--- title: How Your Credit Report Can Keep You From Getting Hired description: What exactly are hiring companies looking for in your credit report? Find out here. image: https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Job-loss.jpg --- [![MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2](https://go.hfcu.org/hs-fs/hubfs/MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2.png?width=464&name=MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2.png "MoneyWisdom_HFCU_r2")](https://go.hfcu.org/blog) Filter by Category** - [Show All](https://go.hfcu.org/blog) - [Security](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/security) - [Personal Finance](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/personal-finance) - [Auto](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/auto) - [Business](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/business) - [Credit Score](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/credit-score) - [Home](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/home) - [Credit Cards](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/credit-cards) - [Life Changes](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/life-changes) - [Insurance](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/insurance) - [Investments](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/investments) Filter by Category** - [Show All](https://go.hfcu.org/blog) - [Security](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/security) - [Personal Finance](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/personal-finance) - 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[Divorce (5)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/divorce) - [Travel (5)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/travel) - [ATM (4)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/atm) - [Baby (4)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/baby) - [Debit Cards (3)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/debit-cards) - [Motorcycles (3)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/motorcycles) - [Weddings (3)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/weddings) - [Boats (2)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/boats) - [Charity (2)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/charity) - [Family Finance (2)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/family-finance) - [Lending (2)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/lending) - [Credit Unions (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/credit-unions) - [Green (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/green) - [Medical (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/medical) - [Pets (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/pets) - [dormant account (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/dormant-account) - [inactive account (1)](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/inactive-account) # How Your Credit Report Can Keep You From Getting Hired ** [Hanscom Federal Credit Union](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/author/hanscom-federal-credit-union) ** Aug 07, 2019 ![woman upset in front of laptop](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Job-loss.jpg) You’ve got the skills. You’ve got the experience. But you’re worried your credit reports may hold you back from getting that dream job. And to make matters even more aggravating, you have no idea what exactly the hiring company will be looking for on the reports. While it’s not possible to say what any particular company looks for on a credit report when making hiring decisions, there are certain items that employers frequently mention as credit-related reasons for passing over certain candidates. Here’s a list along with the steps you can take to address the impact of the negative information. **Judgments **With a judgment, there is the possibility that your wages could be garnished and that could mean some extra work for the employer. That’s not a very rosy outlook for most companies. Get copies of your credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at 877-322-8228 or www.annualcreditreport.com and contact the listed court with jurisdiction for your judgment(s) to arrange a payment of the debt. **Late payments **As long as the information about delinquent payments is accurate,[ you won’t be able to legally remove this information](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/the-only-way-to-remove-accurate-negative-items-on-your-credit-report). However, what you can do is string together a nice series on timely payments to help send the message that those problems are in your past. This can help to create an image of reliability in an employer’s mind. **High debt levels **[Debt load is often overlooked by those who will have their credit reports examined by others](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/do-you-have-too-much-debt), whether it’s for a job application, home purchase or other reason. If you have been out of work, it is understandable that you may have been forced to put some expenses on credit cards. However, [paying down your balances aggressively on your revolving accounts can help you seem more in control of your non-work life](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/3-steps-to-reduce-credit-card-debt-fast). This is especially important for jobs where you will be handling money or for which security clearance is required. **Unresolved collection accounts **Collections accounts can appear to a hiring professional like you lost control of your financial life at some point. This in turn can lead them to question your ability to manage the tasks they would entrust you with. Like with late payments, it’s a good idea to try to demonstrate that the collection accounts are in your past. [The best way to do this is to arrange a deal with the collection agency](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/dont-settle-for-debt-settlement-companies) so that these accounts will be marked as settled. This won’t remove the accounts from your credit reports, but it will show that you took responsibility and resolved them. Keep in mind that employers are forbidden from using bankruptcy against you in making a hiring decision. So don’t hold off on applying for a job that checks credit just because you have a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 in your credit files. It can also be comforting to know that most companies say that hiring decisions rarely come down to credit report concerns. But you never know when having a strong credit history could help make the difference in getting that job.   *Have you viewed your credit report? As a member of Hanscom Federal Credit Union, you can access your credit report and score for free, and you can sit with an credit expert for tips on how best to improve your credit report![![Get a free Credit Score Review](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/118438/b13728df-1cb3-4aea-a79e-dfdfc42dfb2a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/118438/b13728df-1cb3-4aea-a79e-dfdfc42dfb2a)* ©BALANCE *Others are reading:* - [*How to Access Your Credit Reports and Scores*](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/how-to-access-your-credit-reports-and-scores) - [*How to Get an IRS Tax Lien Off Your Credit Report*](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/how-to-get-an-irs-tax-lien-off-your-credit-report) - [*How to Detect Identity Theft on Your Credit Report*](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/how-to-detect-identity-theft-on-your-credit-report) - [*What Employers Look for On Your Credit Report*](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-employers-look-for-on-your-credit-report) - [*Why Employers Check Your Credit Report*](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/why-employers-check-your-credit-report)   ** [Business](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/business), [Credit Cards](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/credit-cards), [Personal Finance](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/topic/personal-finance) [** 12 Jobs for the Semi-Retired ](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/12-jobs-for-the-semi-retired) [** IRS Introduces New Tax Withholding Estimator ](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/irs-introduces-new-tax-withholding-estimator) ### About Author ![Hanscom Federal Credit Union](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/HFCU-Profile-1000x1000.jpg) Hanscom Federal Credit Union Hanscom Federal Credit Union, a purpose-driven $1.9 billion organization based in Littleton, MA, empowers its members to achieve financial wellness. Hanscom FCU serves over 95,000 members across the country and overseas through 16 branches, over 100,000 surcharge-free ATMs, 5,000 contact centers, and a web-based branch. Related Posts [![Navigating Financial Challenges After a Job Loss](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/iStock-1444494544.jpg) Navigating Financial Challenges After a Job Loss ](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/job-loss) [![Three Tips to Build a Financial Safety Net](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/2-2.png) Three Tips to Build a Financial Safety Net ](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/safety-net) [![The Benefits of Setting Up Direct Deposits](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/young%20woman%20paying%20bills%20on%20couch-1.png) The Benefits of Setting Up Direct Deposits ](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/the-benefits-of-setting-up-direct-deposits) ** - [**](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-employers-look-for-on-your-credit-report/) - [**](https://X.com/share?url=https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-employers-look-for-on-your-credit-report/) - [**](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-employers-look-for-on-your-credit-report/&summary=&source=CeBIT) ## You are Leaving Hanscom Federal Credit Union #### **Please read the following before proceeding to:** The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. 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Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. ## You are Leaving Hanscom Federal Credit Union #### **Please read the following before proceeding to:** ### https://X.com/HanscomFCU The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. ## You are Leaving Hanscom Federal Credit Union #### **Please read the following before proceeding to:** ### https://www.instagram.com/hanscomfcu/ The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. ## You are Leaving Hanscom Federal Credit Union #### **Please read the following before proceeding to:** ### https://www.linkedin.com/company/hanscomfcu/ The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. ## You are Leaving Hanscom Federal Credit Union #### **Please read the following before proceeding to:** ### http://www.youtube.com/c/HanscomFederalCreditUnion The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. ### Popular Posts [What You Need to Know About Putting Your Home in a Trust](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-putting-your-home-in-a-trust) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20-%202022-02-10T072804.753.jpg) [What You Need to Know About Your Federal Tax Bracket](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-tax-bracket) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20-%202021-03-22T123305.900.jpg) [6 Boat Types to Get on the Water](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/6-boat-types-to-get-on-the-water) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/images/Jet_Ski.jpg) [23 Organizations Dedicated to the Needs of Seniors](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/23-organizations-dedicated-to-the-needs-of-seniors) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/Senior%20citizens.jpg) [9 Smart Moves for Lottery Winners](https://go.hfcu.org/blog/lottery) ![older man looking at top retirement worry on digital device](https://go.hfcu.org/hubfs/images/lottery_winner.jpg) ### Recent Posts - [![National Credit Union Administration](https://go.hfcu.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NCUA-logo-small.png?width=95&name=NCUA-logo-small.png) ](https://www.ncua.gov/) [![Equal Housing Lender](https://go.hfcu.org/hs-fs/hubfs/EHL-logo-small.png?width=65&name=EHL-logo-small.png)](https://www.hud.gov/fairhousing) - @ 2023 [Hanscom Federal Credit Union](https://www.hfcu.org/) - Federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.hfcu.org/content/docs/Privacy_Notice.pdf) **Disclosure:** Hanscom Federal Credit Union does not provide and is not responsible for any products, services, or overall website content available at any third-party sites linked within this blog. Moreover, Hanscom Federal Credit Union's privacy policies do not apply to any of the linked websites within this blog. Please consult the privacy disclosures on those linked sites for further information. ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Hanscom Federal Credit Union" }, "dateModified" : "February 14, 2020, 12:39:25 PM", "datePublished" : "2019-08-07 10:00:00", "description" : "What exactly are hiring companies looking for in your credit report? Find out here.", "headline" : "How Your Credit Report Can Keep You From Getting Hired", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/118438/Job-loss.jpg" }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://go.hfcu.org/blog/what-employers-look-for-on-your-credit-report", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/118438/Logo%202.jpg" }, "name" : "Hanscom Federal Credit Union" } } ```