Is there a connection to bad credit and not getting a job?

[tinfoilhat]

I remember back 18 months ago when I was still getting calls, citi bank told me that if I don't pay and my credit report looks bad, I'm going to be less likely to find a job. (smart idea, I owe them money so lets make it so I can't find work to make money to pay them)

I thought BS, CLICK.

I've worked non stop since 1993, whenever I quit one job I started one the next day, that only happened 3 times in 16 years fwiw.

Last good job I had I left, moved, got hired on the spot by the first place I went to which was a real good job.
I had to move back to FL though because my parents were getting sick, my mother passed away, now I take care of my father.

I stopped paying my CC's late '07
I did find a decent paying job here, paid under the table so I left. Thinking back it would have been worth the risk to stay there and stash the money under my bed or something, then plan my bk back then and possibly be over it now. Instead, I'm just getting started with it.

But a few months ago I found places looking, I was 100% qualified for the positions at several places I went to.

I have 6 years schooling in my trade and certifications, etc. 16 years experience. Not one place ever called.
I even applied at walmart, etc, home depot, etc. I shop there. I'm not racist but I notice the white people disappearing in these stores. Thats a problem when I go to Lowes and ask a worker for help and he can't speak english well enough to help me.

Now this is turning into a rant I guess. But I'm pissed.
I never thought I'd find myself shopping at walmart and see a guy stocking the shelves and think to myself he probably makes $7 per hour but he's working. I'm jealous.

Another thing I don't like is applying for a job, basically giving up ALL my personal information to people who seem to have no intention to hire me, or anyone for that matter. I've seen ads run in the paper for months after I went there, called, etc. Still collecting info, apparently not hiring.

Another thing is a guy I know is friends with a guy who walked away from a family owned business and opened his own. My friend told this guy about my situation and I was given a number to call him. I called, it went well, he said he has a huge job coming up and he knows I'm a good worker so he's going to call me in a week or so. He said he'll hire me asap in a week or two.
I get a email from my friend saying this guy was trying to get ahold of me but my two phone numbers didn't work, or my voice mail boxes were full or some BS. (all the while I'm getting calls from other people)
So I called the guy, left a message with my numbers.
It did occur to me that this jackass doesn't know how to use a phone and I just left a message to have him call me.

But something happened to scare this guy off, something so bad he didn't even have the balls to ever call me again.

I never did anything wrong. Is there a employer database somewhere that when they punch my SSN up pops a big red flag saying DO NOT HIRE!

What the hell is going on here?

[Bandit]

People will be lucky getting a job delivering pizza these days. I doubt it has to do with BK only. As an experiment two weeks ago, I went to 3 different McDonalds and everyone one of them said they were not hiring but would take an application.

I'm not racist but I notice the white people disappearing in these stores. Thats a problem when I go to Lowes and ask a worker for help and he can't speak english well enough to help me.

This has become a bigger problem than people want to admit.

[Penny Less]

It's a difficult process to get any sort of job these days. *Especially* unskilled ones.

[Flamingo]

There has been a ton of stuff posted in here about BK and job applications, interviews, etc. Do a search and you will find postings on people who had no problems getting a job to people not getting a job and believing the BK/bad credit had something to do with it. It usually does especially if there are other folks applying for the position just as qualified as say, you, with excellent credit. A lot is the economy and lack of jobs and folks hiring being extremely careful in who they hire now and it could be your bad credit along with that

[JRScott]

Its more the economy than your credit. No one is hiring around here, we have folks come in where I work and put applications in, probably a dozen a week and haven't hired anyone other than 1 Part Time helper in over a year. (and never called back 2 helpers from winter).

[Amy26]

Employers cannot "check your credit" without your knowledge. You cannot just submit an application to a job and then they say hmmm lets check the credit on all these applicants. Once they offer you a position and you accept, that's when the investigations start. They can then deny you employment after they check your credit, do a criminal background check and/or drug test.

The only way I could see bad credit being an issue before you get a job offer is if they specifically ask you to tell them your financial status on the application (seems unethical to do that to me) or if they ask you that in your interview...which again I think is unethical.

So, I highly doubt you are not getting interviews because of that. I'm going through a security clearance for my job with the gov't right now and its very nerve wracking because my finances are a big issue...

Good luck in your job search! Don't give up!

[tinfoilhat]

Its more the economy than your credit. No one is hiring around here, we have folks come in where I work and put applications in, probably a dozen a week and haven't hired anyone other than 1 Part Time helper in over a year. (and never called back 2 helpers from winter).

But I'm talking about going to places that have ads.
They say xxxxx years experience required, own tools, xxx certification, etc.

I look and think well I have all that, I go apply. No one calls. I see these ads for weeks still so I call back, the person I need to talk to is never around.

I'm not doing anything differently than I've done in the past 16 years.

The only difference I can think of is the last hourly rate I was making, they ask what it was. Do they see I was making $27/hr and even though under desired salary I'll put $10/hr the high dollar amount is scaring them away?
I was actually told by a friends dad, who is a business owner, to lower my previous hourly rate because it does play part in who they hire. I haven't done that though. 16 years in the business I've worked my way up, personally I don't think it looks good to not have moved up in that amount of time.

