Companies wont hire me because of 3 Alcohol related incidences on record. What Can I Do?

I'm 25yrs old male. I'm also a recovering alcoholic. I have been through many trials and overcome my problems with alcohol. I have been working very hard to become self employed working in the financial markets. I have had trouble due to the recession and am currently seeking for work to help me through this.

I found a job and 2 days before I was to start, the temp agency called me and told me they weren't going to send me to my new job because I have 3 alcohol related incidences on my record and the company wouldn't hire me anyway so she just wasnt going to send me. I only need a job for a limited time to help me out for a while.
I'm a young adult and sure, I've done alot of stupid stuff in my past but this shouldnt be held against me. I told her I'm a recovering alcoholic and I'm a much more mature person than I used to be but this isnt right.

Alcoholism and addiction in general is a disease. I worked very hard to change my life for the better and its very hard to cope with that I am being held against for my troubled alcoholism.

I wrote my senator and about to write the editor of the newspaper because these are all major companies. This is against my constitutional rights! Its hard to believe that in 2008 this is still happening..

What else can I do? What can I do to help myself?

I haven't had any alcohol for 2 years! I dont blame anyone but what happened to equal opportunity employment? That's a right as a tax payer. Alcoholism is technically a disease. So is cancer. Look at it this way. They couldnt not hire someone because they have had cancer in the past that has a chance to come back; could they? Anyway, I'm working toward being self employed. I'm going to take what I can get and try to prevent this from happening to other Americans in the future.

"This is against my constitutional rights"? I hope you are kidding. No employer can be forced to hire you. This is America not some communist country. I am glad that you are recovering, but you still have to pay consequences for your actions. You are 25, so it is not like you have had much time to be "recovered". You need to take what you can get, quit looking to blame your problems on someone else, talk to your sponsor, and stay sober. Oh, and nobody said the world is a fair and just place. Get over it now or you will drink again.
Edit: As a private employer, I have the right to hire whomever I choose for my own reasons. It is perfectly legal. I am also free to fire anyone I like for whatever reason I see fit. That is the way it works. If I hire and fire the right people I will be a success. You have no right to work. You have no right to a good wage. These are things that you earn. Congratulations on 2 years sober, but that is less than half of your adult life. You are far from proving yourself. You need to get off of the feeling sorry for yourself and get past this. Resentments will lead you to drink. Yes it is a disease, quit using it as an excuse. People with cancer usually don't miss work for being drunk, show up hungover or drunk, steal, or risk being taken out of the work place because of legal issues.

Against your constitutional rightts?!! What right is that? The right to have a job? Better get yourself to am AA meeting because you have forgotten some of the basics about taking responsibilities. You give recovering alcoholics a bad name.

I think your confused with your "rights" ....you do not have the right to a job with a private company let alone a government run one.

Try Canada.

Start your own company. I wouldn't hire you either. Once is a mistake, twice is stupid, 3 times and you've got a big problem! But, sure, those companies are forced under the constitution to hire an alcoholic who can't control himself enough to at least drink himself to death and not hurt others? Way to go with that personal responsibility! Try AA, find a sponsor, and get your life back on track. You don't deserve to be hired until you realize that it isn't the companies' faults that you have these "alcohol related incidences" on your record by only 25, but YOURS!

The first guy knows exactly what he's talking about. DO IT! And try getting sober yourself.

The Constitution guarantees no right to allow you to work for these companies. They have opted not to hire you because you present a risk to them in a variety of ways. They must look out for their interests.

The good news is that you might be able to find a job coach for those with disabilities. They recognize the challenges faced by those with mental illness and addictions and assist in finding employment.

My bottomline is to not whine about your situation and get any job you can to build/rebuild your credibility and standing as a worker. The world owes you nothing. Best of luck.

*Edit: Your additional comment suggests that you nevertheless have some sense of entitlement, that because of alcoholism you are owed by society the right to work. No one owes you anything; your past actions have made you a liability in the eyes of potential employers. Take any work you can get and move forward.

Hi

I haven't had a drink for 25 yrs. Last one when I was 23 yrs old. When I was 20 yrs sober I applied to train with the Ambulance service as a Paramedic. On my criminal record 20 yrs previously I had a drink driving conviction. I was told at interview that they had a policy of not considering anyone with a drink driving conviction no matter how long ago it was. I appealed, did what I could, but my application (which had been going through) ended at that moment.

In my case, sober, I had to learn that sometimes life is unfair, for everyone, not just alcoholics or recovered alcholics. It would be nice if it wasn't, but there is no law in the universe that dictates that it must be. People are going to hold things against you. That's life. Sometimes you'll get breaks you didn't earn. There is some randomness about it.

The idea and definition of alcoholism 'the disease' is very contentious and not many will compare it to cancer. but that is another subject. Although there may be a genetic element to some peoples alcoholism and repetitive drinking could create an addicted brain that could be classifed as a disease, in my opinion, focusing on these influences tended to distract me from taking full responsibility. It was more helpful to me to recognise that the greatest influence to my alcoholism was ME. The beliefs, attitudes and thoughts running between my ears. Before I ever took a drink I had 'thinking' issues. I had to look outside AA to address this fully though. Books by Windy Dryden or Albert Ellis for emotional disturbance problems or smartrecovery.org for drinking related issues.

Good luck

I can completely relate to you on this, I'm a recovered alcoholic. Unfortunately, I've found that my past with drinking will probably haunt me for the rest of my life, as people will often judge us unfairly as "worthless drunks." However, there are a lot of recovering alcoholics, too, (they are in every position in every line of work) that would probably be happy to give you a chance if they got to know you. If you go to AA, you can make some great friends and connections with people who understand how hard it can be to get a job with alcohol-related priors since they've been through it themselves. They can probably hook you up with some kind of job. If AA is not your thing (it wasn't for me), no one says you have to buy into what they say, but you can still make good friends there who can relate to you.

That said, I think you are focusing on the wrong thing. Instead of trying to avenge unfair treatment and complain your way into a job, move on and find someone who will treat you fairly and with compassion. The real goal here is to get yourself a good job and focus on the future, not the past and those who would hold it against you.

When confronted with your past, just tell the truth and don't make excuses or blame others. You won't sound so much like an alcoholic as simply a malcontent, and no one wants a malcontent working for them, regardless of their drinking patterns. However, If they see you as someone who admits their errors and accepts responsibilty for them, that will reflect well on you.

Focus on the most important thing you have going for you, which is that you are highly motivated to live an alcohol free life and work very hard to attain that goal. That goal must be first in your life, secondary to financial success. You may have to take an entry level position until you can work your way up the ladder, such is the price of alcoholism.

Many people can overlook the past if you have the right attitude and are higly motivated to succeed. No one is perfect, and we all have a past. If someone won't hire you because they think they've never made a mistake and are otherwise perfect, you don't want to work for that person anyway!

Good luck my friend!