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Drugs are bad, mmkay

E

erub

Diamond Member
After I was laid off in February from my job in semiconductor industry (RF Engineering), I figured what the hell, in this economy, its going to be a few months before I could get an interview, and then would take a few more months beyond that before I would get an offer leading to a piss test. So I decided to smoke some, for only the 4th time in my entire life (others were in HS and early part of college). It wasn't that much fun, and I decided I'm too old to do this stuff anymore (at 25).

Fast forward 3 months until today..I get back with my girlfriend who I dated in college (hurray!), things are going great. She lives in Las Vegas, and since I'm unemployed, I figure I'll apply to some jobs there (there aren't that many openings in my field there), as well as other jobs around the country. I get selected for an interview with a defense contractor in Vegas, for a position that will require a top-secret clearance. I pass the phone interview, pass the background check with flying colors, they fly me out to Vegas.

I ace the interview, the team really likes me he says. But then he tells me is concerned about my ability to get a TS..I can't even get a secret clearance, which is required to really be able to do anything with the company, until its been a year since I last touched the stuff. I was honest the whole way about this part of my history (online application, meeting with the security guy, meeting with the manager). The manager wanted the exact date, so I gave it to him. I think he is fighting for me, but we will see..whole situation really sucks! Drugs are bad..

UPDATE: I did get the job! Starting on Sept 21. It just took about a month and a half, when I had another interview/negotiation session. Glad to have survived the recession!
 
so...3 months after you smoked you were telling people about it? doesnt that shit get out of your system in a month or so?
 
Sometimes honesty isn't the best policy. THC is gone in less than a month if you aren't a habitual smoker(assuming they don't go to extraordinary lengths for the tests)
 
...or you can find a non-drug testing workplace.


timewarps bring the hippies together.
 
Originally posted by: lxskllr
Sometimes honesty isn't the best policy. THC is gone in less than a month if you aren't a habitual smoker(assuming they don't go to extraordinary lengths for the tests)
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i knew a hippie avatar was gonna come in and clear things up 😉
 
I took their urine test at the lab yesterday, I am pretty sure I passed or the manager wouldn't still be talking with me. TS may require a poly, that's what I was afraid of..
 
Originally posted by: erub
I took their urine test at the lab yesterday, I am pretty sure I passed or the manager wouldn't still be talking with me. TS may require a poly, that's what I was afraid of..
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Polygraph is a intimidation device. It doesn't say anything about anything, other than how skillful a liar you are ;^)
 
IIRC, polygraph isn't always mandatory for TS, but there's probably a pretty good chance they'll ask for one at some point, even if it isn't TS SCI.
 
If you are required a poly, and obviously passed the test... don't try and lie unless you feel like risking integrity with a possible pass even with a simple lie, i.e. saying you haven't smoked, but you did, and it still passes on the test.

if they ask, admit it, and see if you get a chance to explain - like it was a one-time thing, where you tried it once or twice. Poly's are yes/no afaik, so multi-word responses are likely saved for after the session.
I think that's what I would do, because lying and getting caught sounds worse, unless you know it's a job where even admitting trying it once gets you out of the running for the job, like border security (or so I've heard), where lying is really a stab at trying to throw off the lie detector. 😉
 
Drug testing must be a US thing. I never really heard of it here, other then jobs where it really matters like policeman, or healthcare. Even then, in healthcare what they mostly care about is tuberculosis and stuff like that.

If you get to the interview and are an obvious druggie then that wont help. But if you did it once or twice and don't do it regularly I don't know why a workplace would be concerned.

But yeah, kids, don't do drugs and say no to crack. 😛
 
Originally posted by: erub
After I was laid off in February from my job in semiconductor industry (RF Engineering), I figured what the hell, in this economy, its going to be a few months before I could get an interview, and then would take a few more months beyond that before I would get an offer leading to a piss test. So I decided to smoke some, for only the 4th time in my entire life (others were in HS and early part of college). It wasn't that much fun, and I decided I'm too old to do this stuff anymore (at 25).

Fast forward 3 months until today..I get back with my girlfriend who I dated in college (hurray!), things are going great. She lives in Las Vegas, and since I'm unemployed, I figure I'll apply to some jobs there (there aren't that many openings in my field there), as well as other jobs around the country. I get selected for an interview with a defense contractor in Vegas, for a position that will require a top-secret clearance. I pass the phone interview, pass the background check with flying colors, they fly me out to Vegas.

I ace the interview, the team really likes me he says. But then he tells me is concerned about my ability to get a TS..I can't even get a secret clearance, which is required to really be able to do anything with the company, until its been a year since I last touched the stuff. I was honest the whole way about this part of my history (online application, meeting with the security guy, meeting with the manager). The manager wanted the exact date, so I gave it to him. I think he is fighting for me, but we will see..whole situation really sucks! Drugs are bad..
Click to expand...

