Essential Skills for Justice-Impacted Job Seekers
When we talk about preparing justice-impacted job seekers for meaningful employment, the conversation often jumps to “hard skills” — those gained through technical training, leading to certifications and credentials. While these are critical, they’re only part of the equation. Too often overlooked are the competencies referred to as “soft skills,” which are just as essential for long-term success.
During a recent NRWC webinar, Jeffrey Abramowitz, CEO of the Petey Greene Program, called them what they truly are: “essential skills.”
These are the traits employers value most. They are the habits that build careers. And for employers like Pete Leonard, founder of I Have a Bean — a coffee company dedicated to hiring justice-impacted job seekers — they can be the difference that leads to transforming a life.
The Six Essentials
Through 15 years of experience, Mr. Leonard has identified six non-negotiable traits. These aren’t just preferences — they are baseline requirements for success in the workplace, particularly for individuals navigating the transition from incarceration to employment.
Dependability
Do what you say you will do.
This isn’t about perfect job performance or perfect attendance. It’s about follow-through. Whether it’s showing up on time for an interview or meeting a deadline, dependability creates the foundation for trust between employee and employer.
Honesty
Tell the truth about your story.
Employers value transparency. A job seeker who can clearly and candidly own their past and articulate what they’ve learned is often more trustworthy than a candidate with a clean record and a rehearsed script.
Agency
Take responsibility for your present and future.
Agency is about ownership. It means the job seeker, not a parent, case manager, or friend, is the one asking for the application, showing up prepared, and generally steering the process.
Teachability
Accept instruction without ego.
Most employers will say they can teach technical skills. What’s harder to teach is humility and openness to feedback. Teachability means being coachable, an indispensable trait in any workplace.
Engagement
Demonstrate curiosity and presence.
Engaged candidates research the company, ask questions, and show initiative. This signals not just interest in the role, but in growth. Engagement helps employers see potential, not just readiness.
Self-Actualization
Demonstrate identity transformation and conviction.
Employers want to know, “How do you know you’re not going back to prison?”
Self-actualization is about the individual recognizing they are no longer the person who was incarcerated. They live by new values and take new actions from a place of conviction. Employers look for candidates whose mindset, choices, and behavior reflect a new way of living from those that initially led to incarceration.
Why This Matters in Reentry Workforce Development
When reentry workforce practitioners build training programs that prioritize these competencies, they equip participants for more than employment — they prepare them for long-term advancement.
For employers, these traits are consistent predictors of workplace success. For practitioners, they provide a common language to coach, assess, and advocate for job seekers. And for job seekers, they offer a roadmap to transformation that starts with who you choose to be today.