In today’s uncertain job market, you need every competitive advantage possible. A DUI conviction is not one of them. In fact, as reported by the Houston Chronicle, it can do you a lot of damage and may even prevent you from getting the job you want.
In fact, a DUI conviction can stop you from entering into professions that require state licensing, such as the following:
- Medicine
- Law
- Pharmacy
- Architecture
- Engineering
When your state licensing board discovers your DUI conviction, it may decline to issue the license you need. If you already have a license, the board may suspend it, deeming such a conviction a crime of moral turpitude.
Background checks
A DUI conviction can make it less likely that potential employers will look at you favorably when you apply for a nonprofessional job as well. Virtually all employers do background checks on their job candidates. Your conviction means that the following types of negative information likely will show up on yours:
- Court records
- Incarceration records
- DMV records, especially if your conviction resulted in a driver’s license suspension or revocation
Character issues
Unfortunately, many employers view a criminal conviction as a black mark against your character. At best, it makes you look like someone with poor judgment. At worst, it makes you look like a troublemaker who has little or no regard for others.
Remember, however, that when a prospective employer asks you about any criminal convictions in your background, you only need to reveal actual convictions, not arrests. Consequently, if charged with DUI, mounting a vigorous defense represents your wisest course of action.
