When to disclose to potential employer?

[santi_05]

Interviewing for jobs now. I have a narcotic restriction. I'm applying for jobs that do not require giving controlled substances. My question is when do I disclose? Should I put it in a cover letter? In the interview? Or, if I get hired, during the onboarding? 

Also, employers will know I was referred by hospital to the board (required to disclose this in background check). But the monitoring program won't tell the details. How should I put it? I want to highlight the positives, and I know I need to sound confident. I go to these weekly meetings and everyone just says it's hard to get job with narcotic restriction. None of the nurses in my group had to find a job, and were able to stay with previous employers. The ones who are looking for work say that they were transparent and made it to the end of the interview process, but were passed on because of the restriction.  I feel a bit at a loss of what to do. 

[NurseJackie69]

You disclose it in your first interview with someone inside of your department that you will be working for.  Tell them the truth.  Don't minimize.  Tell the truth, then immediately tell them all of the positives about recovery.

Do NOT put the narcotic restrictions in the cover letter or resume.  In your resume, to account for the time you have lost in nursing (usually you have to explain why you had a 30 day or more gap in practice) put "Did not work- working on recovery and include things like helping others with addiction come to recovery."  This way, they are aware of it, but they also see how you are not just helping yourself, but other people.  Do not let the interview go far without disclosing.  You don't want an interview with your department chief for 30 minutes, and then in the last 5 minutes, you say, "there's just one more thing........."  Get that out of the way Up Front and you will be surprised how many people respect you for it.

When asked Why you did what you did.  The answer is......"I did what I did because I was WRONG, period.  I made more than simply "a bad choice."  I chose WRONG over RIGHT and there is ZERO EXCUSE and I will not give you one.  Next, say, "there is no excuse for what I did, but I can at least give you an explanation as to how I went down this road, and it started with trauma, or PTSD or abuse or whatever major life event, etc. etc. etc. "  Explain and DIFFERENTIATE that there is NO EXCUSE for what you did, but you can give an EXPLANATION as to how or why or what contributed to it.  Always say, "there have been other people in my situation or worse and they chose NOT TO do drugs or drink alcohol and I'm guilty.  What I did was wrong."  Next, say, "with the wrong also is the past.  Where I'm at now is.........recovery, recovery, helping others in recovery, helping others come into recovery. etc. etc.

Hope this helps. They do NOT want minimization.  They want Submission, clearly admitting guilt and wrongdoing, and they want to know what you have done since then and how you have changed.  

When all of the above is put in the manner I described it, you would be surprised how compassionate and empathetic people are.  You also just clearly opened yourself up/told the truth and they love that.