I don’t want this to come off as an excuse; I know what I did was wrong and I was rightfully terminated for being seen drinking a beer during my break. The reason I was doing that was because I was trying on my own to quit drinking cold turkey and was having some fairly disturbing withdrawal symptoms and the only immediate thing my idiot brain could think to do was to consume some alcohol to make the withdrawal abate.
Since then, I went into detox and then outpatient therapy and regularly attend AA meetings; I’ve been dry and in recovery ever since I came to my senses enough to seek professional help. But now, as you might imagine, not a single job application I’ve sent out has produced so much as an interview. Many applications will ask if you’ve ever been fired or asked to resign, and I do not lie about that,as if/when it does come to light, it’s another firing from that company anyway. I don’t offer explicit details in the applications; if I’masked in an interview I’ll explain.
I will admit that if I had someone in an interview tell me they were fired for drinking on the job odds are good I’m going to hire another candidate. Most companies these days will not divulge the reasons you were separated. When I answered verification of employment checks I was only permitted to give them the former employee’s job title and dates of employment. Sometimes they asked additional questions like “Is this person eligible for rehire” and I’d have to tell them policy prevents me from answering such questions. Even when the answer was hell no.
I’m not sure what advice to give. I’m loathed to tell anyone they should lie during the interview process.
Would there be any value in addressing this in the cover letter? Can you ask others in your AA group how they deal with it? What about going thru an employment agency and discussing it with them?
I think asking others in your AA group how they have handled this is an excellent suggestion. There is a great recovery community at The Alcoholism and Addictions Help Forums- by SoberRecovery.com , and you might be able to get some practical advice there. Best of luck to you.
In the Changing Times Department: In the early 80s I used to work at a place where everyone drank at lunch. Not just wine and margaritas, but liquor. In fact, our lunch group wouldn’t go to a restaurant unless they had a full bar. Looking back… probably not such a great idea.
It depends somewhat on what the job market is like for your career. What did you do for your last employer and what’s your education level? I promise you that there are jobs out there where the only requirement is the ability to fog a mirror. Whether or not you want to work there is a better question.
This is a good idea except a great deal of companies take in (and filter) resumes electronically. “Fired for any reason” will likely route it to a dead letter folder.
If I were the op I would talk to the former employer and see what their policy is when asked if someone worked there. Many companies will only provide a “yes” or “no” to avoid litigation from former employees. If that’s the case then nobody is available to argue whether you were fired or quite.
I would recommend the op start a business so there is no resume gap in employment. Cuckoorex’s Landscaping.
Potential employees will be asked why they left their previous job. The answer has to be positive and practiced. "I liked the work and did well with it but I didn’t see a future in it. Not my cup of tea. Be prepared to answer in detail why. You have to justify leaving the company with no job to back you up. If you’re married then your spouse supported your change in career paths. You CANNOT waiver or waffle an answer to these questions. You shouldn’t bad mouth your former employee. It’s a career change. With that mindset you are interviewing them as well to see if it’s the kind of job you’re interested in. "I’m interested in A, B, and C and I’m looking for a company that needs whatever qualities are you possess.
Practice interviewing with someone who is willing to be brutal.
If you’re going with “career change” then the op should interview the potential employer to see if it’s what the op is looking for. "I’m looking for A, B, and C. I offer the following skills…
And yes, this has been focused on interviews versus getting the interview. We are in a period of extremely high employment rates. That means at least some companies are having problems finding employees to fill jobs.
Get as many of your resumes out there as possible. Network any contacts you have and make sure your social media is in good standing.
If you don’t use social media such as facebook then create an account and fill it with fuzzy bunnies and sunshine. No politics. No opinions. Employers look at this stuff now and expect to see you online and in good standing.
There is a difference between lying and being too honest. I’m not saying you need to lie to get a job, but you don’t have to put down every fact of your life on your application. If you really are recovered, there are good reasons that would make you outstanding employee, but you have to get through the application process first, which you aren’t going to do by saying “Hello, I am Cockoorex and I’m an alocholic.”
If asked on an application why you left your last employment, just put something like “personal reasons” or, perhaps, “two pursue personal goals” (like getting sober). This is not a lie, and if the interviewer wants more information, they will ask. Once you have a face-to-face interview, you will have a better chance of explaining why this experience will make you a better employee.
IME, few, certainly not all, applications will ask if you’ve ever been fired, or asked to resign. Some may, but either leave those blank or don’t send them in. You don’t mention what line of work you do, which is important. For example, if you work as a therapist of some kind in a hospital and aren’t interested in any other kind of work, you are going to face a hard time of it. If, on the other hand, you are looking for some kind of clerical work, you may just find a place who will give you chance to prove yourself.
Most of all, keep at it. Be honest with yourself about your abilities and limitations. You don’t have to offer information that is unfavorable, but don’t lie. Try to set things up so that if you have to discuss this, you get a chance to explain your situation to someone who will understand your situation.
I’ve interviewed and hired a lot of people. The advice from **excavating ** is excellent.
I almost always looked at length of employment as a deciding factor for the interview and if I liked you then, well your story would not make me decide against you.
This is awful advice. We don’t know what the OP does, nor if he wants a career change vs. just a new job in the same business/industry. Starting a capital intensive business, doing the work, plus the marketing effort to get new customers takes him away from the end goal of a new ‘permanent’ job. By the time you factor in the cost of the equipment, trailer, & maybe even a vehicle able to tow everything he’s probably much better off getting a retail job; at least they don’t have any equipment outlay costs. He’s not a teenager looking for spending money from mowing a few neighbor’s lawns; pros don’t do it with one push mower.
I agree that any social media shouldn’t be filled with ‘frat party’ pics & politics but I have never had a potential employer ask me for any social media profiles. There’s no need to make ‘fake’ ones.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. Typically the applications will ask if I’ve ever been fired or asked to resign, no reason or explanation allowed. On ones that do ask why I left the job, I say “I left involuntarily”.
I’m thinking that checking “yes” for “have you ever been fired” sends some applications straight to the recycle bin.
We do know he wasn’t self-employed until recently, & we know he’s not looking to remain self employed. I also know a number of people put in BS/adulterated information in order to remain anonymous; unless he recently updated it, I don’t necessary believe it to be accurate.
You left out "and fill it with fuzzy bunnies and sunshine. No politics. No opinions. "
Again, you left out “and expect to see you online and in good standing.” Not all jobs and not all employers, but if the hiring manager tells HR that the decision is between two candidates, and the HR droid wants to be seen as “proactive”, he may run down any information that would help the hiring manager make a decision. In these cases, a candidate that has a facebook page that has reposts from St. Jude Children’s Hospital, M. D. Anderson, and the like, with nothing that can be taken to be controversial might just be enough.
If there is nothing there, it might seem that candidate is trying to hide something. It’s a tough environment for the good jobs, and something that can help but won’t hurt is something to consider.
Let me rephrase that so you get my drift, start a new company on paper. when I was between jobs I did all manner of do-it-yourself work. I mowed lawns, landscaped, remodeled houses…
In other words, so it’s clear what I’m trying to say, don’t show gaps on your resume. I used the skills I had to drum up some extra cash. No monetary investment involved.
[Seven in ten employers (70 percent) use social networking sites to research job candidates during hiring process](- Seven in ten employers (70 percent) use social networking sites to research job candidates during hiring process)
They don’t have to ask you anything. They just look you up.
I don’t doubt that. But that doesn’t mean it will work against you if you don’t have one. It just means they’ll search for your profile and find nothing.