The entry-level hiring market is broken and most HR professionals know it.
The average cost per hire now sits at $5,475 according to SHRM’s 2025 Benchmarking Report. Employers receive an average of 180 applications per open position — and only 3% of those applicants ever make it to an interview. High turnover, low engagement, and a constant cycle of rehiring is costing companies not just money but momentum.
Some employers are solving this problem from an unexpected direction — by hiring from reentry
programs.
What the Research Actually Shows
The narrative around hiring people with criminal records is changing — and the data is leading the way.
A Johns Hopkins University study found that employees hired through fair chance programs had higher retention rates than their counterparts hired through traditional channels. The Dave’s Hot Chicken chain, which has a public fair chance hiring policy, reports that formerly incarcerated employees consistently rank among their highest performers.
The reason is not complicated. People who have fought hard to earn an opportunity treat that opportunity differently than someone who took it for granted.
The Motivation Factor
Traditional job boards deliver volume. What they cannot manufacture is motivation.
Candidates coming through reentry and life skills platforms like MyHarvest have made an active choice to invest in their own growth. They have completed courses. Earned certificates. Built habits. They are not applying for jobs because it was easy — they are applying because they have prepared themselves and they are ready.
That combination of preparation and drive is genuinely rare in the entry-level market.
How Fair Chance Hiring Works in Practice
Contrary to common concern, fair chance hiring does not mean abandoning your screening process. It means expanding who gets considered before the screen begins.
MyHarvest allows employer partners to set fully custom hiring criteria — including the specific courses and certificates candidates must have completed before their application reaches your inbox. You define what ready looks like. MyHarvest delivers candidates who meet it.
The Business Case Beyond Retention
There is also a brand and community case worth considering. Consumers increasingly choose companies that demonstrate social responsibility. Employees — particularly younger workers — want to work for organizations whose values align with their own. A fair chance hiring policy is a signal that your company believes in people.
Several states also offer tax incentives for hiring formerly incarcerated individuals through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit — potentially reducing your hiring costs further.
How to Get Started
MyHarvest employer partnerships are free at the standard tier. You set your criteria, receive pre-screened and certified candidates, and fill positions faster with people who are genuinely motivated to succeed.
The entry-level hiring problem is not going away. But the pipeline is wider than most employers realize.
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