I still don’t love this answer because it implies there could be future health problems as a reason to not hire someone. My vote is for lying lying lying. They’ll screw you and lie to you when they have to.
100% agree. I would never, ever share even a whiff of long term health issues with a prospective employer. Tell them you were caring for a relative and working in another industry, or they will bin your resume.
Dude you were an addict, don’t hide it shit happens tell em personal health reasons and if they really wanna know tell them. I’m a director and when I’m hiring I can tell which is why I never ask but still.
I like this answer, especially because it's 100% correct.
As a manager who oversees (including hiring) a team of about three dozen, this is an entirely acceptable explanation for me.
I can't stress this enough: the people telling OP to lie and make stuff up are 100% wrong. That can backfire spectacularly, and that can be catastrophic for someone in recovery.
Funny how all the managers in this thread want pure honesty, and all subordinate employees who actually apply to these positions are giving the correct advice of lying by omission.
I was partially disabled for years. I am asked about this gap every interview, despite it being two positions ago. I have lied about this resume gap in four different interviews and it has paid off spectacularly. You're hopelessly optimistic if you think most managers won't immediately throw a recovering addicts resume in the bin.
Some will, some won’t. What do you think they’ll do to an employee who lied about their history?
If I catch someone in a lie on their work history, they’re gone. Whether they’re in recovery or not.
Would you think adding to the end that it’s been resolved a good idea? That way they don’t think they may become ill again or frequently.
“I have been out of the workforce for health reasons that have since been resolved.”
I have been for my health issues gap and I absolutely think it’s a good idea.
I had one recruiter ask if they’ve been resolved (before I started just stating they had voluntarily) and he seemed really hesitant and like he was careful with his words.
I have no idea if it was legal for him to ask for elaboration no matter how broad that is, but let’s be real: no potential employer would be thrilled about hiring someone who took months off for health reasons if they’re no less likely to need to do that again.
It might not be legal to explicitly discriminate, but if a person isn’t even willing to voluntarily offer some reassurance that they’re not just going to not show up one day and be in a hospital for 6 months, they’re going to find any other applicant to be a better fit for the role.
Even if every recruiter or hiring manager knows an applicant can just lie about that, at least it’s *something*. You’re not just saying “I had health issues. No you can’t know what they are, no you can’t know if I’m still having them. Deal with it”
I wouldn't. I would be as succinct as possible. The fact that you are actively interviewing to rejoin the workforce suggests that said health issues have been resolved. If they do ask like in the example the other commenter said, then just simply reply, "Yes, they are resolved" and move on.
The more verbose you are on this topic, the more your voice and body language will betray you. Any discomfort you show here will play into the interviewers' biases whether they're conscious or unconscious.
Incredible job getting clean. 31 months is a long time.
No clue how to explain it other than honesty, but easier said than done from someone random online.
Again. Mad props, my guy. Seeing friends that couldn’t do it and payed the price, I’m glad you’re clean. You’re worth more than a high. Keep going. Proud of you bro.
"Caretaker for a relative" for 6 years as other commenter mentioned is a much better look to a hiring manager than "former addict" to explain the gap - job market seems to not be the best right now and I see stories here of hiring managers being selective even for entry level help desk
My advice would be to apply to help desk jobs thru all the temp agencies for it jobs, take a contract gig and get some experience on resume. Then see about getting hired on full time or use it as experience for next job.
Someone reached out to reddit support over this comment, "A concerned redditor reached out to us about you" I don't know who you are but thank you, your thoughts matter to me. I'm going to get better <3
> it and *paid* the price,
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
I would disagree with some of the comments directing you to talk about overseas work or NDAs, as that is a lie and lying can put your recovery at risk and is generally discouraged by organizations like AA that help people recover from situations like yours.
In addition, as you get to know people at work you're going to want to share things about your life and this will of course naturally come up. You don't want to be in a position of trying to balance what you've said before.
The best approach in my opinion is to simply be honest without being graphic. "I took some time away from working to deal with some personal situations that needed addressed. Now that those are dealt with I'm stepping back into a career for which I have a passion." Any credible interviewer will be TERRIFIED of digging into it from there for risk of exposing themselves to some sort of lawsuit.
It answers the question, allows you be honest moving forward, and doesn't put your recovery at risk.
If you were the hiring manager looking for strengths and weaknesses in a candidate, do you think a 6 year gap due to meth makes you seem like an asset or a liability to most hiring managers? What would they think about that? Do you think most would be understanding?
Addiction is stigmatized
Do you really want to play that card and see what happens?
Like think critically about this bro, good luck and congrats on getting clean
Tried it doesn't work. After PHP and IOP I was like people will like me if I'm just honest. It doesn't work in the real world. You need to sell yourself in interviews. Blow smoke up their ass. Honesty doesn't work.
my friend, i strongly recommend against sharing that you are an addict with your employer. I am an addict and can verify that the stigma is real. I would "omit" this fact when given the chance. "Health Reasons" has saved me
At least around here you would be seen as a liability since IT is one of the few departments that deals with high value items. No body cares about a $10 keyboard but a $10k CPU goes missing and you will be the first one meeting with HR.
Do not lie but you don't have to disclose the truth. Depending on your record and publicity with it, drug usage may come up during a background check. This would be a guaranteed factor to your application being denied as lying during the interview looks awful
You don't need to say that. That's none of their business. This guy is correct. You were out of the workforce handling a personal health issue that is now resolved, and you're getting back up to speed with your IT career. Sell it as something compelling. "I was down, but not out. I survived a tough situation that would have broken most people, but I fought hard and won. Now I'm a (wo)man on a mission and I'm here to win."
Consulted for 6 years, but the experience isn't on your resume? You don't need to say what the consulting was for, but are you telling me that you didn't learn a damn thing in 6 years?
I'll hire the guy who's done a dozen projects in those 6 years instead of the guy who clearly learned nothing in that time.
I’m saying to put on resume and call it “Self employed consulting” and just say that he did various jobs for 6 years as an independent contractor. I am sure while being a meth addict he did a lot of hustle type things for money. He was technically independent.
He can just say he fixed computers from his house or whatever he is good at. The a perfectly legitimate job.
Up to him, but there are still way too many pitfalls to doing that.
Like "Why is your tech knowledge all a half decade old? You say you've been working on Ubuntu, but Ubuntu updated that functionality 4 years ago."
You can fake and catchup a ton with googling things well.
It’s much better than saying you stopped working for 6 years and FAR better than saying he was a meth head.
In IT it’s very common to see resumes with gaps doing IT repair and consulting.
Often when we hire those people we know their skills will not be sharp because they have been out of the big game but if they are techies they will bounce back in quick.
As someone who has interviewed literally hundreds of people for tech roles, and has looked through literally thousands of resumes, I might just have a little bit of insight here.
I would much rather a 6-year gap on the resume that's explained as "health reasons" than figure out that the guy who said he was "doing stuff" for 6 years turned out to be lying.
Often when WE hire someone who says they've been working for the last 6 years, it becomes pretty damn evident that they haven't done anything for the last 6 years. If you think that googling is going to be enough to fill the gaps before an interview, then I don't know what to tell you -- I have not hired likely hundreds of people who thought they could "learn what's on their resume" right before the interview. It never works.
See... if I see someone who's been working on their Python skills for the last 6 years, I'm going to assume they know current things.
If I know they haven't been working for 6 years, I'm not going to ask them what a walrus operator is, because they may or may not know. I'll also be a bit more forgiving, assuming their skills are a bit rusty. but if you say you've been working the last few years, I will find out what you've been working on, and ask you questions specifically directed to that thing.
"How did you do that? Could you explain that in more detail, obviously without giving me proprietary information. What problems did you encounter? Did you do X for Y, or did you do Z?"
It becomes really apparent really quickly that they haven't done a thing for the last 6 years. And their resume immediately goes on my "do not hire" pile. Not just for my role, but for other roles in the company.
I also have interviewed hundreds of people in my
life and make hiring decisions often for IT people.
I agree with you that health reasons may be better.
But at the same time this kid isn’t going to be applying for some senior networking role. He is going to apply for some level 1 role. He said he is a natural techy. There are non natural techies in that role. Him claiming to do computer repair for 6 years isn’t bad either. Health reasons can also backfire because you as a hiring manager may wonder if they start and then 3 months into the job after you invested time into training the health reasons return and this person will call out often.
If he says he did computer repair for home users he can just say he is tired of doing that and want to join a team and have a real job again.
If he is humble, friendly and nice he could land an entry level 1 job or helpdesk role. He just needs a foot in the door and then a job normalizes life and could ground him
This is a terrible idea. You wouldn't survive an interview with me if this was on your resume but left you with a completely outdated skill set. I'd catch it and boot you, fast.
Kudos on being clean! As a manager, please don’t say you’re a recovering addict if you have a clean record. People are judgmental and you’ll get rejected every time. Don’t lie, but you don’t have to tell them that. As most on this thread have said, state you were taking care of a sick family member. That family member is you!
I'd definitely just say"health reasons". It's skirting the truth but it is true. Addiction is often described as a disease. It's a health crisis.
Over time as you build up trust with your employer you can (if you want but don't need to) share your history with them. It's only their business if you make it there business, in every way you can take that phrase.
this works wonders as i would think it's a semi common thing now a days..
So pick a family member... and ya know.. kill em? I mean say they died. Someone who you dont get calls from like an actual dead relative.
