Dear Hiring Manager,
We know you’re busy. You’ve got positions to fill, quotas to meet, customers to please, and a thousand reasons to go with the “safe” choice—the résumé that checks all the boxes, the background that looks clean, the story that doesn’t raise any questions.
But we need you to stop for just a minute.
Because there’s another stack of résumés sitting on your desk—or more likely, sitting in the digital graveyard of “Did Not Advance.” And in that stack are people who have paid their debt, done their time, and are ready to prove they belong. People who don’t just want a job—they need one. People who have everything to lose and everything to prove.
We’re talking about justice-impacted individuals. People with a criminal record. People who have walked through fire and come out the other side sober, focused, and full of grit. People who’ve rebuilt their lives from scratch and are asking for the one thing that could change everything: a chance.
And let’s be honest—it is a risk. Every hire is. But the people we work with at F5 Project? They’re showing up early. They’re saying yes to overtime. They’re changing the thermostat before anyone else notices it’s cold. They’re staying loyal to the places that took a chance on them when no one else would.
You say you want reliable. Dedicated. Hardworking. Motivated.
That’s exactly who’s waiting in the “no” pile.
We’re not asking you to lower your standards—we’re asking you to broaden your lens. To look beyond a background check and into the actual background—the story, the transformation, the resilience. Because you might just find the best employee you’ve ever had.
So next time you’re hiring, don’t just check boxes. Change lives.
Sincerely,
F5 Project
(and every person who just needs someone to believe in them)