Dude, he was giving you a chance to bullshit/bend the truth and you blew it.
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Drug testing must be a US thing. I never really heard of it here, other then jobs where it really matters like policeman, or healthcare. Even then, in healthcare what they mostly care about is tuberculosis and stuff like that.
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I had to take a drug test for each of the two jobs I applied to (they were both defense contractor jobs, like the OP's offer), but I'm not sure how common it is to require it in non-defense engineering jobs...
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel But if you did it once or twice and don't do it regularly I don't know why a workplace would be concerned.
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Because the U.S. is insane about drugs. We separate our populace into two categories:

1. Illicit drug users who abuse every drug everyday. They look like destitute meth addicts and will compulsively steal, lie, murder, and rape to get more drugs. They are incurable and tempt everyone in their immediate surroundings to use drugs as well. Since all drugs are 100% irreversibly addictive the first time you try them, anyone who has ever smoked pot or eaten a bunch of morning glory seeds falls into this category.

2. Clean citizens who, no matter how much Adderall, alcohol, Oxycontin, nicotine, or caffine they consume, will never have a drug problem. They will never steal, lie, murder or rape. They will be fantastic employees and are always trustworthy to work on the most secretive defense projects.

That's why whenever I am asked, on the record, if I have ever done drugs, the answer is no. I don't care if they say something like "oh, it's okay if you tried them once, we just want you to be truthful". Fuck that. It's really nobody's business anyway, which is why I would have no problem lying.

Even if there was going to be a polygraph, those things are notoriously unreliable anyway.
 
We just had a mandatory drug test, the whole f-ing place (350 employees) got tested the same day, our company got bought out by a large corporation, (one that keeps going and going) and drug-free is their policy. Nine people, including one I trained for the last 6 weeks got tossed when they came back positive, 28 temps also got the heave-ho. They did give us 60 days notice (per FL law), so people were warned but I don't see where it's going to make for a safer or more productive workplace and no one is happy that what happens on Sat. night can get you canned Tuesday afternoon. I agree that employers have a right to expect complete sobriety but this is a bit much. A lot of people are waiting for the economy to improve so they can look for jobs elsewhere..
 
Originally posted by: erub
I took their urine test at the lab yesterday, I am pretty sure I passed or the manager wouldn't still be talking with me. TS may require a poly, that's what I was afraid of..
Click to expand...

Yeah THC would be long gone in urine after 3 months, after about 3 weeks. HAIR tests though are a different story, they can drug test hair and it stays in a LOT longer.
 
also you have to take a drug test for very low level jobs too, cashiers and shelf stockers at retail stores.

It's actually cost effective for companies to drug test. For 20-30 bucks for the test, they get rid of drug users who statisticly cost them a lot more, there's more theft, accidents, other "bad stuff" with drug users. Also, they get insurance breaks for drug testing.
 
You dumbass. NEVER, EVER, EVER say you smoked, EVER. You learned your lesson. I know honesty is the best policy and all, but never admit to it.

This is a lesson, learn it.
 
Originally posted by: Jadow
also you have to take a drug test for very low level jobs too, cashiers and shelf stockers at retail stores.

It's actually cost effective for companies to drug test. For 20-30 bucks for the test, they get rid of drug users who statisticly cost them a lot more, there's more theft, accidents, other "bad stuff" with drug users. Also, they get insurance breaks for drug testing.
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I've worked for companies with policies for random drug tests, but I've never been tested and never had a co-worker that's been tested.

To me, the statistical part is irrelevant. If you got rid of everyone that was abused as a child and everyone taking antidepressants, you might improve your results too. But you're still invading people's privacy to do it.
 
Originally posted by: Blackjack200
Originally posted by: Jadow
also you have to take a drug test for very low level jobs too, cashiers and shelf stockers at retail stores.

It's actually cost effective for companies to drug test. For 20-30 bucks for the test, they get rid of drug users who statisticly cost them a lot more, there's more theft, accidents, other "bad stuff" with drug users. Also, they get insurance breaks for drug testing.
Click to expand...

I've worked for companies with policies for random drug tests, but I've never been tested and never had a co-worker that's been tested.

To me, the statistical part is irrelevant. If you got rid of everyone that was abused as a child and everyone taking antidepressants, you might improve your results too. But you're still invading people's privacy to do it.
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How are you invading their privacy? They're not forced to work there and they're informed of the policy when they are hired, and still choose to work there.
 
Originally posted by: AmberClad
IIRC, polygraph isn't always mandatory for TS, but there's probably a pretty good chance they'll ask for one at some point, even if it isn't TS SCI.
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Polygraph is not mandatory for a TS or TS / SCI. I think (read: think, not fact) that they only poly someone if they're reasonably suspicious but can't turn up hard evidence.
 
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