Getting back into the job market.

[Anonymous3]

Hello everyone,
I've recently managed to get clean after going through a bad phase (well it has actually been years but it got very very out of control at the end) of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. I'm sober now, but when I was using I made a terrible decision and quit my job, being all fucked up, I thought, fuck it, it's a great idea I'll get a better job soon. Fast forward to now i've gone for a good 4 months without an actual job, finding ways to get drug and high nearly every day, while doing a few really shitty odd jobs.

Anyway so what I'm wondering is if anyone here might have experienced this type of thing, and what they said in interviews when asked about what you have been doing? I'll probably just end up getting a really shitty job and they won't care that much, but even shitty jobs are tricky to get into sometimes.

 

[BlueSaffron]

I don't know if you're male or female, but I have a lot bigger gap than four months, and what I've been saying to explain the time I wasn't working (I'm female) is that I was a homemaker and also did some part time work from home doing copyediting. I don't like to lie, but it's not like I can tell the truth, so - you gotta do what you gotta do to get work.

Four months is nothing though - you could even just say you've been jobsearching and didn't want to take anything until you found the right opportunity.

 

[RobotRipping]

know exactly what u mean. I learned that a gap in work will destroy ur chances of getting hired. After I doctored my resume I started getting calls back after a year of searching. I basically extended the periods I worked so it looked like I had no gaps and it wasn't a huge lie I had to cover. I use friends for references (they never get called). Its not ideal but its hard to get started after long periods of drug use. I quit every job I had and blew tons of chances due to drug use, it sucks. Whatever u do, do not tell them u were a drug addict due to employer stigmas and such. You may be able to get temp work easier or find a job placement program. I often use education as an excuse as to why I have large employment gaps. Good luck

 

[Anonymous3]

I don't know if you're male or female, but I have a lot bigger gap than four months, and what I've been saying to explain the time I wasn't working (I'm female) is that I was a homemaker and also did some part time work from home doing copyediting. I don't like to lie, but it's not like I can tell the truth, so - you gotta do what you gotta do to get work.

Four months is nothing though - you could even just say you've been jobsearching and didn't want to take anything until you found the right opportunity.

Thanks for the response, I'm male, and 21 years old.

I don't really know exactly what a homemaker, or copyeditor is, but did they actually buy that? In my experience people get very suspicious about unexplained time off work. I've got an idea for for a lie but when I'm sober I hate doing it and have a hard time, it's going to be some tricky maneuvering, and I have a feeling they aren't going to buy it. Anyway, I am starting to feel more confident about it. Still though I'd definitely like to hear from anyone who did this, for whatever reason I have had some problems getting jobs in the past, even when I wasn't lying or anything, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the greatest interviewee. In the area I live in the general consensus is that there is very limited jobs so the fact that I quit my job without having another lined up looks very sketchy, I might have to say I left to try to find work in the oil rigs but couldn't or something, to make up for that.

Anyway, I would really like to hear what other people have done in this situation, and whether you have had success or not. I know I'm a complete idiot for getting into it in the first place, but I greatly appreciate the responses.

 

[Anonymous3]

know exactly what u mean. I learned that a gap in work will destroy ur chances of getting hired. After I doctored my resume I started getting calls back after a year of searching. I basically extended the periods I worked so it looked like I had no gaps and it wasn't a huge lie I had to cover. I use friends for references (they never get called). Its not ideal but its hard to get started after long periods of drug use. I quit every job I had and blew tons of chances due to drug use, it sucks. Whatever u do, do not tell them u were a drug addict due to employer stigmas and such. You may be able to get temp work easier or find a job placement program. I often use education as an excuse as to why I have large employment gaps. Good luck

faaack. some good ideas in there though. is it easy to lie about the education thing?? I thought about that but it seems kinda sketchy. you mean like a temp agency? yeah, they suck but your right it's probably the way to go at this point. funny your from nova scotia, I'm no too far from there, it would probably be a lot easier to find something that pays better out west

 

[RobotRipping]

Yeah ure young u can get a job out west no problem start as a labourer or get into a college and get a trade and head out there. An old friend of mine is a millwright out there, after 8 years he is sober and pulling in well over 100g a year. There is a nasty crack meth issue tho but people are able yo avoid it.

I never got pressed about using education as an excuse. Theres no way to check. Just pick a major like philosophy and no one will bother u lol. I hate lying too but I had to.

 

[phactor]

I am clean and doing to odd job thing, I have two part time jobs that I am always juggling. My fault though, I was too busy using to find steady employment over this last semester (I was living off student loan money). I am broke, but thankfully have some interviews setup and will likely return to working for some type of Social Service agency in the next few months.

I hate not having a set schedule and income that fluctuates between week to week. I do worry about money, but am lucky to have good support as long as I am doing the right thing. I have food and a roof over my head. Visiting my family tomorrow until Saturday and I am really looking forward to that. I know I am gonna eat well then.

I am in Graduate School right now but am off for a few weeks. Might pick up a summer class though.

My experience is that things will come as long as you are doing the right thing. Using will just mess up the situation I am in even more. Overall, I am okay.

 

[RedLeader]

I will use travel as an excuse. I don't like to outright lie, so I'll say something like "I've travelled a lot. In fact, you may have noticed some employment gaps on my resume. Ya, I've been balancing work and my passion for a while now. But I'm not planning on traveling anytime soon and would be a dependable employee at your company."

The reality is that sometimes you have to start from the very bottom after getting clean/sober in order to climb the ladder to good work. I have advanced degrees, but after destroying my life with drugs, I had to basically start down near minimum wage. Getting a job in my field was, at the time, impossible. But if you can get a basic job and work it with passion, you will receive a glowing review from your boss (as a reference) and then apply for a lower management position (or whatever). Sometimes it takes 2-3 years of working jobs you hate before you've got the upward momentum on your resume that you need to go for the good job you really want. I'd also suggest reading books and keeping up with the field you want to get into so that you can impress them with your knowledge in the interview.

As well, forget applying for jobs online and try and find something on foot. Store signs, temp agencies, word-of-mouth. You never know what criteria (such as gaps) online applications may categorically dismiss. The full-time job I have right now I only have because I found it on foot.

 

[herbavore]

I don't know what kind of work you are looking for but I think that makes a difference. If it is a service job of some kind (waiter, etc) 4 months should not stand out as anything weird. I used to manage a restaurant and most of the staff quit to travel and then reapplied when they came back. If there was an opening I hired them back.