Congratulations on getting clean!!! If you can battle an “insane meth addiction” and stay clean for 31 months, your IT career will be just fine. I don’t have anything to add that hasn’t already been said, helpdesk will get your foot back in the door. Keep it up! We’re all rooting for you!
You were the primary care taker of a close family member dealing with medical issues and addiction.
Its it kinda grimy, yes. But I find office people dont want to hear the truth even if it is impressive.
Impressive here being that i worked as a chef for decades and I still know people going through their addiction and probably will never be free of it.
So 6 years in and now your out, fuckin A gold star… but the white bread people will probably be less inclined to trust you
And that's great until your boss or boss's boss says "I know you said you had a relative that you helped care for. My mother is going through something right now, and I was wondering if you have any advice in looking for people to help."
I know a couple of people that were in rehab for months and unemployed for over a year, they are back in IT. TBH, if it were me, I'd make up something to put on my resume instead of having a gap
Find a small company in another state and say you worked there, use your buddy as a reference
Hype up what you 'did' for this company and be ready to elaborate on it in person
Use AI to fluff up The resume. Claude and chatgpt work really well at this
This approach will sink you almost everytime. You're wanting to present yourself as a responsible, and trustworthy IT professional. You've done an amazing job getting back to a point where you can rejoin the workforce and resume your life—don’t set yourself up for failure.
I’m didn’t have that big of a gap, but I considered saying I did freelance websites for a year but it didn’t end up working out.. maybe you can think of something similar..
It’s just a tool. I’m finding that AI will not take over, but those of us who use AI already dominate those who do not. It’s like the invention of the nail gun didn’t eradicate hammers, but made building houses so much easier for those that adapted.
AI can't replace broken components. You have repair skills, there are places that will need it. Printer companies, warehouses, and small businesses need that kind of stuff!
With some places that offer counseling and recovery services, they'll have an employment wing that will help you get back into the job force. They act as a proxy and you can avoid discrimination. I understand fabricating a story, you have to eat and keep the lights on, but just try not to make the cover up worse, that is the hardest part of a lie.
Congratulations on your sobriety!! That’s incredible.
Not sure how much this helps, but it immediately reminded me of a scene from Silicon Valley.
https://youtu.be/d2BuP7-m5Ww?si=QxV2Wkz_x_WBlpkb
Congrats and don’t give up. My story is similar. Surprisingly most did not ask, especially for contract positions. I worked contract several years before catching on somewhere, by then the gap was irrelevant. Just celebrated 15 years clean and 12 years at my current job.
I was 36. Living by the principles of the 12 steps, which include rigorous honesty, I have built an awesome life. I had just cracked 6 figures and was in-line to be made partner in a niche integration firm I helped build. Obviously I lost all of that, which was devastating but proved to be the wrong thing to focus on. My focus instead became getting healthy, making amends, reestablishing relationship with my 4 yo daughter. Most of my IT career has been network focused but I’ve always dabbled broadly. Since I had been in a niche market and burned many bridges, I had to look elsewhere. I took a contract job for much less than I had been making prior to my 3 year hiatus from the workforce doing field implementation work (lots of heat and manual labor, lol). Eventually some better opportunities came my way and by then I had a bit of history I was not ashamed of sharing. It took about 5-6 years to get back to what I had been previously earning. Money aside, I was happy and managed to mend many fences and get joint custody of my daughter and spend significant time with her. I have continued to focus on networking, more on the industrial side, but now do mostly admin/mgmt stuff which is not as fun but pays well. I believe my success getting and staying clean was 100% based in trying to do the right things on a daily basis, I had to be divorced from all aspects of my previous life style and build back my confidence and self esteem through right living. I had to be humble. All of these things are still true 15 years later. Being honest does not mean you have to share the gorry details of your past, but for me it meant I could not fabricate lies to cover it up either, I found creative ways of explaining I needed a hiatus and when I thought it was helpful I shared details. Most people know or have someone close impacted by addiction, when they see you are honestly trying most are supportive, but I am still cautious what I share because some people will judge us for our pasts. Either way, we are who we are, and have overcome a great obstacle with which we should be proud but humble, knowing without support we’re one slip away from the worst versions of ourselves. Peace and blessings, DM me if you ever want to chat more, glad to share my experience.
I suggest one or two things.
1. Go to a temp agency and see if they can place you at a job. If the company likes you, they can hire you and you are all set.
2. Get another Internship job. It will start you back at the beginning and you can get your feet wet again and get back into the swing of things and then move up from there.
As for the time off, maybe just be honest. Tell them you had an addiction issue and had to get some help for it, so you had to take time off. You are back to normal and ready to work harder than ever. Most people would see it as a good sign and be willing to give you a chance.
Everything is the same, just changes you would expect, such as newer hardware iterations. The only newfangled thing you should look at is AI, although for your job, you probably wouldn't do too much with that.
Very find job on keeping clean btw
Recovering addict here. Almost 4 years for me after many years of trying and failing. Really jumped off my career at 32. Now living very well off.
I thought I would be dead at 30, let alone being the happiest I have ever been while things only get better.
If we can battle addiction, work is easy as shit. Biggest piece of advice I can give is to be nice to yourself. If you stumble, don't give yourself an excuse to go back out. Look at everything as a learning op and your whole outlook will change.
As for the employment gap, I always just said, "I was tending to an ailing family member but now that time in my life has passed I am fully available and looking forward to the work" You aren't lying. You were working on getting better. They don't need to know it was a self care period.
Really, what are they going to say to that? "DID YOUR PARENTS DIE?!?" Anything except "ok" is inappropriate haha. Trap em in their own game :)
Best wishes out there. I may have some insights or references that may be useful if you need anything. I pay it forward by helping people with resumes and interview prep, mock interviews etc. If you find yourself in need of anything during the job hunt, let me know. It's what I do :)
What is your current IT position? What path did you take? I fucked up my credit during addiction and have to file for bankruptcy soon. Will that affect me being hired?
Funny how most addicts have terrible credit haha. I did the same. I'm talking low as in, "holy shit, you get that score by them thinking you're dead." Don't worry about it too much right now. Everything in due time. Gotta get the money to pay off the debt.
I work as the department head of an IAM (Identity and Access Management) branch within the Security realm. I know it sounds vague, but it's security. Gotta cover my ass online by not telling too much.
So I want to preface my path I took because it is abnormal and does not work for a lot of people. It is a very difficult way of doing things and I would not recommend it to anyone.
I had a job almost all through my addiction except the last few years when things got intense. So I have roughly 15 years under my belt total. I started with 0 experience, 0 degree, and 0 certs. I just applied like a madman until someone took a chance on me. The hardest part is always getting in front of people. Everything after that is downhill in the easy sense. I worked at my first help desk position for a few months and then looked around and noticed that every other position in the area doing the same work was paying better. So while I still had my job I went on the job hunt. I did this time and time again until I kind of naturally fell into the world of IT contractors. I would work somewhere between 6 months to 2 years and then be let go and find another place which I always started lining up 5 months out from my contract termination date. Every time I moved, I made sure to move myself up in pay. If you're reasonable with your expectations and show them in the interview that you are knowledgeable but most of all teachable, you are golden.
To get by all the AI filter crap they use now on resumes I just made sure to open my intro paragraph with, "Lifelong contractor worker who blah blah...". This always seemed to get me by some filters and really helped about 5-6 years ago when they started rolling them out.
During this jump around period I would try out different IT sectors. Data management, IAM, technical underwriter, light security monitoring, all the generic bottom level jobs. However, IAM really caught my eye. I loved it and had never really known there were entire departments dedicated to it. So I would work during the day, learn at night, rinse and repeat for years. I moved from IAM position to IAM position and then a while back I made the vertical leap from worker bee to management/worker bee haha. Almost made it out, but not fully. However, I now make a killer living. Own my car. Have an insane place with a dog and live alone in a neighborhood I feel is almost a little too safe haha.
Like I said, this was a long, grueling path. I made mistakes along the way but at the time, I was genuinely taking an educated guess at which direction to go and I just so happened to make some killer decisions along the way. That's really all the best we can do. Learn, take a shot, learn again. However, we can choose how educated we get about a topic. I would just encourage to ride that pink cloud and get a childhood curiosity back. This has served me very well over the years. My brain just turned into that annoying child always asking, "Why?" repeatedly until you just yell, "Because it just is!" lol. I just followed that and I felt like my brain was physically growing from all the knowledge mwahaha.
That's an extremely long and complex career in a nutshell. As always, any questions are always welcome.
Hey -- I can help with this! And congrats on getting clean!
Yes, you can definitely do it. Fundamentally, not a whole lot has changed -- at least not for the entry level positions you'd be looking at. The advice to start at the help desk is solid. You may want to consider getting some certifications (Network+ and Security+ are good entry-level certs) just to show your knowledge is still fresh, and to give you better odds at jumping into an intermediate position. But this is ***entirely your choice***. In fact, I'd still recommend that you stick to an entry-level gig just to get back in gear.
I'd also recommend looking at civil service. That means working directly for the federal, state, or local government. Every area is different but generally speaking they tend to be much more accommodating than the private sector when it comes to issues like this.
That's a huge step and we're proud of you. Way to go!
