How Past Drug Use Affects Job Opportunities

Have you used illegal drugs at some point in your past? Chances are, you have or know someone who has. Most of us give past drug use little thought and assume that past deeds will not come back to haunt us. After all, who cares what I did in college? The reality is that many employers do.

Many current illegal drug users, especially if they're teens or young adults, falsely believe that they can stop using drugs when they're ready to apply for a job and/or take a drug test for a job opportunity and that all will be well. This may be true for certain careers or lower level jobs, but there are many employers out there who care a great deal about their employees' past drug use. This is particularly true if you ever apply to a state or federal government position or to a job that requires an extensive background check or security clearance. Drug use by a potential employee, even if the individual has been drug free for several years, can be a red flag to an employer. After all, illegal drug use is first and foremost illegal and may indicate a disregard for laws, rules and regulations not to mention poor judgement.

So, what does this mean for your job prospects? If your career involves little personal responsibility, has little or no opportunity for promotion, and especially if the application process was simple and quick then you probably have nothing to worry about in regards to past drug use (current drug use would still be an issue in any job, of course). The problem is that most of us have no idea as teenagers or young adults what we will end up doing or wanting to do five, ten, or twenty years into the future. It's well and good to assume as a college student that your future as a professional musician or working at a computer all day in Information Technology will make your past drug use irrelevant. However, when you change your mind in five years and decide you would like to pursue a career in business management or in Homeland Security, you will likely find yourself explaining your past drug use at some point.

Having experimented with drugs (tried illegal drugs a few times) is usually not a cause for concern, but repeated drug use will likely give your potential employers reason to place your resume at the bottom of the stack. How recent the illegal drug use has been will also be an issue as someone who last used drugs 15 years ago will not likely revert to using, but someone who claims that they quit for good only 6 months ago will have a hard time convincing an employer. Lying about past drug use may or may not work. Be aware that, in this age of technology, anything you have ever posted on the internet may be revealed to a potential employer by a simple internet search. If you claim on your application that you have never done drugs but your Facebook page contains references otherwise, be prepared for that rejection letter. If an extensive background check is done or especially if a polygraph is necessary, there is no escaping your past deeds. Honesty is the best policy in those situations but be prepared for a negative reaction to your confessions of college drug use.

We cannot erase the past but being aware of its effect on our future will help us to prepare. First of all, learning all the necessary steps in the application process for a potential job will allow us to anticipate any problems with past illegal drug use. Second, scrubbing the internet for references to past drug use or association with drugs will prevent potential employers from seeing into those dark corners of your past. Most importantly though, be honest when questioned on these issues. If you are asked about past illegal drug use and you know there will be a background check or polygraph then it is best to admit to the drug use but explain how you have changed your ways since then. If a potential employer feels you are honest and have learned from your past mistakes then you are much more likely to get the job than someone who appears dishonest or questionable. You may want to pretend the past never happened, but recognizing the issue and dealing with it is a far better course of action.