I'll try and not be specific - I am a recovered addict, I have done things that probably would have gotten me arrested but haven't, and I have gotten the attention of the authorities because of it. I have tried to get me life on track and my past keep chasing me. I have unintentionally ruined by professional career. My past actions have gotten to at least two of my past jobs and now I believe that those jobs have contacted my entire network of previous connections. I have recently been to jobs and things go wrong, my reputation destroyed. Obviously people won't say anything but I am being ostracized. People I have known for years at my college, professors, security personal, office workers are now going out their way to ignore me. I believe that my past employers( HR people ) are communicating with my new jobs and destroying my credibility. I now it's illegal to try and stop someone from living, but can the HR/People from my previous jobs destroy my reputation anywhere I apply to ?

Has your job performance been at least good, if not excellent? Have you been given annual reviews? If so, how did those go? How have things gone wrong on the job? Which country are you in?

No, this only happen at a tech job I had. I had to leave because know one wanted to communicate with me out of work, and I didn't; expect to move up the latter at the company. I'm just afraid now that If I give a reference from an old employer that they will inform the new company about my past...

No, this only happen at a tech job I had. I had to leave because know one wanted to communicate with me out of work, and I didn't; expect to move up the latter at the company. I'm just afraid now that If I give a reference from an old employer that they will inform the new company about my past...
Do you have other references you can use? In the US, companies you apply to cannot call former employers if you don't put them on your references list. And you can write your resume in such a way to disallow checking with past employers.

I'll try and not be specific - I am a recovered addict, I have done things that probably would have gotten me arrested but haven't, and I have gotten the attention of the authorities because of it. I have tried to get me life on track and my past keep chasing me. I have unintentionally ruined by professional career. My past actions have gotten to at least two of my past jobs and now I believe that those jobs have contacted my entire network of previous connections. I have recently been to jobs and things go wrong, my reputation destroyed. Obviously people won't say anything but I am being ostracized. People I have known for years at my college, professors, security personal, office workers are now going out their way to ignore me. I believe that my past employers( HR people ) are communicating with my new jobs and destroying my credibility. I now it's illegal to try and stop someone from living, but can the HR/People from my previous jobs destroy my reputation anywhere I apply to ?


You don't give a timeline... but my gut is telling me these were all fairly recent events. (meaning its likely I have underwear bought during that time frame)

They can tell the truth if asked... if that destroys anything, its your actions that did it not theirs. There is nothing illegal with making truthful statements. Unless you managed to REALLY pi** off some people before you were fired or terminated... they generally don't tend to go into negative details.

Sorry to be blunt, but the reality is that actions have consequences... and those can last a very, very long time. Even if it had nothing to do with being an addict.

Leaving employers off resume is an option but it leaves gaps that people will question. Lie to hide the gaps and you give them legal cause to fire you if and when its ever discovered (even years after being hired).

If its been a lot of years (and a lot is more than a couple). Then what happened a long time ago has little importance. If this was just a few years ago... you don't get credibility in just a few years... its earned through actions and reputation.

As far as what MIGHT have gotten you arrested but didn't because you weren't caught... a lot of people have done stuff that fits that description... myself included.

As far as being ostracized.. well that's their right... as it is yours if you chose to not associate with someone for any reason. That's life. You learn to deal with it (by accepting and ignoring it) or it consumes you.

What happened 30 years ago or even 20 has little consequence unless a felony is involved. What happened 5 years and maybe even 10 years ago does have a great deal of importance.

I really don't know of a actual law, that stops a person from telling others the truth, even if that stops another person from telling the truth, Ex girlfriends, ex friends do it all the time.

Also new and current employers most likely check references and if they contact the old companies, they are free to give out any true information.

Also depending on the industry, some are small worlds, where people know each other, go to meetings, together and more. In the healthcare field I used to work, my special area was a small field, and in a city the size of Atlanta, we all knew each other. And talk and things of the past was easily known. Current performance, if you are doing a good job now, things from 20 years ago, should have no bearing.

I never meet a bottle I could pass 30 years ago, I failed the State Bar many times and had perhaps some personal life style faults. But after 10 years sober no one cared.

Rebuilding a life is never easy, and unreasonable to assume you can immediately get what you have lost when your life was unmanageable. Basically you are starting over from scratch and if you see this as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, to build it better you will find a way to manage it.

How long have you been clean and sober?

It was good in my past jobs but I think they have been informed of my past outside actions. I'm in the USA


Rebuilding a life is never easy, and unreasonable to assume you can immediately get what you have lost when your life was unmanageable. Basically you are starting over from scratch and if you see this as an opportunity rather than an obstacle, to build it better you will find a way to manage it.

How long have you been clean and sober?

I understand that but how do I start over, I'm in my 30's and I cant have no experience. Jobs will ask, what have I been up to. I've been clean about 5 months now.

And how have you maintained being free from drugs and alcohol these 5 months? If you have not developed a network of people, and resources to guide and aid you through this period then I strongly advise you get on board with it. People that have been through what you are going through can show you how they did it and how you can do it to.

That's how I rebuilt my own life with a network of friends and the guidance of sponsors I could lean on and listen too. The same way you reached out here is the same way you reach out to real people who know HOW to help you find good orderly direction to manage your rebuilding.

You are not alone and many of us here have been through the same rebuilding process... and got it together with the help of letting caring knowledgeable EXPERIENCED people into our lives. Maybe you won't be a TECH right away, maybe you will be a janitor until you can be a tech again, after you have fully regained your mental health and have put the insanity behind you for a year... or two!

One day at a time. No not every job will ask what have you been up too.

It is not illegal for anyone to tell the truth about your past. It is not illegal for someone to even to broadcast the truth. As long as they are telling the truth. If they are lying about you or pursuing a vendetta of black balling you, you might have a lawsuit against them, but it would mean taking them to court.

Your past FEARS and difficulties have nothing to do with you applying for any job. Never seen an application that asks about the gaps in work history either, so am I right to assume you need help with the actual interview process... if it gets that far? Your goal should be getting employed even if your chosen field is not available to you at this time. You would hardly be the first person who had to take what he could get as you get your legs back under you.

Your past FEARS and difficulties have nothing to do with you applying for any job. Never seen an application that asks about the gaps in work history either, so am I right to assume you need help with the actual interview process... if it gets that far? Your goal should be getting employed even if your chosen field is not available to you at this time. You would hardly be the first person who had to take what he could get as you get your legs back under you.


Agreed... I will further into what I have to do. Thank you.