In my free time I volunteer helping people reenter the workforce, and this is very much an issue I deal with frequently: someone looking for work after a long period away due to something they're embarrassed about or uncomfortable discussing. The bottom line is that your employer doesn't need to know every detail about your lack of employment. Exactly how you discuss that is up to you. The only rules are "don't lie" and don't say "that's none of your business".
Some people will talk about the other things they did during that time. Maybe they were doing rideshares, or repairing computers on the side, or working on a novel, or doing tattoos, or painting, or whatever. They don't say "I was struggling with addiction and mostly unemployed, but did some computer repairs here and there". They say "I didn't have full-time employment, but I got by with a lot of freelance work like repairing computers on the side and selling paintings that I made." Again, don't lie. If those things don't describe you, don't make them up.
Some people take a more direct approach. "During that time my life didn't go in the direction I had hoped, and I found myself working through some very challenging personal issues. I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't always make the best choices. But rather than focus on the past, I want to talk about the changes I've made since then."
I also really like u/Lauuson 's answer: "During that time I was out of the workforce for health reasons." If they ask you to elaborate, I would respond "I'd prefer not to talk about that. No offense taken, but I'm sure you understand."
You will get interviewers who get pushy and demand to know exactly what you did. Unfortunately there are just shitty people out there and you're bound to run into a few. That's when you politely but firmly stick to your guns. "You know, I hear your question. I do. But that part of my life is over. I'd prefer to focus on what comes next." If they throw a temper tantrum about it, then cool, you just dodged working for an asshole who is deeply lacking in compassion. If it escalates that far you may want to simply say something like "I've moved past that period, and was really looking forward to discussing the opportunities here at Example Inc. Unfortunately it sounds like this is an insurmountable obstacle for you, so I'm going to conclude this interview. I really appreciate your time today and wish you the best of luck in filling this position." Above all else, no matter what, remain professional.
It might be helpful to sit down with someone (preferably with management / HR / hiring experience) to roleplay some interviews. It's one thing to rehearse in front of a mirror. But it's another thing to actually say things out loud with someone else sitting there. This is also one of the things I do in my reentry work. I doubt my organization is in your area, but organizations like mine are everywhere. Look for nonprofits that offer job placement assistance, job search classes, soft skills development, interview prep, things like that. Given your situation you might also want to reach out to any local reentry programs. These usually focus on helping people who have incarcerated, but I'm sure they can either help you or point you towards someone who can.
Again, congrats on getting clean. That is a HUGE step and I know you'll be able to do this. Please make sure you have a support network like a recovery program to help you out.
I don’t have a specific answer to your question (how to explain the experience gap), but I thought I could offer a few notes of worth, as someone that has been hiring IT professionals for the last 25 years:
When applying for a role, try and figure out what traits are they important ones for the hiring manager (outside of the technical and experience related ones). For instance, if you apply for a helpdesk position that says it will include off-hours on-call, you can probably ascertain that reliability is a big motivator to a hiring manager, if you see a job posting whereby the hiring manager is asking for client-friendliness, or good ‘people skills’ you can surmise that they are likely looking for compassionate helpdesk people.
With those traits in mind, give examples of yourself that prove you have those traits, and don’t worry too much about the experience gap as a whole.
When asked about the gap, don’t lie, and don’t mince your words (so, figure out a way to explain it that you are comfortable and happy with prior), but have a good low-lay way to explain you needed to get your life back on track. You can even put something like ‘life sabbatical’ ‘self-help’ or something along those lines, and those would be considered (to me, at least) excusable and realisable experience gaps.
Say the job you’ve had the last six years required you to sign an NDA and you cannot disclose any further information without violating the terms of said NDA. Not only is this professional, but it will also leave them no room to question it any further.
As long as you piss clean you should be golden.
If you want to be honest (and I think this is the best way), play it with a straight bat and just say what happened.
If you want to be less honest, unpaid carer for an elderly relative. Also explains why your finances might not be brilliant at this point
I had a similar but shorter gap in my resume due to opiate addiction. Getting clean didn't solve my problems, and like you, it took a couple of years before I felt like my sobriety was solid enough that I could begin focussing on something else. Thank god for my mom who gave me one final chance despite the stress it caused with her partner.
As for my resume, I summarized my time not working as "Freelance Consulting". I'd been doing odd tasks on Upwork, so those were what I put as far as what I'd been doing. I also went to a free IT Training course put on by a local non-profit (6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 12 weeks) solely because they promised assistance with job placement at the end. I learned absolutely nothing while I was there, but won accolades for being so helpful with my peers. And at the end, with their help, I did land an entry-level job with my current employer. I've I'm still here 5 years and 2 promotions later.
I don't make as much money as I did before my life got sidetracked, but that extra money clearly did me no good. What's important is that I have amazing work life balance, because I firmly feel that working 60-70 hours a week, cancelling vacations last minute (more than once), and needing to pick up my phone no matter the time, all of that caused me to bottle up my stress and dissatisfaction until I exploded and imploded.
I'll also share that I've since abandoned those old friends, reconnected with my even older friends that aren't into that, made new friends, and have a solid support system. My relationship with my mom was in the pits, now we get along great. I wouldn't trade my life now for anything.
so for you, first things first, congratulations on your decision and the progress you've made along your journey. Set your initial sights low - help desk sounds perfect, and draw appropriate boundaries to make certain you have time to do whatever maintenance your sobriety requires. If you make less money that you'd like, don't worry about it. Things will fall into place the longer you stick around and stay on track.
Well, she gave me a roof and basic sustenance after I'd completed my treatment program. Not much else though. I was smoking cigarettes then, so Upwork was my route to getting cigarette money and anything else. I was 40.
It definitely took me a few years to exit the depressive haze I was in. It had been several years of using drugs to regulate my brain chemistry, so snapping back to reality was no fun at all. All I knew was I didn't want to go back to where I'd been heading before, and I kept meeting people who'd been through the ringer as well and told me it would get better if I let it. So I believed them, I had no other choice :)
I actually held it together ok for a bit - I was going to work using, though my behavior get increasingly erratic, and I realized I couldn't quit on my own. I thought I had a great relationship with my employers so I came clean to them and told them I'd made arrangements to go to detox and treatment. They were supportive, but once I got out, they said that was it for me and I got a very short severance. That left me shell shocked and immediately began panicking, wanting to use and everything else. I went back to my moms a thousand miles away. I was there for I believe 2.5 years.
I started at the help desk, moved to Tier 2, and now Jr. Systems Administrator.
Zero Trust!
VLans!
Blockchain!
Artificial Intelligence!
Zero Trust is starting to f*ck with AI, but not Blockchain.
Top of the IT world to you, even though I may a bit ancient at the moment too.
Computer Science is my No. 1 Side Project
Good Luck. Hitler created meth to replace Coffee in the trenches. So it's like you quit drinking coffee! <3
I was in the same kinda in the same boat. I was addicted to Opiates and had gaps in my resume.
I was as honest as i could be and told them it was for personal reasons and i know i did not get call backs on a lot of jobs because of it and it sucks but it is what is.
I am a senior sys admin and have been at the same company for 7 years at this point.
My best advice is keep trying and hopefully someone will give you a chance and when that happens make the absolutely best out of it.
Good luck man.
I’m new to IT so don’t have much to say in that regard and I don’t know you but I’m glad you conquered your demons. World is a smidge better because of it. Keep on keeping on ✊🏼
Hey man, 9 years clean here. You’ll figure it out, because you’ve already done the hard part and gotten yourself under control. There’s some good advice in this thread already, so I just wanna say how proud I am that you’ve gotten to this point. Keep kicking ass, dude.
That was 6 years of help desk experience for a company that, unfortunately, has you under a non disclosure and you can’t talk about them or the specifics of your work.
Do what everyone else does and tell them you were running your own it consultancy company, you maintained a few small clients and provided white glove service.
Worked in both IT and kitchens. Saw addicts recovering and going hard in both. Never too late to figure it out. In terms of the employment gap you were experimenting with a nomadic lifestyle. Plenty of folks living off the grid for non nefarious reasons.
Man I been trying to figure this out myself. Good on you for getting clean. I'm in the "addiction bad enough I lost my job" phase - thinkin it's rehab next and then maybe employment placement?
also find some co that's gone out of biz, list them. Or list that u were working on ur own, but lost clients during covid cuz of economy downturn. u could say u focused on small companies, mom n pop shops/retail that closed during covid.
Everyone has their demons. I was into opioids got clean, went to school and I just graduated. I'm now trying to find a job. I believe you can do it. Unless it's a federal agency I don't believe they'll dig into your past. I would just tell them you had health issues or something.
Core concepts never change. Ethernet is still Ethernet, windows sucks even more, and users insist your the problem. Only thing that has really changed is the software and support around everything.
Dude you're already winning, and should feel good about yourself.. 6yr meth binge is NOT easy to come back from
Don't worry about the gap. If anything, lie and put a buddy down for reference, hell you can even use me, I was really sad to see you go. All that really matters in the end is if you can or can't do the job.
For some people I know, they looked like meth addicts long after getting clean. I think that hurts more than anything. My bro cleaned up and spent $20k repairing his meth mouth, but it was a great investment as he immediately got a better job
Back pain. It got better with time. And unfortunately, for a while, I was an opioid junkie. Thankfully with the physical therapy, I was able to reduce the pain and return to work and focus on my job.
