Drug Test After Starting Full Time Training?

I start FT IB analyst training very soon at a big bank. There was no mention about drug testing in the offer letter or anywhere else and I haven't been drug tested.

I haven't smoked bud recently and won't until after I start but I want to know - after the first day of training if I haven't been drug tested am I in the clear to light up or is it possible they'll drug test mid-way through training or when I actually hit the desk after training?

Anyone heard of something like that happening? I'm not a big stoner or anything but it's nice to be able to accept if someone hands me a bowl at a weekend party or something without being terrified of drug tests.

Investment Banking: No Drug Test After Starting Work

Our users shared that investment banks typically do not do additional drug testing after you have begun training unless they suspect you of having a drug problem that is interfering with work. However, they could drug test you at any time. It is important to note that this is NOT the case for consulting firms.

NYCStudent - Investment Banking Analyst:
I thought I didn't have to do a drug testing for my bank as well (starting at a global IB). HR didn't say anything about it, but then two days ago they emailed us about it. So it's pretty random sometimes.

Bondarb - Hedge Fund Partner:
Answer is that of course the can test you anytime, but they probably will not unless they suspect you of having a drug problem...ie probably only if u don’t show up for work regularly or something. Reality is that nobody cares if you smoke pot on your off time as long as you do your job. I wouldn’t worry about testing once you start.

TechBanking - Entrepreneur:
They can drug test you whenever they want. In practice they'd only do it (to an active employee) if they suspected a problem.

Read More About Durg Testing on WSO

Interviewing for Private Equity Jobs?

Want to land at an elite private equity fund try our comprehensive PE Interview Prep Course. Our course includes 2,447 questions across 203 private equity funds that have been crowdsourced from over 500,000 members. The WSO Private Equity Interview Prep Guide has everything you’ll ever need to land the most coveted jobs on Wall Street.

Private Equity Interview Course

 

Ask yourself this - are you willing to risk your MD wondering why you have super red eyes every Monday morning in exchange of getting high for a couple of hours with your mates on the weekend?

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old"
 
RichardPennybags:

Ask yourself this - are you willing to risk your MD wondering why you have super red eyes every Monday morning in exchange of getting high for a couple of hours with your mates on the weekend?

I don't want to derail the thread but I've never, ever had red eyes the morning after smoking weed - only the night of.

 
Best Response
RichardPennybags:

Ask yourself this - are you willing to risk your MD wondering why you have super red eyes every Monday morning in exchange of getting high for a couple of hours with your mates on the weekend?

I'm guessing you've never smoked pot

 
RichardPennybags:

Ask yourself this - are you willing to risk your MD wondering why you have super red eyes every Monday morning in exchange of getting high for a couple of hours with your mates on the weekend?

No red eyes. Might be a bit drowsy in the morning but nothing coffee can't fix.

OP: I think you should just avoid it until your gig is over. Better safe than sorry.

 

not worth the risk IMO

but if you don't smoke all the time and only do it once, even a day before the test you'll pass.

if you've been smoking weed everyday for the past ~6 months or so or every other day, you will fail unless you do some serios detoxing/sweating,etc

alpha currency trader wanna-be
 

they can whenever they want to since it's at will employment. most likely they won't after you start unless they're suspicious of something.

"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed." Theodore Roosevelt
 

I have never heard if any professional being drug tested while already on the job. Not once. I think if you're a bus driver or have some job dealing with heavy machinery, you might have an issue. But, not if you're some random guy in finance.

 

I know you were asking about IB specifically, but for the benefit of others reading this thread, it is not uncommon for energy majors to randomly drug test within all of their departments. It's a policy that makes sense for engineers (I guess) but usually they keep it consistent across the company pulling in finance and traders too.

 
RichardPennybags:

Ask yourself this - are you willing to risk your MD wondering why you have super red eyes every Monday morning in exchange of getting high for a couple of hours with your mates on the weekend?

Dumbest shit I've ever read. Maybe someday people will realize that the straight-and-arrow personalities are the minority. Everyone has a vice and nobody gives a shit about it. If you haven't been drug-tested prior to your first day then don't worry about it. Light up, bud.

 

No, of course they wont drug test you again after you've passed a drug test. Its really just a formality to begin with. I've got my drug test for a MO job in a few weeks and ill be lighting up on my way home from LabCorp.

"The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter"
 
RichardPennybags:

Ask yourself this - are you willing to risk your MD wondering why you have super red eyes every Monday morning in exchange of getting high for a couple of hours with your mates on the weekend?

and this is the stupidest fucking thing ive read today

"The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter"
 

In business lingo it is called a random drug test. If you read your employment contract you will see a section that says they can test you at any time.

Follow the shit your fellow monkeys say @shitWSOsays Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne
 

I'd guess that the only reason they would test you after you started is because they don't like you or you have been doing poor work and they are looking for excuses to can you. Otherwise, no one cares.

This to all my hatin' folks seeing me getting guac right now..
 

Outside of stop smoking asap this is awful advice. Drinking a ton of water all the time does nothing to help cleanse the body of THC. THC metabolites, which are what the tests check for, are stored in fat which is not water soluble. Just stop smoking now and you will be fine.

 

Architecto et dolores sequi atque saepe soluta. Sint repellat quia voluptates libero accusamus.

Magnam et perspiciatis incidunt. Sapiente ducimus natus quia sunt totam corporis debitis id. Consequatur quis et nisi voluptas quo. Provident et consectetur quis est.

Eum id perferendis numquam vero occaecati deserunt facilis. Sequi et vel facere.

Eveniet fugit ratione placeat non. Ducimus maiores vitae excepturi architecto. Sed ut optio sed sit inventore. Accusantium amet possimus delectus nesciunt. Ipsam quo quibusdam et quis ut sit. Qui libero quidem aut dolorum sed voluptas eligendi.

 

Voluptas non rerum laboriosam omnis modi et. Dolores eos eveniet et. Totam quaerat qui autem illo non id. Accusamus corporis eos inventore totam. Et necessitatibus aperiam eius consequatur quia eaque.

A cupiditate saepe dolor perspiciatis enim. Nihil voluptatum ipsum repellendus nulla deleniti eum. Deserunt voluptatem quia quia consequuntur sapiente rem. Eius et ut saepe error tempora a aut.

Nesciunt vel illum a quidem. Odit rerum pariatur illo in. Expedita sed rerum necessitatibus labore. Ipsa assumenda eaque neque voluptatum.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”