Many inmates in rural areas remain unprepared to obtain employment after incarceration because of the limited access to preparatory and reentry programs. After prison, these ex-offenders lack the vocational and educational resources required to obtain viable employment and struggle with their employability. Research has established that the lack of employability leads to overwhelming recidivism rates. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of males released from incarceration about factors that contribute to their employability in Southwest Alabama. Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory, which centers on the relation between reasoning and behavior and assumes a continuous interaction between an individual's personal feelings, behavior, and social environment, framed the study. The theory's constructs of personal factors, behavioral factors, and environmental factors informed the research questions. I interviewed five participants residing at Elijah House, a transitional residential facility in Southwest Alabama. The findings revealed the following employability factors: the negative impacts of employment gaps and other hiring practices, ability to obtain relevant employment documents before release, access to support programs funded by the federal government and the state, and family ties and support. The study concludes that there should be more vocational and academic support for inmates during and after incarceration. Also, addressing the imminent employment needs for males released from prisons can help reduce the recidivism rate. Future studies can explore the employability of males released from incarceration using additional data sources, such as focus groups, to encourage open conversations about the struggles of ex-offenders. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]