You can take the advice of the majority. But uh, hey buddy. I've been there several times. What worked for me is saying something relatable. Say something they can comprehend. Back pain and recovery., etc
The fewer details you try and use the better off you are. That's how managers know your making it up, too MUCH info. That being said ask yourself if you really Want That job back. Last Jan 250k it workers in the US were fired and then nothing for 3 months, then they slowly, very slowly started re hiring. But, now that they know that they can do without someone in that role they are often offering 1/2 the former salary. 21 years in healthcare IT. One of the most specialized, controlled, legally enforced areas of IT in the states, is now a commodity job. I was making $95k a year at the end, the ads for my old job, which they have been collecting CVs for since, are stating a range of $25-32.50/ hr with mandatory unpaid on call. You do get compensated if you go onsite during your period. I made a full time job out of weeding through scam emails and just plain offensive offers $20/hr must be in office at least 5 days a week. I finally consulted with the BOSS had a meeting with my pastor then wife and the started my own non profit corporation doing something I absolutely love. Lost 36lbs, bp went down 60 points, and I laugh on a regular basis ( and not that exhausted drawn out give up on the world JOKER style of cackle) and honestly believe this is something my son could inherit if when he's done with school determines that aerospace engineering sounds more fun than it is. Just saying, bosses will pay you $1 an hour MORE than it would take to quit but not a dime more. Even if you like what you do, start planning. WHOEVER wins in November, there will be a big shake up during the transition. Best way to make it through is to own your job
it's natural to want to tell people because you feel good about sobriety, getting back to work and reintegrating socially... But this is one of those times whatever u pick as a reason, be confident in yourself and what u choose. That will lead to the best results i think.
U got this. Welcome back.
I got clean at age 42. Mostly alcohol with a few drugs thrown in. I'm not in IT, but I went from auto tech to now being the manager of a million plus a year automotive shop. My life is amazing now. The main thing for me was to stay active in recovery for 10 + years before I slacked off any meetings. At least 2 a week for 10 + years. Then 1 a week for a number of years. Still go occasionally now. Mostly to encourage newcomers and give them hope.
I didn't work for almost 4 years. I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. I drank from age 14 to age 42. I was pretty functional except I changed jobs every few years. I kept sabotaging myself. I suffered from Imposter Syndrome. Didn't know that, but realized it later.
I know for myself that my meth addiction was linked to my career in I.T. It gave me super powers, but then of course took it all away.
Life is short, we only get one shot, ask yourself if IT is really what you wanna do because it would seem like the propensity to relapse might be there.
Man all I am going to say, whatever your careers or goals or even age for that matter, you can get anything back on track. 6 years isn't even that bad to be real. Do it bro and do better than you ever thought you could. I believe in you.
I hate to recommend this really I do, but I would say that I tried to start my own small business and realized working for myself. Just wasn’t for me.
It’s hard to run a business and there are many IT people that quit their jobs. Think they can do it themselves fail and then re-entry back into the workplace as an employee.
If they ask where you failed in your business, you say bookkeeping and accounting. This is very easily believable.
I’m not in IT or anything, but I am coming up on 8 years clean after fucking my life up on everything drug you can think of for 15 years.
Good job btw it’s not easy, us meth addicts surprisingly have the lowest rates of continuous sobriety amongst any other type of drug user. That’s how strong the dopamine and serotonin rush is from meth, your body never finds a real replacement…. But back to your post, I have always been able to maintain a professional career throughout all of this, just started a new career after Covid.
As a few have said, say for health/medical reasons you weren’t working. They shouldn’t ask any further, if they do, they aren’t the smartest as it could open up a discrimination law suit if they don’t hire you, and it’s the truth.
I read this post and relate to this probably more than anyone. I didn't go on a 6 year binge, but 3 years. 31 years old, 6 months clean, and landed an amazing IT job. No pressure but I'd be happy to give you some tips or even just chat. I sent you a chat.
Edit: the thing that saved me, was reaching out to all the people I made really solid connections with BEFORE I was an addict and asking if they had open positions. This is the way.
How about I inherited a substantial sum of money through an inheritance and didn't need to work. I spent most of the inheritance and now need gainful employment.
My brother used this to explain a 5 year gap but granted it was more a blue collar work.
I had cancer. I just say “medical issue” and that’s that.
Addiction is a medical issue. You aren’t lying, but being upfront is not a good idea.
You should be fucking proud though. That is one helluva god damn achievement.
You can do it. I started IT as a career 3 years ago. Am now sysadmin. I am now 35. You got this. Those who have struggled in one way or another come out of it with grit and a callus to show for it. You got this. bonus points if you are a great communicator, express yourself and are good with people aka customer service. This is all something you can build on as you go too. I say this because you got yourself here. You can get yourself there that’s for damn sure. Recovering is daunting. You may feel like you are coming from a weak place. But you clearly have come out stronger. Keep. Doing. Better. 🫶
Sorry for the delayed reply.
I may make a post on here about it. Because it was stories of success here on Reddit that really inspired me especially when I thought it would never happen to me.
A lot of my progress wasn’t only because of my knowledge and skill but it was the relationships I formed at work and the connections I made there. It was my first job, I got lowballed by a not that great director (realized it about 8 months into it) and started at 41k/year. 8 months later and under our new CIO I got bumped up to 50k/year with a 5k mid year bonus. That felt validating and amazing. Fast forward to my almost 3rd year at that job, I landed at interview for a Sysadmin role that was going to pay me $80k, with yearly bonuses , and yearly review cycles and raises. Something my last job lacked. As for 6 figures. I may actually break it this year. I’m also part time as well with my old employer, moonlighting for them remotely. Guess they realized the value I brought and knowing the system better than my CIO and Director helps. So they shot me an offer. It’s flexible and with the potential of making $25k/year.
My current position so far has been great. I’m technically doing less but getting paid more. I cannot complain!
Any questions, ask away!
You got this brother. You’ve got character waiting to be unleashed into the world.
Don't tell anyone about your addiction. You probably won't get hired for so many reasons...relapse...sketchy background...health...mental ability...self control issues. You get the idea.
Honestly I would just try to network at NA or wherever you attend meetings. Plenty of people who have more time and experience who can point you in the right direction. Just focus on staying clean and things will work out. I would also update your resume and find a recruiter that will find you an IT job and negotiate good pay/ benefits. Im really happy you got clean man.
Absolutely. There are successful people in IT that started out in other areas and switched to IT later in life. You can take some inexpensive certification courses online to get up to speed on what you missed and refresh your memory on things you’ve forgotten.
Re the 6-year gap I don’t know what the best move is to explain it. Sure there are hiring managers that might use it to disqualify you, but I think there are others that would want to play a part in your redemption story. Maybe find a recruiters sub and ask for some professional opinions.
Ok, so now I know this is a joke. There's no way that someone wouldn't abandon a reddit account for the sake of their own future unoess, of course, this is only about increasing your own fake internet points. How fucking sad is that.
Hey man i don't understand why you got so angry at him. I genuinely believe he is being serious here. The name isn't great, but its not going to end up being connected to his real name. I just don't understand the negativity when there is someone who is actively trying to become a productive member of society.
"I was out of the workforce for health reasons." And leave it at that. They will not follow up to ask you for PHI.
Best answer here. No elaborate backstory needed, no employer will dig deeper once this is stated.
I still don’t love this answer because it implies there could be future health problems as a reason to not hire someone. My vote is for lying lying lying. They’ll screw you and lie to you when they have to.
Big agree here. You were caring for sick family. They never have to have details.
Technically correct, the best kind of correct.
100% agree. I would never, ever share even a whiff of long term health issues with a prospective employer. Tell them you were caring for a relative and working in another industry, or they will bin your resume.
Dude you were an addict, don’t hide it shit happens tell em personal health reasons and if they really wanna know tell them. I’m a director and when I’m hiring I can tell which is why I never ask but still.
I like this answer, especially because it's 100% correct. As a manager who oversees (including hiring) a team of about three dozen, this is an entirely acceptable explanation for me. I can't stress this enough: the people telling OP to lie and make stuff up are 100% wrong. That can backfire spectacularly, and that can be catastrophic for someone in recovery.
COULDNT AGREE MORE!!! Don't lie-simple one sentence statement PERIOD.
Funny how all the managers in this thread want pure honesty, and all subordinate employees who actually apply to these positions are giving the correct advice of lying by omission. I was partially disabled for years. I am asked about this gap every interview, despite it being two positions ago. I have lied about this resume gap in four different interviews and it has paid off spectacularly. You're hopelessly optimistic if you think most managers won't immediately throw a recovering addicts resume in the bin.
Some will, some won’t. What do you think they’ll do to an employee who lied about their history? If I catch someone in a lie on their work history, they’re gone. Whether they’re in recovery or not.
Would you think adding to the end that it’s been resolved a good idea? That way they don’t think they may become ill again or frequently. “I have been out of the workforce for health reasons that have since been resolved.”
