Most companies that do screening consider criminal records

You’re facing criminal charges in North Carolina. If convicted, it’s going to go on your permanent record.

You’re not even through the case yet, but you’re already thinking about the future. Is this going to be a black mark on your record that you can never shake? Is it going to make it impossible for you to get a job? Even if you serve your time and pay your fines, are you going to find that your conviction stays with you for the rest of your life?

You may. Remember, most companies that do pre-hire screening do look for criminal convictions. One account said that a full 93% of them use criminal record searches.

Your employers are looking. Future employers will look. If you go to jail, even for a short time, are you going to lose your job? Maybe it says in the employee handbook that a conviction is grounds for replacement. Maybe you just know they’ll need to replace you while you can’t work.

That means you’ll come out on the other side, technically free, but still looking at some serious challenges in life. How do you make ends meet without a job? How do you get your life back on track? Is your career as you know it going to be over?

These are all important questions to ask, and they show why you need to think about the big picture if you ever find yourself facing charges. The ramifications could be quite serious. Make sure you know what legal options you have and what steps you can take to defend your future.