Does Jimmy John’s Hire Felons?

Jimmy Johns is a big player in the sandwich industry. They make all types of sandwiches, and they have shops in 43 U.S. states.

Felons absolutely should be granted a second chance at thriving! Finding employment is a huge part of what will make a felon successful at his second chance.  Employment not only provides income, but it also keeps people busy. This means they have less time to get in trouble!

About Jimmy Johns

Jimmy Johns is a sandwich shop, producing a variety of sandwiches, including the “unwich” that allows you to buy your sandwich wrapped in lettuce instead of on bread. Jimmy John started out by partnering with his dad!

Jimmy Johns founded in 1983, and they always use local produce, real meat, and Hellmann’s mayo in their sandwiches. They bake their bread every day and it is always served within 4 hours from the time it was baked.

They now have about over 2800 sandwich shops, and they proudly use local employees to build their shops from plumbers to electricians. They have proudly received several awards, and are known as a “green” company. About 35-50% of their cardboard is recycled material.

The benefit package that Jimmy Johns offers depends on your job. All employees get at least a discount on sandwiches. If you have a fulltime job, you’ll also be entitled to healthcare benefits and a retirement package.

People like working at Jimmy Johns mostly because they love the sandwiches and they love being able to get a discount on a sandwich.

Does Jimmy Johns Hire Felons?

Yes, it is possible to get a job at Jimmy Johns if you have a felony. A lot of times, employees are hired based on their interview, and there isn’t much of a deep dive done into their past.

Jimmy Johns is known to be accepting of people with a criminal background. You should be honest throughout the process. If you are asked, you should disclose that you have a criminal history.

Does Jimmy Johns run background checks?

While it’s possible they will run a background check, they do not always do so. If you are applying for a lower level job, like sandwich maker, it is likely that they will not run a background check on you.

Given that they are pretty lax regarding background checks, unlike a log of large companies, Jimmy Johns could be a good company for a felon to get a job.

Careers at Jimmy Johns

Inshopper: must be able to pass a sandwich test. Mostly, this job serves to take phone orders and greet customers. Essentially, this is like a host or hostess at a restaurant in which you will greet people as they come and go from the store.

Sandwich Maker: The bread and butter of the company, making sandwiches. You’ll be in charge of getting the right ingredients into the right sandwiches.

Bike Deliver Driver: Jimmy Johns in major cities use bike delivery drivers to deliver their food. They try to live by their motto, “freaky fast, freaky good,” and in big cities, sometimes bike delivery drivers can deliver their sandwiches quicker than if you are driving by car. You’ll also need to verify you are taking the right sandwich to the right customer.

General Manager: They probably have the most responsibility. You’ll need to be a go-getter and ready to take charge of an entire location. Lead by example, and ensure every sandwich is exactly right.

Opening Specialist: This person needs to provide oversight for the opening of a Jimmy Johns franchise. You’ll be an expert in all things Jimmy John and you’ll be helping people open up their franchises.

Application Process at Jimmy Johns

To apply at Jimmy Johns start out on their website. It’s pretty straightforward to apply on the website, and you can upload your resume right there online.

Even if you are a felon, you should never lie about it on any job application. A lot of employers are willing to forgive a criminal past if you are just honest about it.

If you’re asked about your criminal history in an interview, you should take the approach of being honest. Take responsibility. Perhaps you could say, “I made a mistake, but it happened a long time ago, and I’m ready to be a good citizen now if you’ll help me have a second chance”

To succeed at Jimmy Johns, make sure you’re ready to show up on time and work hard. Your team will be depending on you.

To improve your resume, think along the lines of, what skills do you already have? Even if you haven’t worked in the sandwich industry, you might already have skills that would translate .Use phrases like, “I worked on my people skills while doing these activities…”