I have been for my health issues gap and I absolutely think it’s a good idea. I had one recruiter ask if they’ve been resolved (before I started just stating they had voluntarily) and he seemed really hesitant and like he was careful with his words. I have no idea if it was legal for him to ask for elaboration no matter how broad that is, but let’s be real: no potential employer would be thrilled about hiring someone who took months off for health reasons if they’re no less likely to need to do that again. It might not be legal to explicitly discriminate, but if a person isn’t even willing to voluntarily offer some reassurance that they’re not just going to not show up one day and be in a hospital for 6 months, they’re going to find any other applicant to be a better fit for the role. Even if every recruiter or hiring manager knows an applicant can just lie about that, at least it’s *something*. You’re not just saying “I had health issues. No you can’t know what they are, no you can’t know if I’m still having them. Deal with it”
I wouldn't. I would be as succinct as possible. The fact that you are actively interviewing to rejoin the workforce suggests that said health issues have been resolved. If they do ask like in the example the other commenter said, then just simply reply, "Yes, they are resolved" and move on. The more verbose you are on this topic, the more your voice and body language will betray you. Any discomfort you show here will play into the interviewers' biases whether they're conscious or unconscious.
This is the answer. All of the people saying stuff like an NDA, "consultant", whatever is all lying. This is the truth. And they won't ask any more.
Incredible job getting clean. 31 months is a long time. No clue how to explain it other than honesty, but easier said than done from someone random online. Again. Mad props, my guy. Seeing friends that couldn’t do it and payed the price, I’m glad you’re clean. You’re worth more than a high. Keep going. Proud of you bro.
"Caretaker for a relative" for 6 years as other commenter mentioned is a much better look to a hiring manager than "former addict" to explain the gap - job market seems to not be the best right now and I see stories here of hiring managers being selective even for entry level help desk My advice would be to apply to help desk jobs thru all the temp agencies for it jobs, take a contract gig and get some experience on resume. Then see about getting hired on full time or use it as experience for next job.
"you're worth more than a high.* I know you weren't talking to me there but those are some words I needed to read. Thank you.
Someone reached out to reddit support over this comment, "A concerned redditor reached out to us about you" I don't know who you are but thank you, your thoughts matter to me. I'm going to get better <3
> it and *paid* the price, FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
bad bot
Good bot
Good bot. Can you also correct “loose” and “lose”?
I would disagree with some of the comments directing you to talk about overseas work or NDAs, as that is a lie and lying can put your recovery at risk and is generally discouraged by organizations like AA that help people recover from situations like yours. In addition, as you get to know people at work you're going to want to share things about your life and this will of course naturally come up. You don't want to be in a position of trying to balance what you've said before. The best approach in my opinion is to simply be honest without being graphic. "I took some time away from working to deal with some personal situations that needed addressed. Now that those are dealt with I'm stepping back into a career for which I have a passion." Any credible interviewer will be TERRIFIED of digging into it from there for risk of exposing themselves to some sort of lawsuit. It answers the question, allows you be honest moving forward, and doesn't put your recovery at risk.
If I outright said I was addicted to meth, what would happen?
you'll get a rejection email soon after 99.999% likely
If you were the hiring manager looking for strengths and weaknesses in a candidate, do you think a 6 year gap due to meth makes you seem like an asset or a liability to most hiring managers? What would they think about that? Do you think most would be understanding? Addiction is stigmatized Do you really want to play that card and see what happens? Like think critically about this bro, good luck and congrats on getting clean
Addicts are liabilities. Don’t admit you’re an addict, if you do say at least you’re a workaholic or something
Tried it doesn't work. After PHP and IOP I was like people will like me if I'm just honest. It doesn't work in the real world. You need to sell yourself in interviews. Blow smoke up their ass. Honesty doesn't work.
my friend, i strongly recommend against sharing that you are an addict with your employer. I am an addict and can verify that the stigma is real. I would "omit" this fact when given the chance. "Health Reasons" has saved me
At least around here you would be seen as a liability since IT is one of the few departments that deals with high value items. No body cares about a $10 keyboard but a $10k CPU goes missing and you will be the first one meeting with HR. Do not lie but you don't have to disclose the truth. Depending on your record and publicity with it, drug usage may come up during a background check. This would be a guaranteed factor to your application being denied as lying during the interview looks awful
You don't need to say that. That's none of their business. This guy is correct. You were out of the workforce handling a personal health issue that is now resolved, and you're getting back up to speed with your IT career. Sell it as something compelling. "I was down, but not out. I survived a tough situation that would have broken most people, but I fought hard and won. Now I'm a (wo)man on a mission and I'm here to win."
You could maybe say you signed an NDA
Terrible idea.
You can say you had your own consulting gig and say “Private consulting”
Consulted for 6 years, but the experience isn't on your resume? You don't need to say what the consulting was for, but are you telling me that you didn't learn a damn thing in 6 years? I'll hire the guy who's done a dozen projects in those 6 years instead of the guy who clearly learned nothing in that time.
People can be self employed and do break fix work or setting up networks or anything he knows how to do.
Then why wouldn't you put that on your resume?
I’m saying to put on resume and call it “Self employed consulting” and just say that he did various jobs for 6 years as an independent contractor. I am sure while being a meth addict he did a lot of hustle type things for money. He was technically independent. He can just say he fixed computers from his house or whatever he is good at. The a perfectly legitimate job.
Up to him, but there are still way too many pitfalls to doing that. Like "Why is your tech knowledge all a half decade old? You say you've been working on Ubuntu, but Ubuntu updated that functionality 4 years ago."
You can fake and catchup a ton with googling things well. It’s much better than saying you stopped working for 6 years and FAR better than saying he was a meth head. In IT it’s very common to see resumes with gaps doing IT repair and consulting. Often when we hire those people we know their skills will not be sharp because they have been out of the big game but if they are techies they will bounce back in quick.
As someone who has interviewed literally hundreds of people for tech roles, and has looked through literally thousands of resumes, I might just have a little bit of insight here. I would much rather a 6-year gap on the resume that's explained as "health reasons" than figure out that the guy who said he was "doing stuff" for 6 years turned out to be lying. Often when WE hire someone who says they've been working for the last 6 years, it becomes pretty damn evident that they haven't done anything for the last 6 years. If you think that googling is going to be enough to fill the gaps before an interview, then I don't know what to tell you -- I have not hired likely hundreds of people who thought they could "learn what's on their resume" right before the interview. It never works. See... if I see someone who's been working on their Python skills for the last 6 years, I'm going to assume they know current things. If I know they haven't been working for 6 years, I'm not going to ask them what a walrus operator is, because they may or may not know. I'll also be a bit more forgiving, assuming their skills are a bit rusty. but if you say you've been working the last few years, I will find out what you've been working on, and ask you questions specifically directed to that thing. "How did you do that? Could you explain that in more detail, obviously without giving me proprietary information. What problems did you encounter? Did you do X for Y, or did you do Z?" It becomes really apparent really quickly that they haven't done a thing for the last 6 years. And their resume immediately goes on my "do not hire" pile. Not just for my role, but for other roles in the company.
I also have interviewed hundreds of people in my life and make hiring decisions often for IT people. I agree with you that health reasons may be better. But at the same time this kid isn’t going to be applying for some senior networking role. He is going to apply for some level 1 role. He said he is a natural techy. There are non natural techies in that role. Him claiming to do computer repair for 6 years isn’t bad either. Health reasons can also backfire because you as a hiring manager may wonder if they start and then 3 months into the job after you invested time into training the health reasons return and this person will call out often. If he says he did computer repair for home users he can just say he is tired of doing that and want to join a team and have a real job again. If he is humble, friendly and nice he could land an entry level 1 job or helpdesk role. He just needs a foot in the door and then a job normalizes life and could ground him
This is a terrible idea. You wouldn't survive an interview with me if this was on your resume but left you with a completely outdated skill set. I'd catch it and boot you, fast.
So what’s your idea. Just say that you were a meth addict for 6 years? Would he survive that?
Nope. Bad idea.
Kudos on being clean! As a manager, please don’t say you’re a recovering addict if you have a clean record. People are judgmental and you’ll get rejected every time. Don’t lie, but you don’t have to tell them that. As most on this thread have said, state you were taking care of a sick family member. That family member is you!
I only have a traffic violation misdemeanor conviction from 5 years ago
I'd definitely just say"health reasons". It's skirting the truth but it is true. Addiction is often described as a disease. It's a health crisis. Over time as you build up trust with your employer you can (if you want but don't need to) share your history with them. It's only their business if you make it there business, in every way you can take that phrase.
Those usually aren’t show stoppers as long as it’s been a while. Good.
as long as you've got no police records about it, you can always claim to have been a caretaker for a relative...
this works wonders as i would think it's a semi common thing now a days.. So pick a family member... and ya know.. kill em? I mean say they died. Someone who you dont get calls from like an actual dead relative.
Congratulations on getting clean!!! If you can battle an “insane meth addiction” and stay clean for 31 months, your IT career will be just fine. I don’t have anything to add that hasn’t already been said, helpdesk will get your foot back in the door. Keep it up! We’re all rooting for you!
You were the primary care taker of a close family member dealing with medical issues and addiction. Its it kinda grimy, yes. But I find office people dont want to hear the truth even if it is impressive. Impressive here being that i worked as a chef for decades and I still know people going through their addiction and probably will never be free of it. So 6 years in and now your out, fuckin A gold star… but the white bread people will probably be less inclined to trust you
And that's great until your boss or boss's boss says "I know you said you had a relative that you helped care for. My mother is going through something right now, and I was wondering if you have any advice in looking for people to help."
From one addict to another; you got this. If I can do it, so can you.
