Careers typically take years, if not decades, to develop. Professionals may have to complete college degrees or specialized training. They may have to apprentice under a master. Their chosen profession may require years of experience. Professionals also need to develop connections within their industry and adjacent industries to optimize their career development opportunities.
Criminal charges are among the setbacks that can have major implications for a professional’s future options. Some people plead guilty to pending charges because they don’t want that to draw media attention or miss work to attend a trial. However, a guilty plea will lead to a conviction. How can a criminal conviction impact future career opportunities for a professional?
1. By creating attendance issues
Pleading guilty may prevent the need to attend a trial, but the professional may be at risk of a sentence that affects their job attendance. Incarceration can force a professional out of their current position because they have to miss weeks or years of work.
Probation doesn’t necessarily protect a professional from attendance issues, depending on their schedule. Community service obligations could also affect job attendance. The more time workers miss, the harder it may be for them to pursue advancement opportunities later.
2. By affecting licensing
Many professions require a state-issued license. Healthcare workers, architects and many other skilled professionals have to maintain a license issued by the state to work in their chosen professions. Criminal convictions can lead to ineligibility for licensing. Professionals may not be able to renew their licenses because they entered a guilty plea.
In some cases, information about a conviction could lead to disciplinary actions that could result in the suspension or revocation of a professional license long before the renewal date arrives. The loss of a professional license could effectively end a specific career path.
3. By damaging a professional’s reputation
Background checks are common during the onboarding process. If professionals cannot pass a criminal background check, they may not be able to seek employment at other organizations.
Even internal promotions could be difficult to acquire. Many companies perform background checks on existing workers when reviewing an application for a promotion. Additionally, if coworkers or supervisors learn about the offense, the way they treat a professional could change. That could ultimately have a chilling effect on career development as well.
Professionals facing criminal charges may want to fight back assertively. Reviewing the charges could be the first step toward developing an effective criminal defense strategy.