If you are a person charged with Felony, the stigma cannot be easily erased for you to become acceptable to society as a normal citizen. One way for you is to find a decent job and redeem your image by your exemplary work and good behavior. Many companies do not discriminate against felons and one such company is AutoZone, the American retailer of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. This article will give you a clearer picture of the circumstances and conditions under which AutoZone will hire felons.
Company Overview
AutoZone, Inc, is one of the leading American retailers of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. The company was founded by Pitt Hyde on July 4, 1979, and was then known as Auto Shack. The company has its headquarters at Memphis, Tennessee, USA and has a presence in 6,003 locations in the US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Brazil, Mexico, and China. In 1987, Auto Shack officially became AutoZone. By the year 1989, the company began to computerize its store management system and also started retailing a new line of battery for Sub Zero, Desert and long life under the Duralast label.
The company’s stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in the year 1991 and at that time it was valued at $1 billion. The company also became the first auto parts retailer to computerize customer warranties.
Over the years, the company has grown steadily and the number of locations continued to increase. In the year 1995, the company started using satellites to enable communication between the stores and the corporate office. The company’s web site went live in the year 1996. In the same year, AutoZone acquired ALLDATA, a software development company based in Elk Grove, California. With this acquisition, they were able to provide automotive diagnostic and repair information using the software.
AutoZone has been the largest aftermarket retailer of automotive parts in North America for 3 consecutive years and is steadily improving its performance. AutoZone has hundreds of different types of jobs and career opportunities. With over 80,000 employees, AutoZone has the opportunity for the right candidates at more than 6,000 locations.
Entry Level Jobs at AutoZone
Many jobs are available in the thousands of stores of AutoZone. Entry-level jobs in various departments like Sales, Loading and Inventory, Management, Logistics are up for grabs for the right candidate. The most common entry-level jobs are Retail Sales Associates and Auto Part Delivery Driver. The salary structure varies according to the post applied for and the department you are seeking employment. A Store Manager earns $49,092 per year, whereas, a Senior System Engineer is paid $101,326 per year. The Sales department has an hourly salary which ranges from $9.73 per hour for a Sales Representative to $15.50 per hour for a Commercial Sales Executive. A Commercial Driver at AutoZone earns $9.79 per hour, whereas, a Parts Driver earns $11.26 per hour.
AutoZone provides a friendly workplace atmosphere and strongly believes in taking care of their employees. Their salaries are among the best in the industry and they provide equal opportunity to all its employees to move up the ladder.
Will AutoZone Hire You?
AutoZone is a leading retailer of aftermarket automobile parts and accessories. With its presence in more than 6,000 locations, they have a huge requirement of qualified and experienced staff. Though they do not have a clear policy on hiring felons, they have employed felons in the past and continue to do so even now. For the right person with the right qualification and experience, AutoZone is the ideal employer.
AutoZone is in a business that requires regular interaction between the customer and the employee. Therefore, the selected staff should be trustworthy and honest and should not be a troublemaker. This entails that the staff should be selected only after careful consideration. They assess the person’s character and overall approach towards the customer. This being the case, the company is very particular about who they employ and where.
AutoZone does not have a written policy on employing felons. However, being an equal opportunity employer, AutoZone follows the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) guidelines to hire those of you who have a criminal background.
Does AutoZone Do Background checks?
Before answering this question, there’re two small issues that have cropped up while employing felons. One is the “Ban the Box” campaign that has gained momentum over time. A job application form contains a box calling for details of the applicant’s criminal background. This was discriminatory against felons. Hence, a movement was started to force companies to remove this item from the application form.
The other issue is about the Fair Chance Business Pledge. This is a campaign to make companies take a pledge that they will give a fair chance to all the people who apply for jobs, irrespective of their background. Though AutoZone does not formally endorse these movements, they are not averse to employing felons in their organization.
Yes, AutoZone goes through a complete background check before they hire a felon. This does not mean that you are ineligible for employment at AutoZone. As a company that complies with the EEOC guidelines, they cannot reject your application outright, just based on your conviction. They have to prove that the particular offense conflicts with the requirement of the job applied for by you.
The background checks take their own time as they depend on the locality and the state laws prevalent there.
Background Checks in the Different States
Different states have different rules when it comes to making background checks. Some states follow seven years for background checks. This means that any felony beyond seven years will not show in the records. If your conviction happened within 7 years, then you may find it difficult to land a job in that particular state.
In some states, felonies with a not guilty verdict will not show during the background checks. So felons with a not guilty verdict become eligible for jobs in that state. On the contrary, in some states, the entire criminal records are visible during background checks. All verdicts, whether they are guilty or not guilty will show up to the employer. Your chance of getting a job in these states is virtually nil.
Most companies employ felons based on the nature of the crimes you have committed. For a job that requires you to handle money and financial information or where you handle costly items, you may not be hired if you were found guilty of fraud or money related felonies. Some jobs require you to closely interact with the customers. Those with felonies involving violence may find it difficult to be hired for these positions. Also if you have been convicted of a sex-related felony, you may not fit into their environment as you could pose a threat to children and women. For felons with such crimes, it would be advisable to seek an opportunity in the warehouse instead of at the retail counter. If your conviction was due to theft and reckless driving, you may also find it difficult to get a job at AutoZone.
Why Background Checks?
Background checks are a way to eliminate people with bad records and character from being part of the workforce at AutoZone. They conduct these checks on all individuals who aspire to get a job at AutoZone. The company does not discriminate against felons. However, it is important that it safeguards its reputation and standing in the market by selecting the right person to man its stores. This is the reason why the company goes through a background check before shortlisting the candidates.
How to Get Hired at AutoZone with a felony?
Once you are ready to apply for a job at AutoZone, you can start by writing out your resume.
- Recollect your past jobs and identify whether the job that you are applying for requires the experience that you have.
- Any experience with handling cars would be to your advantage. Highlight these skills in your resume.
- Update your resume with all the information about yourself. Include the skills you possess and have gathered, the training you have undergone during your incarceration.
- When called for an interview, attend the same in an outfit that is similar to the ones that the workers wear at AutoZone. Usually, it is Jeans or khaki with a polo shirt.
- Be confident when you attend the interview. Your confidence and enthusiasm will boost your chances.
- Remove tattoos and extra piercing before attending the interview.
- Create an impression that you are willing to go the extra mile by working extra hours or on weekends. Accepting to work extra shifts may also be to your advantage.
AutoZone does not discriminate against felons. As an equal opportunity company your chance to get hired by the company is average. It is up to you to impress them about your skills and your desire to be a valuable part of society.
>>> Click Here to Apply for Available Jobs at AutoZone
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- Apply at other companies in the same industry as Walmart, Amazon, Costco, etc.