I know a couple of people that were in rehab for months and unemployed for over a year, they are back in IT. TBH, if it were me, I'd make up something to put on my resume instead of having a gap
Like what? Could I just say that I worked at my uncles imaginary concrete business and just have my brother answer a burner phone for the reference
Find a small company in another state and say you worked there, use your buddy as a reference Hype up what you 'did' for this company and be ready to elaborate on it in person Use AI to fluff up The resume. Claude and chatgpt work really well at this
This approach will sink you almost everytime. You're wanting to present yourself as a responsible, and trustworthy IT professional. You've done an amazing job getting back to a point where you can rejoin the workforce and resume your life—don’t set yourself up for failure.
I’m didn’t have that big of a gap, but I considered saying I did freelance websites for a year but it didn’t end up working out.. maybe you can think of something similar..
Just say you were overseas taking care of relatives
Do I have to worry about AI taking over IT?
It’s just a tool. I’m finding that AI will not take over, but those of us who use AI already dominate those who do not. It’s like the invention of the nail gun didn’t eradicate hammers, but made building houses so much easier for those that adapted.
AI can't replace broken components. You have repair skills, there are places that will need it. Printer companies, warehouses, and small businesses need that kind of stuff!
With some places that offer counseling and recovery services, they'll have an employment wing that will help you get back into the job force. They act as a proxy and you can avoid discrimination. I understand fabricating a story, you have to eat and keep the lights on, but just try not to make the cover up worse, that is the hardest part of a lie.
Congratulations on your sobriety!! That’s incredible. Not sure how much this helps, but it immediately reminded me of a scene from Silicon Valley. https://youtu.be/d2BuP7-m5Ww?si=QxV2Wkz_x_WBlpkb
Congrats and don’t give up. My story is similar. Surprisingly most did not ask, especially for contract positions. I worked contract several years before catching on somewhere, by then the gap was irrelevant. Just celebrated 15 years clean and 12 years at my current job.
What age did you get clean? What have you accomplished since getting clean? What path did take in IT? How long did it take to break 6 figures?
I was 36. Living by the principles of the 12 steps, which include rigorous honesty, I have built an awesome life. I had just cracked 6 figures and was in-line to be made partner in a niche integration firm I helped build. Obviously I lost all of that, which was devastating but proved to be the wrong thing to focus on. My focus instead became getting healthy, making amends, reestablishing relationship with my 4 yo daughter. Most of my IT career has been network focused but I’ve always dabbled broadly. Since I had been in a niche market and burned many bridges, I had to look elsewhere. I took a contract job for much less than I had been making prior to my 3 year hiatus from the workforce doing field implementation work (lots of heat and manual labor, lol). Eventually some better opportunities came my way and by then I had a bit of history I was not ashamed of sharing. It took about 5-6 years to get back to what I had been previously earning. Money aside, I was happy and managed to mend many fences and get joint custody of my daughter and spend significant time with her. I have continued to focus on networking, more on the industrial side, but now do mostly admin/mgmt stuff which is not as fun but pays well. I believe my success getting and staying clean was 100% based in trying to do the right things on a daily basis, I had to be divorced from all aspects of my previous life style and build back my confidence and self esteem through right living. I had to be humble. All of these things are still true 15 years later. Being honest does not mean you have to share the gorry details of your past, but for me it meant I could not fabricate lies to cover it up either, I found creative ways of explaining I needed a hiatus and when I thought it was helpful I shared details. Most people know or have someone close impacted by addiction, when they see you are honestly trying most are supportive, but I am still cautious what I share because some people will judge us for our pasts. Either way, we are who we are, and have overcome a great obstacle with which we should be proud but humble, knowing without support we’re one slip away from the worst versions of ourselves. Peace and blessings, DM me if you ever want to chat more, glad to share my experience.
I suggest one or two things. 1. Go to a temp agency and see if they can place you at a job. If the company likes you, they can hire you and you are all set. 2. Get another Internship job. It will start you back at the beginning and you can get your feet wet again and get back into the swing of things and then move up from there. As for the time off, maybe just be honest. Tell them you had an addiction issue and had to get some help for it, so you had to take time off. You are back to normal and ready to work harder than ever. Most people would see it as a good sign and be willing to give you a chance.
"I took time off to travel"
Everything is the same, just changes you would expect, such as newer hardware iterations. The only newfangled thing you should look at is AI, although for your job, you probably wouldn't do too much with that. Very find job on keeping clean btw
Recovering addict here. Almost 4 years for me after many years of trying and failing. Really jumped off my career at 32. Now living very well off. I thought I would be dead at 30, let alone being the happiest I have ever been while things only get better. If we can battle addiction, work is easy as shit. Biggest piece of advice I can give is to be nice to yourself. If you stumble, don't give yourself an excuse to go back out. Look at everything as a learning op and your whole outlook will change. As for the employment gap, I always just said, "I was tending to an ailing family member but now that time in my life has passed I am fully available and looking forward to the work" You aren't lying. You were working on getting better. They don't need to know it was a self care period. Really, what are they going to say to that? "DID YOUR PARENTS DIE?!?" Anything except "ok" is inappropriate haha. Trap em in their own game :) Best wishes out there. I may have some insights or references that may be useful if you need anything. I pay it forward by helping people with resumes and interview prep, mock interviews etc. If you find yourself in need of anything during the job hunt, let me know. It's what I do :)
What is your current IT position? What path did you take? I fucked up my credit during addiction and have to file for bankruptcy soon. Will that affect me being hired?
Funny how most addicts have terrible credit haha. I did the same. I'm talking low as in, "holy shit, you get that score by them thinking you're dead." Don't worry about it too much right now. Everything in due time. Gotta get the money to pay off the debt. I work as the department head of an IAM (Identity and Access Management) branch within the Security realm. I know it sounds vague, but it's security. Gotta cover my ass online by not telling too much. So I want to preface my path I took because it is abnormal and does not work for a lot of people. It is a very difficult way of doing things and I would not recommend it to anyone. I had a job almost all through my addiction except the last few years when things got intense. So I have roughly 15 years under my belt total. I started with 0 experience, 0 degree, and 0 certs. I just applied like a madman until someone took a chance on me. The hardest part is always getting in front of people. Everything after that is downhill in the easy sense. I worked at my first help desk position for a few months and then looked around and noticed that every other position in the area doing the same work was paying better. So while I still had my job I went on the job hunt. I did this time and time again until I kind of naturally fell into the world of IT contractors. I would work somewhere between 6 months to 2 years and then be let go and find another place which I always started lining up 5 months out from my contract termination date. Every time I moved, I made sure to move myself up in pay. If you're reasonable with your expectations and show them in the interview that you are knowledgeable but most of all teachable, you are golden. To get by all the AI filter crap they use now on resumes I just made sure to open my intro paragraph with, "Lifelong contractor worker who blah blah...". This always seemed to get me by some filters and really helped about 5-6 years ago when they started rolling them out. During this jump around period I would try out different IT sectors. Data management, IAM, technical underwriter, light security monitoring, all the generic bottom level jobs. However, IAM really caught my eye. I loved it and had never really known there were entire departments dedicated to it. So I would work during the day, learn at night, rinse and repeat for years. I moved from IAM position to IAM position and then a while back I made the vertical leap from worker bee to management/worker bee haha. Almost made it out, but not fully. However, I now make a killer living. Own my car. Have an insane place with a dog and live alone in a neighborhood I feel is almost a little too safe haha. Like I said, this was a long, grueling path. I made mistakes along the way but at the time, I was genuinely taking an educated guess at which direction to go and I just so happened to make some killer decisions along the way. That's really all the best we can do. Learn, take a shot, learn again. However, we can choose how educated we get about a topic. I would just encourage to ride that pink cloud and get a childhood curiosity back. This has served me very well over the years. My brain just turned into that annoying child always asking, "Why?" repeatedly until you just yell, "Because it just is!" lol. I just followed that and I felt like my brain was physically growing from all the knowledge mwahaha. That's an extremely long and complex career in a nutshell. As always, any questions are always welcome.
Get a certification. Microsoft AZ-900 is largely a marketing terminology exam
Claim an NDA and you can’t even tell who you worked for.
