Universities can be nice places to work. They can be like independent small cities where there’s a supportive community. When you work at the University of Minnesota, you begin to feel like an important part of the school campus. All that energy from the students can be contagious and put a smile on your face!
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Student assistant
- Campus safety assistant
- Clerical assistant
- Custodian
- Administrative assistant
Xcel Energy
Working for a large energy company is another option. It feels good to know that you’re part of a team that provides power to thousands of homes and businesses in the Minneapolis area. These types of companies have some good entry-level jobs, and you’ll get some excellent training.
Some of the most promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Customer contact center associate
- Inside sales representative
- Credit and collections associate
- Plant operations helper
Trucking jobs for felons in Minneapolis
If you’ve never had a driving conviction, or it’s been a number of years, trucking might make a great next career. This industry is well-known for giving second chances to former felons. In addition, the jobs have good benefits and decent wages. Where else can you get a position with so much independence and see the country at the same time?
To find trucking jobs for felons in Minneapolis, look at these companies:
- Good News Express
- TransAm Trucking
- CRST
- Roehl Transport
- Bay & Bay Transportation
Warehouse jobs for felons in Minneapolis
Most warehouse jobs don’t ask for a lot of education or experience, which makes them ideal jobs for former offenders who may be shy on both.You’ll learn on-the-job. If you work fast and get along with the other employees, you’ll do well. There are a number of different warehouse jobs for felons in Minneapolis.
Look for out warehouse job openings at these companies:
- Jaeger
- Jobbers Warehouse Supply
- Murphy
- Triangle
- Warehouse Depot
Temp agency jobs for felons in Minneapolis
If you’ve never considered temp agency jobs for felons in Minnesota before, now might be the time. They will review your qualifications and find places where your skills will be a good fit. When you’re trying to find work with a criminal background, this is a great help!
Here’s where to start to find employment agency jobs for felons in Minneapolis:
- Atlas Staffing
- Jeane Thorne Staff
- Pro Staff
- Randstad
- Robert Half
Second chance and job training programs for felons in Minneapolis
Good news! Since 2014, Minnesota has had a Ban the Box law in place for all employers. Therefore, application forms can’t include a criminal record check box. In other words, companies must consider a person’s job qualifications before they look at their criminal background. This helps you get a job interview more easily. Then, you can show why you’ll be a good hire!
There are some great second chance and job training programs for felons in Minneapolis that help you get back on your feet. They offer many supportive services you might need.
Programs in Minneapolis for former felons:
- Damascus Way
- Mission: Damascus Way Reentry Center provides reentry leadership and services using a Christ-centered approach. Our core service model supports residents with: a stable housing pathway, employment and career readiness programming, and healthy community connections-all aiming at reversing the cycle of recidivism.
- Services offered: Employment, Housing, Spiritual Services
- Minnesota State CAREERwise
- Mission: Career planning for people with a criminal conviction helps job seekers with felony convictions and other criminal charges know their work options, set goals, get training, and step ahead to a successful job search.
- Services offered: Employment
- Better Futures Minnesota
- Mission: Better Futures Minnesota works to fuel and guide our participants’ desire to rebuild their lives and create their own success stories. We are also intent on changing the costly systems and practices that produce poor results and perpetuate the chaos and cycles of dependency experienced by men who have faced incarceration.
- Services offered: Education, Employment
- EMERGE
- Mission: Our mission is to reveal the potential in people and communities through skill building, employment, and economic opportunity.
- Services offered: Employment
