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Justice Involved

Information on Entering the Workforce

How to Request a Record of Arrest & Prosecution (RAP) Sheet

A Record of Arrest and Prosecution (RAP) sheet is a record of all your arrests and convictions. In New York, RAP sheets are maintained by the Record Review Unit of the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).

  • In order to request your RAP sheet through the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), you must submit fingerprints, this allows DCJS to match your fingerprints to the fingerprints on file. 
    • You can get your fingerprints taken for a New York State RAP Sheet request two ways:

How to Obtain your DCJS RAP Sheet:

More Information on RAP Sheets

Career Exploration

Common Questions to Ask Yourself:

  • Job Duties
    • Would you like doing this kind of work?
    • Would you be able to do it
  • Typical Wages or Earnings
    • Does the career pay a wage you can live on?
    • Will training help you earn more?
  • Typical Training or Education
    • Do you have the right training for the career?
    • What education or training would you need to qualify for the job?
    • Is training given at a school near where you live?
  • Employment or Job Openings
    • What is the outlook for new jobs?
    • are more job openings expected in the future?
    • Or is the number of workers diminishing?

Career Assessments:

Career assessments ask a short set of questions about which activities you do and don’t like to do, to learn about the types of work that may suit you well. 

Self Employment:

Benefits of Self Employment

  • Be your own boss
  • Potential high income
  • Set your own schedule
  • Use and grow your skills
  • Accomplish your goals

Self-Employment Assistance Program

Creating a Resume

A resume describes your skills and work experience. It shows how your knowledge and experience match the employer’s needs. 

Resumes are not a list of everything you have done. Focus on the parts of your experience that make you a good candidate for the job.

A resume should include:

  • Contact Information

    Place this at the top of your resume and include your full name, home address, phone number and an email address. If you don’t have a permanent address, use a location where you can receive mail, or a rented post office box.

  • Career Objective or Summary

    For a Career Objective, write the career you want to be hired for, such as “Retail Salesperson.” For a Summary, write 2-3 sentences to highlight the skills or accomplishments that show why you are a good fit for the job.

  • Work Experience

    A list of past jobs you’ve held. Include employer/company name, city and state, your job title, dates you held the job, major responsibilities, accomplishments, promotions, and other highlights. Also include your soft skills here or in a Summary, for example “Strong communication skills”, “On time and excellent attendance record”, “Strong teamwork skills”.

  • Education

    List education and training you have done. Include school or program name, city and state, dates attended, and any diplomas, degrees or certifications you have earned.

  • Volunteering / Activities

    List volunteer or community work you have done. Also include other activities that can show your responsibility, commitment, or skills.

  • Military Experience

    List dates of military service, rank obtained and branch. Write in any special training or skills you gained.

Other things to think about when writing your resume

  • Target your audience: Highlight skills and activities related to the job you’re applying for.
  • Be accurate: State your skills and abilities clearly and accurately. 
  • Include all related experiences: Include positive information about your knowledge and skills that’s related to the job.
  • Be brief: Limit your resume to one or two pages.
  • Formatting: Check for spelling and grammatical errors, proper spacing, strong action verbs, and proper spacing and equal number of bullets for each job description
  • Be professional: Ask two people to check your resume for any errors. Print your resume on high-quality paper using a quality printer.

Interviewing

Interviews are a chance for an employer to learn more about you. They are also your chance to learn about the company.

Take time to prepare for your interview. Practice what you’ll say. Plan what you will wear and how you will get to the interview. These activities will help you feel more confident and make a positive impression.

Start by looking at a list of common interview questions. You’ll find the link in the Resources box at the bottom of this page. You can practice and write out answers to these questions in advance. Your interview will go more smoothly—and show the employer that you’re prepared.

Practice how you will talk about your background in interviews.

It’s better to be honest up front and possibly lose some opportunities than to lose someone’s trust after you are hired.

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