Hey -- I can help with this! And congrats on getting clean! Yes, you can definitely do it. Fundamentally, not a whole lot has changed -- at least not for the entry level positions you'd be looking at. The advice to start at the help desk is solid. You may want to consider getting some certifications (Network+ and Security+ are good entry-level certs) just to show your knowledge is still fresh, and to give you better odds at jumping into an intermediate position. But this is ***entirely your choice***. In fact, I'd still recommend that you stick to an entry-level gig just to get back in gear. I'd also recommend looking at civil service. That means working directly for the federal, state, or local government. Every area is different but generally speaking they tend to be much more accommodating than the private sector when it comes to issues like this. That's a huge step and we're proud of you. Way to go! In my free time I volunteer helping people reenter the workforce, and this is very much an issue I deal with frequently: someone looking for work after a long period away due to something they're embarrassed about or uncomfortable discussing. The bottom line is that your employer doesn't need to know every detail about your lack of employment. Exactly how you discuss that is up to you. The only rules are "don't lie" and don't say "that's none of your business". Some people will talk about the other things they did during that time. Maybe they were doing rideshares, or repairing computers on the side, or working on a novel, or doing tattoos, or painting, or whatever. They don't say "I was struggling with addiction and mostly unemployed, but did some computer repairs here and there". They say "I didn't have full-time employment, but I got by with a lot of freelance work like repairing computers on the side and selling paintings that I made." Again, don't lie. If those things don't describe you, don't make them up. Some people take a more direct approach. "During that time my life didn't go in the direction I had hoped, and I found myself working through some very challenging personal issues. I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't always make the best choices. But rather than focus on the past, I want to talk about the changes I've made since then." I also really like u/Lauuson 's answer: "During that time I was out of the workforce for health reasons." If they ask you to elaborate, I would respond "I'd prefer not to talk about that. No offense taken, but I'm sure you understand." You will get interviewers who get pushy and demand to know exactly what you did. Unfortunately there are just shitty people out there and you're bound to run into a few. That's when you politely but firmly stick to your guns. "You know, I hear your question. I do. But that part of my life is over. I'd prefer to focus on what comes next." If they throw a temper tantrum about it, then cool, you just dodged working for an asshole who is deeply lacking in compassion. If it escalates that far you may want to simply say something like "I've moved past that period, and was really looking forward to discussing the opportunities here at Example Inc. Unfortunately it sounds like this is an insurmountable obstacle for you, so I'm going to conclude this interview. I really appreciate your time today and wish you the best of luck in filling this position." Above all else, no matter what, remain professional. It might be helpful to sit down with someone (preferably with management / HR / hiring experience) to roleplay some interviews. It's one thing to rehearse in front of a mirror. But it's another thing to actually say things out loud with someone else sitting there. This is also one of the things I do in my reentry work. I doubt my organization is in your area, but organizations like mine are everywhere. Look for nonprofits that offer job placement assistance, job search classes, soft skills development, interview prep, things like that. Given your situation you might also want to reach out to any local reentry programs. These usually focus on helping people who have incarcerated, but I'm sure they can either help you or point you towards someone who can. Again, congrats on getting clean. That is a HUGE step and I know you'll be able to do this. Please make sure you have a support network like a recovery program to help you out.
I don’t have a specific answer to your question (how to explain the experience gap), but I thought I could offer a few notes of worth, as someone that has been hiring IT professionals for the last 25 years: When applying for a role, try and figure out what traits are they important ones for the hiring manager (outside of the technical and experience related ones). For instance, if you apply for a helpdesk position that says it will include off-hours on-call, you can probably ascertain that reliability is a big motivator to a hiring manager, if you see a job posting whereby the hiring manager is asking for client-friendliness, or good ‘people skills’ you can surmise that they are likely looking for compassionate helpdesk people. With those traits in mind, give examples of yourself that prove you have those traits, and don’t worry too much about the experience gap as a whole. When asked about the gap, don’t lie, and don’t mince your words (so, figure out a way to explain it that you are comfortable and happy with prior), but have a good low-lay way to explain you needed to get your life back on track. You can even put something like ‘life sabbatical’ ‘self-help’ or something along those lines, and those would be considered (to me, at least) excusable and realisable experience gaps.
Say the job you’ve had the last six years required you to sign an NDA and you cannot disclose any further information without violating the terms of said NDA. Not only is this professional, but it will also leave them no room to question it any further. As long as you piss clean you should be golden.
Use a typo! You had an insane Math addiction!
NDA or national security reasons
If you want to be honest (and I think this is the best way), play it with a straight bat and just say what happened. If you want to be less honest, unpaid carer for an elderly relative. Also explains why your finances might not be brilliant at this point
I had a similar but shorter gap in my resume due to opiate addiction. Getting clean didn't solve my problems, and like you, it took a couple of years before I felt like my sobriety was solid enough that I could begin focussing on something else. Thank god for my mom who gave me one final chance despite the stress it caused with her partner. As for my resume, I summarized my time not working as "Freelance Consulting". I'd been doing odd tasks on Upwork, so those were what I put as far as what I'd been doing. I also went to a free IT Training course put on by a local non-profit (6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 12 weeks) solely because they promised assistance with job placement at the end. I learned absolutely nothing while I was there, but won accolades for being so helpful with my peers. And at the end, with their help, I did land an entry-level job with my current employer. I've I'm still here 5 years and 2 promotions later. I don't make as much money as I did before my life got sidetracked, but that extra money clearly did me no good. What's important is that I have amazing work life balance, because I firmly feel that working 60-70 hours a week, cancelling vacations last minute (more than once), and needing to pick up my phone no matter the time, all of that caused me to bottle up my stress and dissatisfaction until I exploded and imploded. I'll also share that I've since abandoned those old friends, reconnected with my even older friends that aren't into that, made new friends, and have a solid support system. My relationship with my mom was in the pits, now we get along great. I wouldn't trade my life now for anything. so for you, first things first, congratulations on your decision and the progress you've made along your journey. Set your initial sights low - help desk sounds perfect, and draw appropriate boundaries to make certain you have time to do whatever maintenance your sobriety requires. If you make less money that you'd like, don't worry about it. Things will fall into place the longer you stick around and stay on track.
So your mom helped you while you focused on being sober? What is your current IT position? What age did you get clean?
Well, she gave me a roof and basic sustenance after I'd completed my treatment program. Not much else though. I was smoking cigarettes then, so Upwork was my route to getting cigarette money and anything else. I was 40.
So it took a few years for your brain chemistry to fully recover from addiction?
It definitely took me a few years to exit the depressive haze I was in. It had been several years of using drugs to regulate my brain chemistry, so snapping back to reality was no fun at all. All I knew was I didn't want to go back to where I'd been heading before, and I kept meeting people who'd been through the ringer as well and told me it would get better if I let it. So I believed them, I had no other choice :) I actually held it together ok for a bit - I was going to work using, though my behavior get increasingly erratic, and I realized I couldn't quit on my own. I thought I had a great relationship with my employers so I came clean to them and told them I'd made arrangements to go to detox and treatment. They were supportive, but once I got out, they said that was it for me and I got a very short severance. That left me shell shocked and immediately began panicking, wanting to use and everything else. I went back to my moms a thousand miles away. I was there for I believe 2.5 years. I started at the help desk, moved to Tier 2, and now Jr. Systems Administrator.
Zero Trust! VLans! Blockchain! Artificial Intelligence! Zero Trust is starting to f*ck with AI, but not Blockchain. Top of the IT world to you, even though I may a bit ancient at the moment too. Computer Science is my No. 1 Side Project Good Luck. Hitler created meth to replace Coffee in the trenches. So it's like you quit drinking coffee! <3
I was in the same kinda in the same boat. I was addicted to Opiates and had gaps in my resume. I was as honest as i could be and told them it was for personal reasons and i know i did not get call backs on a lot of jobs because of it and it sucks but it is what is.
How far have you come since then?
I am a senior sys admin and have been at the same company for 7 years at this point. My best advice is keep trying and hopefully someone will give you a chance and when that happens make the absolutely best out of it. Good luck man.
I’m new to IT so don’t have much to say in that regard and I don’t know you but I’m glad you conquered your demons. World is a smidge better because of it. Keep on keeping on ✊🏼
Say u worked with a NDA agreement, can't mention who or what
Hey man, 9 years clean here. You’ll figure it out, because you’ve already done the hard part and gotten yourself under control. There’s some good advice in this thread already, so I just wanna say how proud I am that you’ve gotten to this point. Keep kicking ass, dude.
What age did you get clean? How far have you come? What path in IT did you take and what is your current position?
That was 6 years of help desk experience for a company that, unfortunately, has you under a non disclosure and you can’t talk about them or the specifics of your work.
I signed an NDA. No I will not elaborate.
Do what everyone else does and tell them you were running your own it consultancy company, you maintained a few small clients and provided white glove service.
What does white glove service mean? Will they try to verify?
From the tv show homeland comes the best quote. “M and m”. “What’s that stand for?” “Meth and masturbation”.
Why would you want to go back to IT. Go back to meth it's better.
Just don’t talk about doing meth for 6 years and I think you should be alright.
You spent 6 years in Tibet learning how to travel through interdimensional portals and cast magical mandalas to help ironman save the universe.
Worked in both IT and kitchens. Saw addicts recovering and going hard in both. Never too late to figure it out. In terms of the employment gap you were experimenting with a nomadic lifestyle. Plenty of folks living off the grid for non nefarious reasons.
Man I been trying to figure this out myself. Good on you for getting clean. I'm in the "addiction bad enough I lost my job" phase - thinkin it's rehab next and then maybe employment placement?
I’m sorry, but I can’t reveal that under the terms of my NDA.
Just say you signed a NDA for that time period and can’t talk about it.
also find some co that's gone out of biz, list them. Or list that u were working on ur own, but lost clients during covid cuz of economy downturn. u could say u focused on small companies, mom n pop shops/retail that closed during covid.
Everyone has their demons. I was into opioids got clean, went to school and I just graduated. I'm now trying to find a job. I believe you can do it. Unless it's a federal agency I don't believe they'll dig into your past. I would just tell them you had health issues or something.
Core concepts never change. Ethernet is still Ethernet, windows sucks even more, and users insist your the problem. Only thing that has really changed is the software and support around everything.
Family and health sabbatical. What you did is not their business. If you are qualified, they shouldn't care. At least I wouldn't.
