One
of the all-time hidden hazards to job seeking is your credit file. Time and again, clients
will tell me their credit is excellent. If, however, you have been turned down
after three interviews—it is time to thoroughly examine your credit files with Equifax, Transunion and Experian.
Just
because you purchased a car, or your credit score is 750 or higher, does not
defacto mean you do not have something stabbing you in your employment back. Do
not confuse your score with the data history inside your file. That is one of the common mistakes job seekers make.
The
overriding rule governing your credit file is, everything in your credit
file is deemed absolutely
true and accurate
with only one exception—you have to challenge it! Anything left unchallenged is
considered correct—regardless if it is true or not.
Consumer
laws allow you to challenge or correct anything you believe is inaccurate. You
are entitled to a free copy of your detailed credit report annually. To
challenge something, it should be done in writing. If you spot anything that
might be misconstrued, you need to challenge it in writing.
Keep
in mind, that what might only appear in one credit report, might not appear in others.
Check all three reports (Equifax, Transunion
and Experian). Do not assume that by
correcting one, you automatically correct them all. That can be fatal in a job
search.
In
approximately 90-plus percent of the cases, the misleading information or error(s)
will be corrected. You need to follow-up in 30 days to make sure the change was
made. The exceptions are usually garnishments, bankruptcy and missed child
support payments. (These will require additional documentation to correct.)
So
what could cause you to be rejected from a position because of your credit
file? Whenever you have anything in your résumé or job application that
conflicts with what appears on your credit file—that when! Example: Your job application states you only had two jobs in the last ten years, and your credit file
indicates you have had four. Get these types of conflicts resolved before you go
job hunting.