How a Drug Test Prevented Me from Getting a Dream Job
Bad Experiences

How a Drug Test Prevented Me from Getting a Dream Job


I went into rehab several times, each time relapsing only to return months later. I was living with my parents and struggling to make headway into the world around me. I had lost my old friends, and there was no way I would be friends with the people Brian and I partied with in college. Each day, my parents encouraged me to go into the world and try something new. I knew what they meant – go get a job and be productive! However, I wasn’t really sure how to get started on that.

One day we went to the mall, and I applied to every place I could find. My hands were starting to cramp when I saw a woman in a sleek business suit handing out papers. She smiled and waved a paper in my direction, which I took. Her company was looking for a local ground marketing representative that could help them advertise and eventually build a store in the city.

I filled in my information quickly and handed the paper back to her, confident the skills I had learned in college would put me to the top of the list. I walked out with a business card and increased confidence – I had applied for a job in the field I had always dreamed of being a part of.

I got a call back from the thrift store, but I turned it down so that I would be free to accept the marketing job. It took a few weeks, but I got the phone call I was looking for. They interviewed me, and everything went well… until they asked me to a drug test.

I had been in and out of rehab for so long that I hadn’t thought about heroin being in my system. I quickly tried asked myself ‘how long does heroin stay in your urine?’ – I drew a blank. I failed the drug test and lost out on the opportunity to step into a career I had always wanted.

Why did I get drug tested?

It had been so long since I had a real job that I forgot places drug test for several reasons. In my case, it was standard pre-employment testing, but other instances that may involve drug testing in the workplace include:

  • Random drug testing
  • Testing to return to work
  • Suspicion or reasonable cause for testing
  • Workplace accidents
  • Medical follow-up testing

A heroin drug test is specially designed to pick up heroin in the body, deterring individuals from partaking in illicit drugs. Heroin causes employees to become less productive, causing employers to look for signs of abuse. If you are incapable of performing your duties in the workplace, then you may be tested for drugs and alcohol. You are more likely to cause accidents in the workplace or get injured if you are inebriated in any way, and it may cost you your job.

Heroin in the Body

There are different ways to test for the presence of heroin in the body, and each test can detect heroin for a different amount of time. Depending on the test used, your employer may be able to detect the drug for up to 90 days after it has been used.

  • Blood tests detect heroin 1 day after use
  • Urine tests detect heroin 1 to 4 days after use
  • Her follicle tests detect heroin 90 days or longer after use

I didn’t get hired because of my drug test, and I missed out on a fantastic opportunity that had walked right in front of me due to the consequences of my addiction. I began to create my own private business instead, where I can focus and conquer by field of study with confidence and remain sober.