DUI and Positive Career Success Stories
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 35
DUI and Positive Career Success Stories
I want to hear stories from people who got a DUI but were able to get through it and still have a successful career. Did you keep your current job? Was finding new work hard due to the conviction? How is your career today? How did you overcome it to still be successful in your career?
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 151
Knock on wood, my DUI has not affected my 2 different jobs I’ve had since it happened. And ironically, I work in the legal field. The 2 bosses I’ve worked for simply don’t know about it. It happened New Year’s Eve, so I had all of New Year’s Day to get out of jail and get home, and I was at work Jan 2nd as if nothing happened. I took a little bit of an extended lunch break one day to go to the DMV to get my hardship license, but other than that, it didn’t affect that boss for a minute, so I had no need or obligation to tell him. When I got my current job about 6 months after it happened, I prayed to GOD she didn’t look too closely at my drivers license with the hardship notation written right on it, or even simply Google me. She’s older, so I don’t think doing any of that even crossed her mind.
There was a day about a year after i started here, where her brother (who shares office space with us) had nothing better to do with his day than Google everyone under the sun he knew, and he found me on one of those cheap arrest record websites. Luckily somehow my mugshot wasn’t on it, it was just my name and address, and the DUI followed by a bunch of random letters and my first court date was way in the corner, and that just didn’t register at all with him. The ‘best friend’ and I were able to convince him it was some cheap advertising site that everyone comes up on, and he was suspicious of me for a few hours that day, but again thank GOD it hasn’t come up since. And I was lucky enough that since I live 2 hours away from where it happened, my attorney was able to appear in court every time for me in my place, so I never had to miss work to be there. Even for the last final hearing, all I had to do was take a lunch break to go get paperwork notarized and overnighted to my attorney, and the ‘best friend’ came with me, so my current boss was affected even less by it than the previous one was.
It doesn’t directly affect my job, or my ability to do my job one bit, but I know it can be an instant hard no for a lot of potential employers. It is always in the back of my mind, as I know my current boss will be retiring somewhat soon and I always worry about it being a hindrance when I’ll have to move on, to people I don’t know. I’m so close with the very very small group of people i work with now, that i feel like even if they were to find out about it now, it wouldn’t be held against me long-term. Especially since it didn’t happen when I was employed by her, and literally not a minute of her time was compromised by it. But i can’t assume that kind of reaction from unknown employers out there. Even though mine was “technically” reduced to reckless driving, that Google mugshot won’t ever go away. I do think the longer it’s been, the better chance you have of it not being a huge weighing factor in employment. And I would always be honest about it up front, rather than trying to hide it!
There was a day about a year after i started here, where her brother (who shares office space with us) had nothing better to do with his day than Google everyone under the sun he knew, and he found me on one of those cheap arrest record websites. Luckily somehow my mugshot wasn’t on it, it was just my name and address, and the DUI followed by a bunch of random letters and my first court date was way in the corner, and that just didn’t register at all with him. The ‘best friend’ and I were able to convince him it was some cheap advertising site that everyone comes up on, and he was suspicious of me for a few hours that day, but again thank GOD it hasn’t come up since. And I was lucky enough that since I live 2 hours away from where it happened, my attorney was able to appear in court every time for me in my place, so I never had to miss work to be there. Even for the last final hearing, all I had to do was take a lunch break to go get paperwork notarized and overnighted to my attorney, and the ‘best friend’ came with me, so my current boss was affected even less by it than the previous one was.
It doesn’t directly affect my job, or my ability to do my job one bit, but I know it can be an instant hard no for a lot of potential employers. It is always in the back of my mind, as I know my current boss will be retiring somewhat soon and I always worry about it being a hindrance when I’ll have to move on, to people I don’t know. I’m so close with the very very small group of people i work with now, that i feel like even if they were to find out about it now, it wouldn’t be held against me long-term. Especially since it didn’t happen when I was employed by her, and literally not a minute of her time was compromised by it. But i can’t assume that kind of reaction from unknown employers out there. Even though mine was “technically” reduced to reckless driving, that Google mugshot won’t ever go away. I do think the longer it’s been, the better chance you have of it not being a huge weighing factor in employment. And I would always be honest about it up front, rather than trying to hide it!
Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 2,547
I work in the employment field, and one of my staff people got a DUI while he was working for us. As his manager, I was notified and they asked whether it would impact his job (he sometimes drives a company car). I said definitely not, no one else (outside of HR and our leadership chain) knew about it, and we continued as normal. 
Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fingerlakes,NY
Posts: 4,536
I had a DWI January, 2015won't be driving till November, 2018. Couldn't get a conditional for work. I started my new job a week after the DWI. Daunting yes, impossible no. I found someone to carpool with as this job is a half hour from my house, If you want to succeed you usually can find ways to do so. I have thrived at this job and in sobriety. Sometimes you think your life is over but in my case it was the start to a better life than ever.
Ocean Lover!
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: You know nothing Jon Snow - UK
Posts: 2,604
Hi Jad, I am curious as to why you have only posted 6 posts and each one has been the same. Are you going through a similar experience yourself and that is why you are asking? No disrespect meant as SR is here to support anyone who is having challenges with alcohol and if that is where you’re at you’re in the right place. x
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 674
3rd here. Have a cute little ankle bracelet on as I write this.
My employer has been very supportive. But they’ve been quite explicit in stating that support is in response to and conditional on my attitude and my ownership of the issue and acceptance of the responsibility.
In general I think people are willing to go quite a way to help and be supportive so long as you aren’t making excuses and avoiding ownership of it.
My career is far from over or in danger. In fact, the focus the issue has brought has me poised to be in a stronger position once the dust settles. Do the work, be honest (but not necessarily naive), be humble, and own it and you’ll come out ok.
B
My employer has been very supportive. But they’ve been quite explicit in stating that support is in response to and conditional on my attitude and my ownership of the issue and acceptance of the responsibility.
In general I think people are willing to go quite a way to help and be supportive so long as you aren’t making excuses and avoiding ownership of it.
My career is far from over or in danger. In fact, the focus the issue has brought has me poised to be in a stronger position once the dust settles. Do the work, be honest (but not necessarily naive), be humble, and own it and you’ll come out ok.
B
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by Buckley3 
3rd here. Have a cute little ankle bracelet on as I write this.
My employer has been very supportive. But they’ve been quite explicit in stating that support is in response to and conditional on my attitude and my ownership of the issue and acceptance of the responsibility.
In general I think people are willing to go quite a way to help and be supportive so long as you aren’t making excuses and avoiding ownership of it.
My career is far from over or in danger. In fact, the focus the issue has brought has me poised to be in a stronger position once the dust settles. Do the work, be honest (but not necessarily naive), be humble, and own it and you’ll come out ok.
B
My employer has been very supportive. But they’ve been quite explicit in stating that support is in response to and conditional on my attitude and my ownership of the issue and acceptance of the responsibility.
In general I think people are willing to go quite a way to help and be supportive so long as you aren’t making excuses and avoiding ownership of it.
My career is far from over or in danger. In fact, the focus the issue has brought has me poised to be in a stronger position once the dust settles. Do the work, be honest (but not necessarily naive), be humble, and own it and you’ll come out ok.
B
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by MantaLady
Hi Jad, I am curious as to why you have only posted 6 posts and each one has been the same. Are you going through a similar experience yourself and that is why you are asking? No disrespect meant as SR is here to support anyone who is having challenges with alcohol and if that is where you’re at you’re in the right place. x
Thanks for asking. I got a DUI as a result from making an impaired decision to drive. This certainly isn't my proudest moment in life, in fact, to date it is the worst moment and the greatest hardship I have faced. But I am putting my best foot forward to overcome this. I just need to know there is a second chance for me. I need to know I am still eligible to be hired and can be successful in this life. This is my first serious offense with the law and my first and only dui. I haven't had a drop of alcohol since this incident and have quit. Prior to this I was a social drinker only. I never kept it in the house or anything. I need hope i can contineue my life on track with my life plans.
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,476
Jad, as you read from others's stories, there definitely is hope. It's great that you are not drinking now and plan to stay sober. In general, if you are asked at a job interview if you've been arrested, be honest about it and things will work out.
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