So I got a call recently from the 3rd party lab saying I tested positive for marijuana. This is the 2nd pre employment drug test I had for entry level. I passed the 1st one. Hadnt smoked in about 33 days so I thought I was ok for this one. I have to reapply in 6 months. How much will this hinder me when I reapply? Does anybody have a similar experience?
So you are asking a forum where everyone knows what you did is against the rules (and you knew), has the potential to put others at risk as well as your self and you want advice? 
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It depends on what type of outfit you are applying with. Many owners/investors/hiring managers don’t think they are in business to provide 2nd chances to potheads who don’t take their careers serious enough to pass a pre-employment drug test. You are a liability. If you can’t pass a pre-employment drug test, a test that you have complete control over, chances are you won’t pass a random or post accident drug test either which is troublesome for most businesses. I’m a Libertarian who thinks all drugs should be legal to any responsible adult over 21 years of age but I wouldn’t hire you. There’s too many smart applicants who knows how to pass a drug test. Duh?
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Sand_Pebble kinda said what you don’t want to hear, but pretty much gospel regarding responsibility and common sense. Ah shit , I used that term again.
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Hinder? Screwed,blued and tattooed comes to mind.
Why would I as a personnel manager want the hassle of an employee with a mark like that on his record?
You can either enjoy the freedom to smoke weed or you can have a career as a mariner, if you haven’t already blown it. Make a choice; you can’t have it both ways.
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Dude, don’t be a dumbass. You smoked and got caught.
Go cry in your bong somewhere else.
Well I got selected for entry level wiper in April. Not crying or complaining, I get I messed up. My only question is: is there any chance at all that I’ll be selected again? Has there ever been anyone that got in with something like that on their record? I just don’t see the point of allowing someone to reapply if they plan on rejecting them anyway.
It’s not like i would be smoking if I had actually got on a ship. I stopped smoking for over a month in preparation for the test. And wasn’t planning on going back. So yes, I’m asking for advice. This is a forum as you said. A forum for discussion about anything mariner related. Seems like almost everyone that replied other than sand pebbles is on a high horse. Pretty sure every single one of you has made very stupid mistakes in your life at one point or another. This is one of mine. I don’t need you to tell me that so please don’t waste my time or yours by commenting stuff I already know.
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The short answer is no.
The long answer is: Maybe, but probably not with the same company, and probably not for a long while. As long as there’s other candidates with better records, you’ll be at the bottom unless you have other skills and experience. If you were just going for entry level anyway, don’t sweat it, there’s other less stringent industries to work in.
I’m pretty uninformed. What other companies are there other than msc?
Just apply to a different company, don’t bother with the one you applied to and failed the test on. Also don’t smoke USCG is going to be hair follicle testing soon.
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So are they all under the coast guard? What would be the best company to apply to
Are you serious right now? If your an American Merchant Mariner and have an MMC, yes you are under Coast Guard regulations.
“Mariner” covers everything from your local harbor ferry, charter fishing boat, commercial fishing boat, Tugboats, American ships(usually crewed out of union halls), and up to the federal gov, like MSC, NOAA, Army Corps of Engineers. “Entry Level” is a term that pretty much MSC uses in their hiring process. If you failed with them, you’re not gonna get a job with them any time soon. They get hundreds of applications a day to wade through. Federal jobs can be pretty good, and it usually takes forever to get hired into one in all the other federal sectors, MSC is no different. On the other hand you could go on Craigslist, or whatever help wanted section tomorrow and get a deckhand job in something more local without the drug test issue even coming up.
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If the lab or company reported your results to USCG , gonna have a hard go of it. If not, maybe you can squeek in somewhere. Odds are against you, stay off the weed. it aint worth it, or trying to time it. Many a decent mariner has tried to game it, and they are now on the beach, for good.
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