| Watch out! Your credit score has found another | | | | and hiring firm." |
| way to negatively impact your life. Credit scores | | | | Certain employers, of course, rely on your credit |
| are supposed to indicate how good you are with | | | | score more than others. Expect closer scrutiny of |
| money, and employers are becoming more | | | | your score when applying for banking, |
| interested in that. They find that pulling a credit | | | | government, and police jobs, to name a few. |
| score on a potential employee is a quick and easy | | | | When a firm intends to hire you to be in charge |
| way to find out more about his/her background. | | | | of others' money, they like to make sure that |
| In the past, credit scores were only used in the | | | | you know how to manage your own. |
| employment arena when top level executives | | | | Some people wonder if an employer is actually |
| were being evaluated or promoted. Their scores | | | | legally allowed to pull their credit score. They are |
| were reviewed to make sure these execs had | | | | as long as you give them written consent to do |
| good money and debt management. However, | | | | so. Apparently, employers are including it as one |
| the practice has become much more common | | | | of the methods used to perform 'background |
| and widespread these days. | | | | checks,' which most employers require you to |
| Like the resume and references, the credit score | | | | authorize upon application for a job. |
| is another tool at employers' disposal when | | | | So, if you have a bad score, what are you to do? |
| evaluating potential employees. Employers are | | | | Well, it really pays to be honest and up-front |
| constantly searching for more ways to evaluate | | | | about a poor score from the beginning. This way, |
| and compare potential hires because the number | | | | you can give your side of the story and explain |
| of available jobs has shrunk, and thus, there are a | | | | why the score is bad. That way, the employer |
| lot more applicants for these employers to | | | | has heard your explanation, and, now, the score |
| consider. | | | | won't stand alone. |
| According to Bankrate.com, "More and more | | | | Just one more reason knowing your credit score |
| employers are using credit reports to screen | | | | and maintaining it are extremely important, |
| employees. The use of credit checks has | | | | especially in today's economy. In such a |
| increased 55 percent since 2000, according to a | | | | competitive job market, the last thing you want is |
| 2006 national survey conducted by Harris | | | | a bad credit score keeping you down. |
| Interactive for Spherion Corp., a leading recruiting | | | | |