War never changes.

I understand your situation. I don't know how long ago the felonies are for you but it sounds like they might be a while ago. I am in North Carolina and expungement won't work for me either. I had to go into restaurant work (serving, bartending, then became managers at independently owned restaurants that I was completely honest with when applying for a manager position. Corporate restaurants and companies frown on this and it won't work without executive and HR approval. I have a degree from a good college, about ten years work experience doing everything including IT support, networking, database and systems programming, and management positions and I still could not get an IT job. It has been five years since I committed my felonies (acting stupid one time in your life can cost you everything so a word to the wise, think before you act and if you're too drunk, it's probably not wise to act at all) and if I go to an interview they say everything is great until I tell them about my background. I have been doing some consulting work on the side, helping local businesses out with their computer work and helping fix as many people's computers as I can and doing websites for businesses (it's not what you know, it's who you know). It helps keep me sharp. Recently I have been able to attain a developer position from an independently owned company and am their head developer now through a connection I made doing websites. Also, one of the companies I used to do security with (and they are a medium sized company) is trying to find a way to hire me back as a Systems Engineer but I am waiting to hear back from their lawyers and executives, but this is only because I've worked there before and done well and the president and vice president of the company would like to have me back. You can't imagine how surprised I was to get that phone call after five years of nothing. Realistically, I don't think it will work yet, but I am still hoping. So basically, try for smaller businesses, startups, and in the worst case scenario, start your own business. If is your passion and you keep trying, something will happen. If you need money to live and eat like I did, you will probably have to resort to another field temporarily. But do your best and things will happen. I have extra work maintaining and programming POS systems for restaurants and that field needs some good IT people in it, trust me. If you want to try starting something up yourself, let me know and I will be glad to help with what I can. Be honest with employers, but telling them everything right from the beginning may not always be the best bet, but let your judgement and the other person's personality determine that. Best of luck!