REPE failed drug test
So, it's that time of year, excited and highly qualified future SAs receive the worst news imaginable: you failed your drug test and we can no longer offer you employment.
Unfortunately, I am one of you. The most qualified of candidates who also happens to enjoy the devil's herb. My question is: What now? Do any firms hire this late in the year? Am I fucked? What would YOU do?
A little background: I have a decent GPA from a non-target, I had a summer internship in asset management, and another in CRE debt placement at a top shop (CBRE, C&W, JLL), I am completely capable of any modeling test thrown at me and I have an honest passion for CRE. But now what? Any advice would be greatly appreciated and best of luck to anyone else in my position.
The problem is the employers are usually older and they have grown up with their own impressions about weed. Weed has been illegal most of their lives.
The bottom line is, employers top concern is not whether their drug screening is screening for everything except weed, they have a lot of more pressing things to focus on. HR is in charge of this, and they are happy to get their pay check and go watch TV. No one except the lab probably even knows you failed for weed instead of meth.
Bottom line: get it out of your system and try another firm
Can't believe people fail drug tests when they know employers may test for weed.
There are plenty of opportunities. Fortunately, unlike IB or corporate PE, the recruitment cycle in commercial real estate is much more unstructured. My firm hasn't even begun to think about interns. I interned at a top 10 REPE last Summer and I got my offer in March. Learn from your mistakes, don't get discouraged, and get back on the grind.
"Stay off the weed." - Stephen A. Smith
I'm astonished that you can't have the self control to hold off smoking a joint for even let's say 3 months worst case (probably just 4 weeks) in exchange for the start of your top tier 20+ year god damn career. No offense but get it together.
This isn't a a weed should be legal or illegal debate or whether it should be tested or not. You know the rules, at least pretend like you're an adult, hold off, and then smoke as much as you want after you've locked in your employment. Hard to have any sympathy, but good luck.
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In short, yes. This is big boy business and life isn't always fair. Is it dumb that companies test for weed? Of course. Is it far more idiotic to know this and not adjust your life accordingly? Well, it depends on what matters more to you - getting the job or smoking weed.
Has nothing to do with "republicans" or "the man" or "where you come from." Adjust your expectations accordingly.
You are the Josh Gordon of REPE analysts. Learn from this, and do better.
Honestly forgot about this after I posted it as I was firing off applications.
Update: got a position at a better shop. Thanks for the advice, and to the narks, keep on doing you, I'm sure you guys kill your fit interviews, you seem like a lot of fun to be around.