I know one time at walmart I actually got an interview with a real person. They plug in the numbers to some formula they have and base your starting pay off that.
I know for a fact it has something to do with degrees, certificates, and past wages, probably more.

[Amy26]

If all you're doing is sending in an application and getting no response then it has nothing to do with your credit. That happens all the time to lots of people...myself included. It just means they, in their mind, found a better set of applicants. And in this market, I'm sure there are TONS of people applying for the same jobs.

It also depends on what kind of information is on your resume/application. They cannot see what you made previously unless you tell them.

Generally, I do not send my salary requirements in application. Even if the job ad says please include salary requirements... I don't give it to them. Only time I discuss wages is after initial HR phone interview.

[bk2009]

Yes, it scares them. If they hire you for $10 per hour and invest the time to train you at their place of employment and then in a year the economy is starting to turn around and you get offered a better job, what happens? You leave and they are left with having to train all over again. If they offer the $10 per hour job to someone who is just qualified for the job (and not overqualified), they'll likely retain him longer than a year.

DH has been through two hard layoffs in the last 10 years (IT business, once after 9/11 and now), both times he's been contacted and had phone interviews or in person interviews and not been given the job once they find out his qualifications and what his last salary was. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it does suck when all you want is a decent paying job!

[tinfoilhat]

If all you're doing is sending in an application and getting no response then it has nothing to do with your credit. That happens all the time to lots of people...myself included. It just means they, in their mind, found a better set of applicants. And in this market, I'm sure there are TONS of people applying for the same jobs.

It also depends on what kind of information is on your resume/application. They cannot see what you made previously unless you tell them.

Generally, I do not send my salary requirements in application. Even if the job ad says please include salary requirements... I don't give it to them. Only time I discuss wages is after initial HR phone interview.

I tried skipping out on the desired salary once and the owner of this place made me come up with a number before I left, I said 12/hr, he never called.

Thats another thing, a resume.
I took the time to make one, nice too. No one wants to look at it. I have to fill out their generic application and thats it. I offer the resume, they say they don't need it.

I've used the resume before, when I moved to another state, I actually sent it via email, they called and asked if I could come in tomorrow lol (this was on a thursday), it's a 24 hour drive. But we agreed to Tuesday, I made it and got hired on the spot.

I left that job and got 3 more months to spend with my mother before she passed away. (I mention this not for sympathy, but people think I'm in the wrong to have left)

I really want to move back to that state, there are more jobs listed, etc.

[tinfoilhat]

Yes, it scares them. If they hire you for $10 per hour and invest the time to train you at their place of employment and then in a year the economy is starting to turn around and you get offered a better job, what happens? You leave and they are left with having to train all over again. If they offer the $10 per hour job to someone who is just qualified for the job (and not overqualified), they'll likely retain him longer than a year.

DH has been through two hard layoffs in the last 10 years (IT business, once after 9/11 and now), both times he's been contacted and had phone interviews or in person interviews and not been given the job once they find out his qualifications and what his last salary was. It makes sense from a business perspective, but it does suck when all you want is a decent paying job!

I don't know, training in my line of work is a week driving with a guy learning their paperwork, etc.
I'm an HVAC/R tech. Most of the time my training has been cut down to two or three days. The work is the same everywhere, it's just learning the paperwork. The last job I had was the highest paying, out of state, I was trained for one day.

You say decent paying job? hell I'll settle for anything now. I need to get out of the house.

I'll tell you this though, if the economy ever does pick back up, I'll be a totally different person. I used to complain about having to work late or weekends. Never again, I'll work any hour with a smile. (can't believe I just typed that )

[Amy26]

Have you tried applying to apartment complexes? As maintenance technician? My father was an HVAC mechanic and did a lot of repairing, fixit, all around kinda guy. Made his living at maintenance positions in apartment complexes. The nice thing about apartment complexes is usually you can live there for a discount and they are everywhere!! So maybe applying for some in another state would be an option. And you can use that resume as well. ;)

[tinfoilhat]

Have you tried applying to apartment complexes? As maintenance technician? My father was an HVAC mechanic and did a lot of repairing, fixit, all around kinda guy. Made his living at maintenance positions in apartment complexes. The nice thing about apartment complexes is usually you can live there for a discount and they are everywhere!! So maybe applying for some in another state would be an option. And you can use that resume as well. ;)

Actually yes. This other state I speak of has those jobs everywhere.

If you stumble upon my post in the ch13 section, I really need to do something with my bk situation before I leave here. I'd love to do a clean chapter 7, move, and start working. Either that or I'll forget bk and ride it out.

[Amy26]

I have been loitering in the chapter 7 section actually...but I'll take a gander over there and read it. I'm very very bored at work!!!

I know how you feel though... I was without a job for 6 months last year... and the worst part was I actually had a job, but I couldn't work because my work permit kept getting delayed (I moved to Europe). Then I got laid off... it was sooooo annoying not having somewhere to go every day ...something to occupy yourself... something to keep you from forgetting how to do your job. I was so affraid I was gonna forget everything I knew. I work in Information Technology and I was just so scared I was gonna get too far behind etc... its very stressful.

I talk to people all the time that were like "I'd love to not work for 6 months!" I'm like... what planet are you from?

[Bandit]

It could be age too. After certain ages it gets tougher because they would rather have the young and dumb over the old and experienced.