There exist
myriad hidden dangers in job hunting: One outranks the others. When this danger
is taken for granted, it is often the hidden job-offer killer.
Most employers get downright serious in their
selection process. When the position requires even a modicum of fiscal
responsibility and/or trust, the first priority involves pulling the
candidate’s detailed credit bureau reports.
Applicants who encounter no difficulty in making a
major purchase routinely conclude they have flawless credit. Therefore, making the
effort to inspect the minutia hidden in the details
constitutes a waste of their time.
For those with
perfect 860+ credit score, there is nothing to fear. To achieve that type of perfection,
there are no red flags. That type of rating requires individuals to spend years
overpaying accounts, and avoid attracting negative court attention. Less than
1% of the population has this type of credit-perfection, which means everyone
else has flaws.
For the 99% balance, here are four important
factors:
1.
Everything
appearing in your credit reports is deemed 100% true and accurate.
2.
Every
jobseeker has the right to obtain free copies of all credit bureau reports.
3.
Outdated
information is supposed to be automatically expunged. In reality, however, not so much!
4.
You
have the right—and by inference the duty—to
correct errors. (Ergo, anything left
unchallenged is deemed to be true.)
The downside is that employers
believe what appears on the credit reports over what appears in your résumé. If
you stated you worked for Eaton Corporation from years X to Y, and your credit
reports contradicts that, prospective employers believe the credit bureau—not you.
I caution clients to pull
copies of their credit bureau reports, but few heed the advice. Moreover, the
task is delayed until after several interviews go south. (This amounts to learning
life’s lessons the hard way.)
While a jobseeker may not
be able to correct every credit bureau flaw, glaring inconsistencies are easy
to correct. The challenge will be getting the changes completed before
commencing the job search.
Time and tide wait for no one. Do it today, rather
than engage in foolishly playing credit-report roulette.
Copyrighted © 2013 by Robert James