It might not seem as though your personal credit can affect your ability to get a job, but in fact, it can. Particularly when it comes to federal jobs, some employers look at all aspects of a potential candidate to determine whether or not he is the best person for the job. Consider the job for which you are applying and whether or not your credit can cost you a chance at the position.
Bad Credit and Employment
Employers may check into the financial background of potential employees as a way to screen out potential problems before they have a chance to fester. Many departments of the U.S. federal government take this step for positions that deal with security or financial management of any kind to discourage criminal activity among employees dealing with money. The line of thinking is that those with poor credit might be more liable to mismanage their positions to get money than those not in deep debt.
Reasons
The reason that jobs with the federal government are dependent, in part, on your credit history is because the government wants to ensure that you aren't so deep in debt that you will succumb to financial bribes or other illegal activities surrounding money. For example, the Transportation Security Administration won't hire anyone with more than $5,000 in debt, poor credit or child-support delinquencies for this very reason.
What To Do
If you even think you might be interested in a federal position, immediately take steps to clean up your credit. Pay off small delinquencies on your credit report and set up payment plans on accounts with larger balances. Sometimes, a simple payment plan will reflect on your credit report as an account in good standing. However, keep in mind that depending on how deep the employer wants to dig into your financial history, these steps may not be enough to land you the job.
Additional Considerations
In addition to cleaning up your credit, it is also prudent to alert your interview to your credit issues if you know that your credit is a factor for employment. Perhaps if you explain that you are in the process of cleaning up your credit, the federal department in question might be willing to make an exception for you. However, remember that this concession depends on the level of security associated with the job for which you're vying.
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