Interviewing and Credit

Image by Casey Serin via Flickr

We talk to thousands of job seekers every week and we hear first hand how the economy has impacted them directly.  Most of us know people who have been hit really hard.  This is why I was floored when I came across a recent article by Lisa Pulliam Weston who writes for MSN Money and The Los Angeles Times.

She writes, "Many employers -- including the federal government -- routinely scour credit reports on current and prospective employees to help decide who's hired or fired."  So regardless of your desire to find a public or private sector job, most companies are using your report as factor prior to making a job offer.

** Update:  Some states are considering banning this practice.   As of now it is still legal and a matter of practice at most companies.

Companies and the federal government routinely check credit but this recent downturn in the economy has made maintaining a positive credit score more difficult. The Society for Human Resource Management reports 35% of companies pulled credit on current or potential employees last year, up from 19% in 1996.

Most people think their credit will not be a problem, however, credit files can contain correctable errors.  Employers are looking for severe marks on your credit history and will generally overlook a few late payments.

Not knowing what is on your credit file is a gamble you should not take. There are many steps you can take to improve your credit and remove items that are old or not accurate.  It all starts with knowing what your credit looks like. Mrs. Pulliam suggests checking your credit a few times a year.

Cheers,
Mike

Now is the Time To Get a More Prestigious Job

More job seekers get new and better jobs in the first few months of the year than at any other time of the year.

You may be pleased to learn that the first few months of the year are typically the months where qualified professionals most often "move up" in terms of the prestige level of their jobs. Now, before we get too far into 2010, is a once-a-year opportunity that will be over before you know it.

As I am sure you are aware, the job market has been improving a great deal since the beginning of the year and thousands of peoples have "moved up" and found great positions-even those who were formerly happily employed in other jobs.

Every year after the first few months of the year I hear a surprising number of success stories:

• A large number of people "moving up" from small to larger employers with greater benefits, prospects and salaries;
  
• People getting jobs in their dream cities;
  
• People finding their dream job with one or more of the following: fewer hours, a better work environment and more interesting work.
  
  

10 Secrets for Searching for a Job During a Recession

Focusing your efforts on jobs in growing industries and demonstrating how your work has generated revenue are just two simple ways to distinguish yourself from the rest of the job seekers competing for positions in a down economy. 

If you're tired of struggling to find a job and don't want an economic slowdown to hurt your chances of landing a new one, follow the best practices outlined in this story for conducting a job search when times are tight.