How to Cushion the Impact of DUI Conviction on Your Employment

The consequences of being convicted of DUI or impaired driving in Canada and the US are very serious. Aside from the heavy financial cost, a conviction could also mean the risk of losing your means of livelihood. Depending on your employer's policies, you could either be suspended or terminated from your job. If you are looking for a job at the time of your conviction, the conviction will most likely show up when companies do pre-employment background checks. Unfortunately for you, employers prefer job applicants with clean background checks, as they would not want to risk having someone commit another offense while employed. This is especially true if your job requires you to drive. In some cases, the company will be liable for damages caused by an employee.

 

What to do

If you get convicted, it will be part of your permanent record and will likely be discovered when your prospective employer does a background check on you. However, this is sometimes done only after you have been interviewed and is being considered a serious candidate for the job. You must know when and how to bring up your DUI conviction.

 

Definitely, do not bring it up during the initial interview. Wait first until you will be given an interview conducted by a hiring manager, which indicates that they are very interested in you. Once you have this interview, bring it up just before they perform a background check or when the interviewer brings it up.

 

Adopt a "don't lie, don't tell" policy with regard to the application forms you have to fill up. If their application forms ask if you have any misdemeanor, make sure that you will be given the chance to explain before you write it down. When explaining to the interviewer, stress that the DUI was something out of character, that you have learned a lesson, and that it won't happen again. Be quick, straight to the point, and don't dwell on it. Instead, highlight your qualities that can make you an asset to the company.