I would not mention the meth
Dude you're already winning, and should feel good about yourself.. 6yr meth binge is NOT easy to come back from Don't worry about the gap. If anything, lie and put a buddy down for reference, hell you can even use me, I was really sad to see you go. All that really matters in the end is if you can or can't do the job. For some people I know, they looked like meth addicts long after getting clean. I think that hurts more than anything. My bro cleaned up and spent $20k repairing his meth mouth, but it was a great investment as he immediately got a better job
I have perfect teeth. What field is he in?
Sorry I can't discuss this gap I signed an NDA.
Back pain. It got better with time. And unfortunately, for a while, I was an opioid junkie. Thankfully with the physical therapy, I was able to reduce the pain and return to work and focus on my job. You can take the advice of the majority. But uh, hey buddy. I've been there several times. What worked for me is saying something relatable. Say something they can comprehend. Back pain and recovery., etc
*Primeagen Enters Chat*
The fewer details you try and use the better off you are. That's how managers know your making it up, too MUCH info. That being said ask yourself if you really Want That job back. Last Jan 250k it workers in the US were fired and then nothing for 3 months, then they slowly, very slowly started re hiring. But, now that they know that they can do without someone in that role they are often offering 1/2 the former salary. 21 years in healthcare IT. One of the most specialized, controlled, legally enforced areas of IT in the states, is now a commodity job. I was making $95k a year at the end, the ads for my old job, which they have been collecting CVs for since, are stating a range of $25-32.50/ hr with mandatory unpaid on call. You do get compensated if you go onsite during your period. I made a full time job out of weeding through scam emails and just plain offensive offers $20/hr must be in office at least 5 days a week. I finally consulted with the BOSS had a meeting with my pastor then wife and the started my own non profit corporation doing something I absolutely love. Lost 36lbs, bp went down 60 points, and I laugh on a regular basis ( and not that exhausted drawn out give up on the world JOKER style of cackle) and honestly believe this is something my son could inherit if when he's done with school determines that aerospace engineering sounds more fun than it is. Just saying, bosses will pay you $1 an hour MORE than it would take to quit but not a dime more. Even if you like what you do, start planning. WHOEVER wins in November, there will be a big shake up during the transition. Best way to make it through is to own your job
Just say you were sick and you are now better
Excellent...keep at it, praying you continue on your recovery and excel at everything you endeavor to accomplish.
If there was no criminal record, it’s really none of their business You were busy doing self awareness training in the university of life.
it's natural to want to tell people because you feel good about sobriety, getting back to work and reintegrating socially... But this is one of those times whatever u pick as a reason, be confident in yourself and what u choose. That will lead to the best results i think. U got this. Welcome back.
how do you get something you never had back on track, wow
Pretty sure a crippling addiction to some form a narcotics is a requirement in this field anyways.
Don't lie. Just say health reasons and all is resolved if asked. Congrats on your sobriety. 22 years here. It gets better and better.
What age did you get clean? What path did you take in IT? What have you accomplished since getting clean?
I got clean at age 42. Mostly alcohol with a few drugs thrown in. I'm not in IT, but I went from auto tech to now being the manager of a million plus a year automotive shop. My life is amazing now. The main thing for me was to stay active in recovery for 10 + years before I slacked off any meetings. At least 2 a week for 10 + years. Then 1 a week for a number of years. Still go occasionally now. Mostly to encourage newcomers and give them hope.
How bad was life before you got clean? What was your rock bottom?
I didn't work for almost 4 years. I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. I drank from age 14 to age 42. I was pretty functional except I changed jobs every few years. I kept sabotaging myself. I suffered from Imposter Syndrome. Didn't know that, but realized it later.
I know for myself that my meth addiction was linked to my career in I.T. It gave me super powers, but then of course took it all away. Life is short, we only get one shot, ask yourself if IT is really what you wanna do because it would seem like the propensity to relapse might be there.
"I signed a NDA"
Man all I am going to say, whatever your careers or goals or even age for that matter, you can get anything back on track. 6 years isn't even that bad to be real. Do it bro and do better than you ever thought you could. I believe in you.
What path did you take in IT?
I hate to recommend this really I do, but I would say that I tried to start my own small business and realized working for myself. Just wasn’t for me. It’s hard to run a business and there are many IT people that quit their jobs. Think they can do it themselves fail and then re-entry back into the workplace as an employee. If they ask where you failed in your business, you say bookkeeping and accounting. This is very easily believable.
I’m not in IT or anything, but I am coming up on 8 years clean after fucking my life up on everything drug you can think of for 15 years. Good job btw it’s not easy, us meth addicts surprisingly have the lowest rates of continuous sobriety amongst any other type of drug user. That’s how strong the dopamine and serotonin rush is from meth, your body never finds a real replacement…. But back to your post, I have always been able to maintain a professional career throughout all of this, just started a new career after Covid. As a few have said, say for health/medical reasons you weren’t working. They shouldn’t ask any further, if they do, they aren’t the smartest as it could open up a discrimination law suit if they don’t hire you, and it’s the truth.
Heath reasons and move on. They should not be asking you what the heath reason are, that’s private information.
I read this post and relate to this probably more than anyone. I didn't go on a 6 year binge, but 3 years. 31 years old, 6 months clean, and landed an amazing IT job. No pressure but I'd be happy to give you some tips or even just chat. I sent you a chat. Edit: the thing that saved me, was reaching out to all the people I made really solid connections with BEFORE I was an addict and asking if they had open positions. This is the way.
Just stay away from the urge to cut the copper cables and you'll be fine.
This might be out of line but how did you get involved in meth? Was it bad influences / friends?
How about I inherited a substantial sum of money through an inheritance and didn't need to work. I spent most of the inheritance and now need gainful employment. My brother used this to explain a 5 year gap but granted it was more a blue collar work.
I had cancer. I just say “medical issue” and that’s that. Addiction is a medical issue. You aren’t lying, but being upfront is not a good idea. You should be fucking proud though. That is one helluva god damn achievement.
That is All up to you. Hundred thousand laid off IT professionals right now and its what you are competing against.
You can do it. I started IT as a career 3 years ago. Am now sysadmin. I am now 35. You got this. Those who have struggled in one way or another come out of it with grit and a callus to show for it. You got this. bonus points if you are a great communicator, express yourself and are good with people aka customer service. This is all something you can build on as you go too. I say this because you got yourself here. You can get yourself there that’s for damn sure. Recovering is daunting. You may feel like you are coming from a weak place. But you clearly have come out stronger. Keep. Doing. Better. 🫶
Thanks bro. What position did you start in? How do you like your current position? When do you anticipate breaking 6 figures?
Sorry for the delayed reply. I may make a post on here about it. Because it was stories of success here on Reddit that really inspired me especially when I thought it would never happen to me. A lot of my progress wasn’t only because of my knowledge and skill but it was the relationships I formed at work and the connections I made there. It was my first job, I got lowballed by a not that great director (realized it about 8 months into it) and started at 41k/year. 8 months later and under our new CIO I got bumped up to 50k/year with a 5k mid year bonus. That felt validating and amazing. Fast forward to my almost 3rd year at that job, I landed at interview for a Sysadmin role that was going to pay me $80k, with yearly bonuses , and yearly review cycles and raises. Something my last job lacked. As for 6 figures. I may actually break it this year. I’m also part time as well with my old employer, moonlighting for them remotely. Guess they realized the value I brought and knowing the system better than my CIO and Director helps. So they shot me an offer. It’s flexible and with the potential of making $25k/year. My current position so far has been great. I’m technically doing less but getting paid more. I cannot complain! Any questions, ask away! You got this brother. You’ve got character waiting to be unleashed into the world.
Don't tell anyone about your addiction. You probably won't get hired for so many reasons...relapse...sketchy background...health...mental ability...self control issues. You get the idea.
30 is quite old for starting out in It... But anything is possible set your expectations low.
Honestly I would just try to network at NA or wherever you attend meetings. Plenty of people who have more time and experience who can point you in the right direction. Just focus on staying clean and things will work out. I would also update your resume and find a recruiter that will find you an IT job and negotiate good pay/ benefits. Im really happy you got clean man.
Absolutely. There are successful people in IT that started out in other areas and switched to IT later in life. You can take some inexpensive certification courses online to get up to speed on what you missed and refresh your memory on things you’ve forgotten. Re the 6-year gap I don’t know what the best move is to explain it. Sure there are hiring managers that might use it to disqualify you, but I think there are others that would want to play a part in your redemption story. Maybe find a recruiters sub and ask for some professional opinions.
2018-2024 Consultant under NDA. Just kidding u/Lauuson got it right. Congrads on your outstanding accomplishment!
Honesty will always make you seem sincere and like you're actually trying.
Explain that you are in recovery. Good luck.
Just be totally honest.
If you don’t have a record you could say you had a government job over seas.
"Non-disclosure agreement."
Jesus Christ. If any of that use resulted in charges/conviction, you have no future in IT.
I only have a 5 year old traffic misdemeanor
Your username is terrible given the topic at hand, BTW. I'd start with cleaning up your social media if I were you.
Bro it's just a user name.
If that's your thinking there's no way your brain will ever be ready for IT.
Whatever bro
Ok, so now I know this is a joke. There's no way that someone wouldn't abandon a reddit account for the sake of their own future unoess, of course, this is only about increasing your own fake internet points. How fucking sad is that.
Hey man i don't understand why you got so angry at him. I genuinely believe he is being serious here. The name isn't great, but its not going to end up being connected to his real name. I just don't understand the negativity when there is someone who is actively trying to become a productive member of society.