Job Interview? Know Your Credit.
How do you prepare for a job interview? You probably pull together a nice outfit and do some research on the employer you will interview with. If you are nervous then you might also take the time to have a friend run you through a mock interview so you can run through some potential questions that you might face during the interview. Most people agree that it’s better to be prepared as well as you can before going in for an interview. You want to appear competent, friendly, and relaxed.
There is one important step that many people don’t even think about when preparing for a job interview, and it’s a step that can make or break your chances of getting the job you want. Review a copy of your credit report before you go into a job interview.
Why? Even if you aren’t applying for a job within the financial sector, there is a good chance that a potential employer will ask for your consent to review a copy of your credit report. This may surprise you if you don’t see the connection between a clean credit record and the potential to be a good employee, but many employers are now making it routine practice to review an applicant’s credit report before extending an offer of employment.
It makes sense that some companies would insist upon a credit report review before hiring someone. For example, a bank probably wouldn’t want to hire someone to work with cash all day if the person is severely in debt. Another good example is a company where the employees have to be insured and bonded for their duties, such as a housecleaning service that sends employees directly into people’s homes. It certainly isn’t as if a bad credit report makes you a criminal, but it may raise some eyebrows when reviewed by the people who want to hire you as a representative of a company.
For this reason, make it a routine to order a copy of your credit report and review it long before you set foot into a job interview. You want to give yourself enough time to get any errors corrected before the report is seen by someone who has the power to offer you a job. If there is not enough time to review your credit report far in advance of the interview, you should still take a look at the report so you know what your interviewer will see. You will seem much more competent if you already know what is on your credit report and can explain any issues that may send up red flags for a potential employer.
In other words, it’s far better to have an explanation for negative items on your credit report instead of simply being completely unaware of what is contained within the report. Even if you have an account that is currently in delinquent status, an explanation of “I ran into some financial bumps but now I’m working with my lender to negotiate a payment plan” will sound much better in a job interview as opposed to “I don’t even know what that is. It must be wrong.”
If you do have things on your credit report that may look bad, bring them up before your interviewer asks if you know the interviewer will review your credit report. You can say something along the lines of, “You will see this on my credit report, and this is why it is on there and what I’m doing about it.” Don’t just ignore the fact that your interviewer is about to be faced with a very negative portrayal of the way you handle credit.
