Originally posted by Flamingo
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If you go down into the comments section on the article from the link I posted, you will see another link leading to an article stating that the poll of employers that so many news articles sighted as evidence that credit checks were everywhere was pretty flawed, and that is NOT how the organization that did the polling interpreted the results.
The U.S. Department of Labor stat is that 45% of employers check credit, which is probably pretty accurate. Another interesting aspect of the situation is that many low paying positions, like cashiers are subjected to credit checks while some better paying positions are not. OR to make matters even more complex, the credit check is done but not used in the way you think it would be. I have an executive position now, which I have been at just a few months. I got the job just months after my BK 7 closed. For Executive and accounting positions ONLY, my company does credit checks. They do not do them for any other positions including Site Managers. I told them about the BK when I was informed they would be doing a credit check, and I assumed my chance at the job was done. I did not explain the BK in any way because I felt like all was lost AND it was none of their business. They told me the BK was not a problem, they were checking for outstanding, unpaid debts that might provide a temptation for people with access to cash (I have direct access to a great deal of money and a company credit card). I was shocked to get the job, and honestly would not have applied for it had a I understood they would be checking credit, or exactly how "Executive" the position was (which would have lead me to expect they would check credit). Obviously, I am glad I did. Ironically, my company has discontinued the practice for anyone not working in the accounting department since I was hired. The idea is even if a first tier exec like me were stealing, we would be caught by accounting in a big hurry AND our massive criminal and employment background checks are are a far better measure of that risk, anyway.
I think that there is not ONE answer about how companies are handling credit checks or the lack thereof, any more than there is ONE answer about how they are handling criminal checks. In my business, any kind of criminal history is death to any applicant. We will not hire someone with a three year old DWI, and that is pretty standard these days in my industry. Others are far more lenient about such issues, particularly non-felonies not involving drugs, sexual misconduct or violence.
As to the answer of how are companies handling all these resumes, well I can only tell you what I do, which is still pretty much to read all of them, pick the best qualified ones to interview, and go from there. I can only interview so many people so my "tiebreaker" tends to be who submitted their resume first. HR does not decide who we as Managers interview or filter our applications so our process may be different from some.
Bottom line, if you are applying at Flamingo's company your credit history may present serious issues, at others it will not or it will not be checked at all. I totally agree with being honest and upfront, BUT don't go babbling about your history or your BK until it is clearly a potential issue, such as you know they WILL run a credit check because you are asked to sign an authorization for same. Some companies, such as my previous one have you sign an authorization that approves all checks, credit and criminal BUT they are only running criminal. That is what my old employer did. Ask if in doubt before offering up your BK would be my advice.
Some wise person on this site said, worry about the things you CAN control in the job seeking process. Your BK is what it is and there is not much to do but get out there and work with it regardless of how many or how few employers are checking credit.
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