4 Barriers That Keep Great Talent Locked Out — And How We Break Them

There’s no shortage of people ready to work. But there are too many barriers keeping them out. Every day, qualified, motivated individuals are passed over—not because they lack ability, but because the system wasn’t built with them in mind. At Rise, we’re confronting these barriers head-on and creating new pathways to meaningful employment. Because talent shouldn’t be defined by zip code, background checks, or lack of connections.

Barrier #1: Background Checks That Tell Only One Side of the Story

For individuals with non-violent criminal records, a background check can slam the door shut before they ever get to interview. But a person’s past doesn’t always reflect their present—or their potential.

What Rise does: We vet every candidate through a structured tier system and work with community partners to ensure they’re ready for placement. Employers get context, not just a record.

Barrier #2: Employment Gaps That Hide Grit

Survivors of trafficking or individuals who’ve aged out of foster care often have gaps in employment. These gaps are frequently misunderstood as laziness or lack of ambition, when they actually reflect survival, trauma, or instability.

What Rise does: We help employers see beyond the gap, sharing readiness markers and offering support to build sustainable transitions into the workforce.

Barrier #3: Lack of Networks and Referrals

Most jobs still come through word-of-mouth. But many Rise candidates don’t have professional networks. That doesn’t mean they lack skills—it just means they haven’t had access.

What Rise does: We become the network. Through nonprofit and business partnerships, we provide warm introductions, training, and direct placements that open doors previously locked.

Barrier #4: Fear—On Both Sides

Let’s be honest: fear is real. Employers worry about risk. Candidates worry about rejection or discrimination. Both can get in the way of opportunity.

What Rise does: We bring transparency, communication, and ongoing relationship management into the hiring process. This isn’t a handoff—it’s a partnership.

Barriers Don’t Define People. Opportunities Do.

When companies choose to hire with purpose, they do more than fill a role.

They shift culture. They rewrite narratives.

And they model what real inclusion looks like.

Are you ready to help break barriers? Become a Rise partner and start hiring with purpose today.

-Jonathan