Q: I was married to a drug dealer and didn't know it, but the police thought otherwise. I was taken in and charged with 14 misdemeanors and one felony just so they could question me about my husband. The only charge that I was guilty of was the felony for possession of cocaine. All of that was 18 years ago, and I have been "clean" and sober since 1990.

I have since worked at four different long-term jobs. I even have completed three years of college and will graduate with a degree in psychology and counseling. The problem is that I was laid off 10 months ago because of the bad economy, and with all the people out of work now, the competition is tough. The state of Florida, where I live, won't allow a person to have a criminal record sealed, so I've been honest on my applications about my criminal record. I was told that doing so raises a red flag, though, and employers absolutely won't consider me. I try to go in person so people can see how I professional I am, but many don't have time for walk-ins.

All of us who have tried to rehabilitate ourselves successfully deserve the same considerations as others. Now I would take any minimum-wage job because I am at the end of my rope, and I can't afford an attorney to help me. Any tips?

A: Set your sights high, and you will get your chance to work again. You have a solid work history since 1990 despite your criminal record, and that is what you should emphasize. Stop going after minimum-wage-type jobs. National and local chains will ask you to fill out an application immediately and will not consider you because they can't go against their "no criminal record" policy. With three years of college, you probably have good administrative skills and are computer literate. Look for an employer where you can walk in, hand out your résumé (which doesn't list your criminal record), and impress each person you meet. If the hiring manager or company owner doesn't have time at that moment, you may get a call for an interview at a later date. A small company or a small law firm may be more interested in your work history than in your wild and naive past of 18 years ago.

HR Manager Hits a 10 in Unprofessionalism

Q: I interviewed for a new job that was posted on our company's job board and was told on a Thursday I had gotten it. I took off Friday to sign up for a class at a local college, and when I returned Monday, employees in my area said to me how sorry they were about me not getting the job. That was the first I heard of it. I found out the company decided it didn't need the position. The human resources manager took two weeks to talk to me about it and said he didn't think there was anything unethical about me hearing about it through the gossip mill. Do I have any recourse?

A: Your human resources manager is unprofessional and stupid. It's absurd that he sees nothing wrong with hearing about an important piece of information through company gossip. You can't change the fact that the company changed its position on the job, but at least you still have your original job to keep.

Please send your questions to: Lindsey Novak, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. E-mail her at LindseyNovak@yahoo.com, or visit her Web site at www.LindseyNovak.com. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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