Finding a job after losing one to a positive test

[Iguana]

Anybody have any input on this? I'm not there yet, but I want to be prepared for the worst. If I have to, I can quit before discipline and being fired. There's no doubt I would be fired if I have a positive result. What do you tell prospective employers about why you quit a job you had for 20 years?

Thanks.

Iguana Reviewed by Iguana on 08-10-2007. Finding a job after losing one to a positive test Anybody have any input on this? I'm not there yet, but I want to be prepared for the worst. If I have to, I can quit before discipline and being fired. There's no doubt I would be fired if I have a positive result. What do you tell prospective employers about why you quit a job you had for 20 years? Thanks. Rating: 5

[Zwitter]

If I were you, I'd quit before discipline, but right now, get searching! Get a backup plan! What do you do for a living?

[thcbongman]

You have to keep it short and sweet, state the reason without incriminating yourself further.

Employment verifications only state a short reason of why you been fired, they don't get too specific, they're quite generic.

Each company has a different policy on how they view a failed drug test, some fire, others give you a chance if are valued to them. If they consider you, input from your supervisor is more important. Keep on good terms with him/her.

[thcbongman]

If I were you, I'd quit before discipline, but right now, get searching! Get a backup plan! What do you do for a living?

Quoted for emphasis.

[Iguana]

Government job. Can't really go into more detail. Plain arrogance and stupidity on my part to partake.

[thcbongman]

.....

[slipknotpsycho]

rofl... are you kidding dude?

i don't care how you phrase it tho.... that's not gonna look good... i mean if i was your prospective employer, saw you got fired from a govt. job for failing a drug test... well in all honesty i'd be like "what a dumbass..."

[jaGerbom]

damn...have you taken the drug test yet? i would def. give an effort at bringing someone elses urine in to the test with you so you dont even have to think about getting a new job. man im sorry to hear about your situation, it sounds like a bad one.

[thcbongman]

It doesn't look good either way, but how you phrase it lightens the load and doesn't make you look like as much of a dumbass, which is the point. People make mistakes, that's life, every HR department has seen it all. If he's able to go up to his new employers and prove he's clean, and he can prove it with previous performance reviews, why wouldn't they hire him? If every company looked at "what a dumbass" felons wouldn't get hired, every person with a charge, or been fired even for little reasons couldn't get hired again.

Dumbasses are the ones that try to lie about their past. Honesty is a great concept, but you can't let it hurt you at the same time. You are honest about it, but keep it simple and sweet, and if they ask you to elaborate, just say I smoked marijuana once, I made a mistake." Shows you are responsible for your actions, which in turn, makes you a valued employee. Never bring up information they don't ask for. If they don't ask, don't tell.

This isn't a guy who worked there for 3 months and got fired. He had 20 years of good service before 1 incident.

So laugh, but let me ask, have you ever been in this incident?

[Iguana]

I hope this isn't amusing you too much. I don't get off on others pain or misfortune. Not kidding. That's why I would most likely quit before I got fired. So that I could at least say that I had quit, not gotten fired.