Is a DUI a Deal Breaker for Job Applications?

[thisisdawg]

Hey everyone. I messed up big time and just got a misdemeanor DUI when I went out to celebrate with friends after applying for engineering jobs and getting to the 2nd round.

I was wondering how bad of a deal breaker this is (The job requires no driving since the production is all on site). Do you think I should just go back for grad school? Also I am 22, and have nothing else on my record

 

[Who Am I]

You could just go to grad school anyways to do more fruitful work in engineering.

I don't know much about how DUIs affect the application.

 

[thisisdawg]

Yeah I was thinking that myself, especially since I am in materials science/engineering. God I just can't believe how much I messed up it makes me feel sad.

 

[JakeBrodskyPE]

As long as there are no other blemishes of significance in your history, I don't think most companies will hold it against you. If they don't ask for it, don't tell them. If they ask for this sort of thing, be forthcoming.

I know many people who have been through a rough patch like this in their lives and who bounced back to do great things. Most companies that are worth working for know this.

But please be more careful next time...

 

[Astronuc]

Hey everyone. I messed up big time and just got a misdemeanor DUI when I went out to celebrate with friends after applying for engineering jobs and getting to the 2nd round.

I was wondering how bad of a deal breaker this is (The job requires no driving since the production is all on site). Do you think I should just go back for grad school? Also I am 22, and have nothing else on my record

That was stupid. Don't do it again.

Many organizations have 'fitness for duty' requirements.

One is fortunate that it's a misdemeanor, and not a felony. A felony can preclude many opportunities. Nevertheless, a misdemeanor could be held against one.

You can recover from this - just don't do it again!

 

[thisisdawg]

Yeah seriously. I hit a pole...it could have just as well have been a person.

 

[bcrowell]

Seems like this actually turned out well because nobody was hurt and you learned your lesson. Everybody has done things in their life that were really stupid. I certainly have.

One way to handle this would be to admit it straightforwardly to your prospective employers, and say you've learned your lesson. I suspect that they would then not hire you, but you could go back on the job market.

There are various good and bad reasons to go to grad school. This does not strike me as a good one. Grad school is hard work, and involves postponing adulthood and security. There are no guarantees that the resulting career will outweigh those negatives. The best reason to go to grad school is because you think you'll enjoy it for its own sake.