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Anyone that is justice-involved will encounter obstacles when seeking a job. We have written this article to equip you with good information to help you with this, including a list of potential places for jobs for felons in San Diego, California, specifically. Our crack research team has investigated over 1,000 companies to get information on their hiring practices for and their likelihood of hiring former felons.
You definitely need to check out our great website because it has tons of useful information that will help relaunch your life in a positive direction. Our goal is to give you the benefits of our experiences and knowledge gained from living through the same challenges that you now face. Continue reading for information on and a list of local businesses that are good candidates for companies that hire felons in San Diego.
Jobs that hire felons in San Diego
San Diego has a population of over 3.3 million people and is the second-largest populated area in California (5th largest in the US). It is called the birthplace of California because it was the site of California’s first permanent Spanish settlement in 1769. The largest business sectors in San Diego’s economy are defense/military, tourism, international trade, research, and manufacturing.
If you have a good idea of the type of job that you are seeking, then take a look at our great search tool. It will let you zoom in by using the parameters (job type, industry, etc.) and find the best openings for jobs that hire felons in San Diego.
Top companies that hire felons in San Diego
Former felons often get discouraged with their jobs search because they experience more barriers than the average jobseeker. Entry-level jobs are typically the most successful way to get restarted in the working world. They are always available and have the lowest requirements. If you need to get employed quickly, then check out a staffing agency. There are many employment agency jobs for felons in San Diego.
Now, let’s get right into details about 10 companies that we believe will give you the best chance of getting a job. Click on the company name to go directly to its section, or just keep reading to see them all.
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
One of the first things you need to do when you start your job hunt is to create a resume. You must make sure your resume is well-written and up-to-date. Our website is a perfect place to go for great guidance on making a resume for people with a record. With that in hand, you’ll be ready to apply to any of the companies below!
Bartell Hotels
Bartell Hotels is San Diego’s largest independent hotel owner-operator with locations among San Diego’s world-famous beaches, idyllic bays, and activity hubs. They advertise that they provide quintessential San Diego experiences for tourists and locals, as well as boasting exceptional hospitality, inspiring design, farm-to-table restaurants, trendy bars, and live music at the iconic Humphreys Concerts by the Bay entertainment venue. They are headquartered in San Diego and often have a good number of jobs available.
Some entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Room Attendant
- Guest Services Supervisor
- Laundry Attendant
- Porter
- Central Reservations
La Bella
La Bella Pizza and La Bella Café & Games is a family owned and operated restaurant business. Founded in 1955, their pizzerias serve up food and fun for the citizens of South Bay and beyond, with both take-out and a unique dine-in experience. They have many open positions in the San Diego area.
Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Delivery Driver
- Restaurant Manager
- Kitchen Staff
- Beer Tender
- Order Counter
Goodwill
Goodwill Industries of San Diego County is a local not-for-profit organization and is part of an international network of charities operating under the Goodwill name. They provide job training and employment services as well as operating retail stores, recycling operations (including electronics), and a shredding business. They also provide free employment assistance to residents of San Diego County and are headquartered in San Diego.
Promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Donation Center Attendant
- Store Clerk/Cashier
- Sales Person
- Warehouse Processor
- Truck Driver
Golden State Foods
Golden State Foods is one of the largest suppliers to the fast food industry. They supply companies like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Taco Bell. Distributors have lots of warehouse work and are particularly good for shift work.
Here are some of their best entry-level positions:
- Client Services Desk Analyst
- Manufacturing
- Production Casual Worker
- Warehouse Associate
- Machine Operator
Qualcomm
Qualcomm is a multinational corporation headquartered in San Diego that provides semiconductors, software, and services related to wireless technology. It owns patents critical to the 5G, 4G, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, and WCDMA mobile communications standards. Their technologies are used in components or software for vehicles, watches, laptops, Wi-Fi, smartphones, and other devices.
Some promising jobs for former felons:
- Logistics Specialist, Assoc.
- Wafer/Panel Level Packaging Engineer
- IT Support Analyst, Associate
- Supply Chain Analyst
- Maintenance Electrician
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) is a division of General Dynamics and is a shipbuilding company with three large shipyards in the US. Their headquarters are in San Diego, and the shipyard there specializes in constructing commercial cargo ships and auxiliary vessels for the US Navy and Military Sealift Command. It is also the only new-construction shipyard on the West Coast.
Promising jobs for former felons:
- Estimator, Repair Contracts
- Machine Operator
- Crane Operator
- Material Support Technician
- Burner
Roma Market
Roma is an all-in-one market serving a spectacular array of specialty goods, like cured meats and cheese, breads, antipasti, conservas, and frozen sauces and pastas. Food and grocery stores are almost always hiring.
Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Stocker
- Cashier
- Maintenance
- Bagger
- Janitorial
Petco
Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. is a pet retailer with corporate offices in San Diego and San Antonio. They sell pet food, products, and services, as well as certain types of live small animals. Petco has approximately 1,500 stores across the US, Mexico, and Puerto Rico with annual total revenues of $4.1 billion in 2020. The company owns the naming rights to the Petco Park baseball stadium, which is home of the San Diego Padres.
Several opportunities they offer for former felons:
- Sales Associate
- Lead Sales Associate
- Wholesale Production
- Customer Service Representative
- Merchandise Operations Specialist
Hunter Industries
Hunter Industries is a manufacturer of irrigation and outdoor lighting equipment for the landscaping, residential, commercial, agricultural, and golf course industries. They also sell sanitary dispensing products such as automatic paper towel and soap dispensers. Hunter Industries is based in San Marcos, California, and is the second-largest employer in the area.
Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Central Plant Operator Specialist
- Quality Inspector
- Machine Operator
- Test Technician
- Customer Service Information Specialist
Taylor Guitars
Taylor Guitars is a guitar manufacturer founded in 1974, based in El Cajon, and is one of the largest manufacturers of acoustic guitars in the US. They specialize in acoustic guitars and semi-hollow electric guitars. If you are into music and/or musical instruments, then they are a good place to check out.
Some promising entry-level jobs for former felons:
- Production
- Warehouse Clerk
- Wood Operations Clerk
- Customer Service Representative
- Custodian
Trucking jobs for felons in San Diego
The trucking industry is big and always looking for hard-working drivers! They also have a tremendous record for hiring former felons. Many trucking companies will even provide training for new drivers starting a career as a trucker.
If you’re looking for trucking jobs for felons in San Diego, here are some companies to check out:
- Cubic Transportation Systems
- Old Dominion Freight Line
- San Diego Trucking Company
- Black Eagle Trucking
- DIII Transport
- Enniss Inc.
Warehouse jobs for felons in San Diego
Warehouses are another great source for job opportunities. They are consistently hiring for a variety of jobs, and they almost always have minimal requirements.
Here are some of the best places to look for warehouse jobs for felons in San Diego:
- AIT Worldwide Logistics
- Fulex E-Commerce Fulfillment Warehouse
- Weber Logistics
- A & M Warehouse Services
- Omni Logistics
Temp agency jobs for felons in San Diego
One of the best places to find a job quickly is through a staffing agency. They are an excellent source of jobs, and are really helpful with locating currently available jobs that have low requirements. Below are some places to look for temp agency jobs for felons in San Diego.
Here are some of the best agencies in the area:
- PrideStaff
- Aerotek
- Royalty Staffing
- Transition Staffing Group
- The Francisco Homes
Second chance and job training programs for felons in San Diego
California is a Ban the Box state. The Fair Chance Act took effect in 2018 and prohibits employers with five or more employees from asking job candidates about their conviction history before making them a job offer.
Another place to go for additional help are Second Chance organizations. They provide not only help with finding jobs, but a lot of other things such as legal aid, medical, financial, education and more. There are many second chance and job training programs for felons in San Diego and southern California.
Resources for former felons in San Diego:
- San Diego Reentry Roundtable
- Mission: The mission of the San Diego Re-entry Roundtable is to promote the safe and successful return of offenders to our community.
- Services offered: Education, Employment
- San Diego Second Chance
- Mission: To disrupt the cycles of incarceration and poverty by helping people find their way to self-sufficiency. Second Chance creates opportunities for people to transform their own lives through programs that provide job readiness and life skills training, job placement, behavioral health and prisoner re-entry services, relapse prevention and sober-living housing for adults in need. We foster behavioral changes that promote personal responsibility, healthy relationships and positive contributions to society.
- Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Clothing and Household, Education, Employment, Family, Housing, Legal, Medical, Mental Health, Transportation
- Metro Community Ministry
- Mission: Fifty years ago, Metro began by providing community-based supportive services, emergency food banks, and clothing closets. Today, we have expanded our reach by addressing three main areas of need in order to eradicate the cycle of poverty. These three areas are: education, and employment assistance, and leadership development.
- Services offered: Education, Employment
- The Homeboy Hotline
- Mission: Homeboy Hotline is a non-profit, designed to increase employment opportunities and offer job resources to ex-offenders and the most vulnerable in our communities. We offer a central location to receive employment, educational resources, lifeskills classes, support and basic job training courses and employment references upon meeting the conditions of the program criteria. The function of our program is to provide a comprehensive resource database that is specific to employers and other community agencies who will hire persons with a criminal records and provide supportive resources. HBH helps you communicate with potential employers, affiliated employment agencies and community service partners.
- Services offered: Education, Employment
- Amity Foundation
- Mission: Amity Foundation is dedicated to the inclusion and habilitation of people marginalized by addiction, trauma, criminality, incarceration, poverty, racism, sexism, homelessness and violence. We strive to improve health, and promote environmental, social and economic justice. Amity is committed to research, development, implementation and dissemination of information regarding community building.
- Services offered: Addiction and Recovery, Mental Health
