Is it possible to find a decent job if you have bad credit or declared "bankruptcy"?
It seems all places check credit and if your credit's bad, that's grounds not to hire you.
Personally, I think that's stupid. Not all people go into debt out of irresponsablity. Why is all that matters is your credit? It seems to me, you'd be better of having a criminal record than bad credit.
Are those in this situation doomed to not be able to find a decent job or any job?
I haven't heard of an employer doing a credit check, unless you're working with/around a lot of $$$. I know people that have filed bankruptcy and have decent jobs and no one even knows about their past credit history.
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I almost got turned down for a HUGE commission check due to bad credit, if you act as a fudiciary then chances are a credit check will be placed, I simply wrote a letter of explination of negitive credit and everything was fine.
Have a letter of explination when you apply,
What kind of position are you applying for, usually only postions in Financial Services check credit reports.
By law they have to notify you if they are going to do a credit check, in your interview ask if the company checks credit and explain why your credit isn't so good.
luckily, I do have a job now. I have been here 7 months, but it was sort of "good for now" job. I was in banking for 5 years while I was getting my degree. My degree was in something different. so I needed to get my foot in the door somewhere.
I am technically a receptionist seeking an admin job
They always give you paperwork to sign for a credit check. You are welcome not to sign it, but then they are welcome not to interview you 'cause it's standard proceedure. They will even tell you upfront if they check your credit and if it's bad, they can't hire you. Insurance companies normally do this and so do banks.
I will give it a try; i have to. But it's just a horror to worry about this always. That's all.
Geeze. In Missouri I didn't even have a real job interview- certainly not a credit check! Maybe you could look for an administrative assistant position at a school?
I am an insurance agent, I had to go thru all of this credit BS but I got approved to sell with a letter of explination, make the letter really sad and explain how you are looking foward to establishing good credit in the future and you are ethical and honest bla bla bla it will work, it worked for me and I represent the biggest insurance companies in the country. and my credit is horrid.
A lot of companies - in many industries - request a credit check before hiring. They use the information (supposedly) as a character check. If you are chronically late in payments, miss payments, etc. they make a determination as to the type of person you are. They don't necessarily decline employment because of past problems. I wouldn't bring it up, just sign the papers and let them do their credit check. If they do not hire you ask for a written reason and if it's because of your credit ask for a copy of the credit check from them. They are not required to do that, but some employers will.
I worked in the financial industry for years (Bank of Montreal) in the portfolio management and investment banking sides and I had to have a complete credit history, and criminal background check, be fingerprinted, and have my immediate family verified of no criminal history. One thing they used the credit check for was to project if there were patterns that might indicate possible future embezzlement or insider trading. Obviously not, or I wouldn't have worked there for so long! I had some credit problems years before (hubby and I were homeless for a while because of it) that we took care of, but they showed up on the credit report. I didn't even have to explain about them -- although I did to my boss during the last interview because I wanted him to know I wasn't stupid or dishonest -- and I did get the job.
It was a heavy responsibility (and kind of neat) to know what companies were going to merge several years before they were announced! I couldn't even tell my husband and I had to be uber careful with my own stock portfolio (I actually had one at one time!) to make sure that my trades were in compliance with the SEC.
Originally posted by katie79
Is it possible to find a decent job if you have bad credit or declared "bankruptcy"?
It seems all places check credit and if your credit's bad, that's grounds not to hire you.
Personally, I think that's stupid. Not all people go into debt out of irresponsablity. Why is all that matters is your credit? It seems to me, you'd be better of having a criminal record than bad credit.
Are those in this situation doomed to not be able to find a decent job or any job?
Thoughts, opinions, or experiences are helpful .
I'm just adding on to the other responses.
Yes, more and more companies do credit checks when looking at new hires. A bankruptcy is a big red flag to them.
As others have said, you could put a written explanation of the bankruptcy, i.e., death of a spouse, etc. But if it isn't an unusual situation, it probably won't be of help.
I'd still keep trying to get the best job advertised. You never know if you hit it off with the person hiring. Then they could over-ride the personnel guidelines.
Just thinking bad credit can cost you a job is terrible. I don't see why my personal credit is anyone's business. I know people with great credit who have stolen from companies, and yet they still get great job offers. I think it's a violation of privacy and discrimination. My reason was I was in college and my hours got cut at my job and I couldn't find another part-time job during this time. My father was out of a job and he couldn't help me out. I couldn't drop out of school since it was paid for earlier, not to mention my family favored my education getting finished so I could get a decent job to pay off the bills. It was stuff like that. It wasn't careless, it was an innocent problem. Eventually I couldn't make the payments because the late fee's added up so much. I was so upset over it. I just came on here to vent, I know no one here makes the rules. But I'm scared if I ever decide to leave this job, that I wont be able to get another one.
I have two degrees (well-educated), relevant job experience, and great skills. I put in a lot to get where I am. I'm just pissed that all of that is worth nothing because of my personal credit which is none of their business. Besides, how do credit card companies and employers expect the indvidual to pay off these debts if they can't get a job? Even sh*t jobs, like waitressing and cleaning houses, require a credit check. What should I do? Beg on the streets???????????
Originally posted by katie79
Is it possible to find a decent job if you have bad credit or declared "bankruptcy"?
Yes it is possilble to find a good job with less than perfect credit but most likely not at a Fortune 500 company. You see, poor credit worthiness is a high indicator of other bad things such as irresponsibility, unorganized, carelessness, etc...
I work at a Fortune 150 company and 2 yrs ago when I hired in they did a FBI background check, credit check and work history check along with college degree check.
So you may want to focus on midsize or smaller companies that are not as stringent in their hiring process.
I see. In other words, there is still hope for me...
But what I don't understand is, if someone has lousy credit, that could be their personal problem, and at work they may be very organized and have it together. I know many people with perfect credit who are very scatter brained when it comes to work. What does it really measure? If they have the right crudentials and excellent references, what does it matter. I can understand a criminal background check, like if you want to work at a bank and you were in jail for robbing a bank, I wouldn't hire you.
Actually....
speaking of which, I worked with a man (when I was at the bank) who had the best credit ever. He wound up stealing thousands of dollars in a very sneaky manner. They eventually caught him, and he got fired. No charges against him. So now, he has great credit, and technically commited a federal offense, but he can get a job at a bank because he has great credit. Mind you, where I used to work, they are not allowed to say if you were fired.
May I add, I never stole anything from that bank, or ever in my life. I have a great reference from them and I will get one from this job too (and yes, I handle personal information and bills). That man who stole from the bank, stole money from my draw, and the boss knew it (she even told me so). The other guy I worked with had the best credit you can have, and he was not a theif, but very irresponsible at work. He would always leave money and acct no. laying around. Not exactly what you'd call responsible. But he has great credit! So what does that tell you?
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I had some credit problems years before (hubby and I were homeless for a while because of it) that we took care of, but they showed up on the credit report. I didn't even have to explain about them -- although I did to my boss during the last interview because I wanted him to know I wasn't stupid or dishonest -- and I did get the job. 
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