But if it did come up on a criminal background check, they’ll look at how long ago it was and what your record has been since then. Your staying clean for 10 years is a major positive! And your attending and nearly completing college is another major positive! So I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about.

You are an inspriation to others who have made major mistakes in their lives. A felony conviction does hurt people, and many who get out of prison find it extremely tough to adjust. As a result, lots of them will return to a life of crime.

But you stuck it out and made something of yourself. An employer will respect and admire this! They’ll realize you made a mistake when you were younger, paid a very heavy price for it, and now are a changed person.