Applying for a job is stressful enough. Filling out an application and sitting for an interview are intense ways to put yourself out there. You might feel that everything about you is being judged: your experience, your intellect, even your appearance. After all that, the idea that you may be scrutinized based on your credit health as well might be too much to bear. Employers use credit reports to judge how responsible and financially stable you are. The results of a credit check can hinder your chances of getting a job offer.

Employers can, with your permission, check your credit history as part of the job application process. Your “credit score” and “credit report” are not interchangeable, even though many people use them that way. Your credit score, the three-digit number that signifies your loan-worthiness to lenders, is not part of the report that’s available to prospective employers. So, when you authorize a credit check, you’re not sharing your credit scores with a potential employer.

During the job application process, what employers can learn from the employment-screening version of your credit report is how much credit you have, how much credit you’re using, and whether you’re habitually late with your bills. In short, employers get all the information that goes into making up your credit score, but not the score itself. Examples of what they look for are liens, Bankruptcy, late payments, high credit utilization, if your credit balance is $2,500 on a $2,500 limit credit card, this shows employers that you have poor management skills and can't stick to a budget. Significant new activity may trigger employees to think you are desperate and need extra credit because you are in over your head. Closing several accounts could appear as a sign that you aren't good with money management and don't know how to avoid charging up a large sum of debt.

Before you apply for a new job, you should first explore the status of your credit to determine if there are any negative items reporting which may hinder your ability to land the job. You should start with obtaining a Free copy of all three credit reports from the main three credit bureaus Experian, Equifax, and Transunion.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to credit reporting companies.

Experian, Equifax, and Transunion have set up a central website, a toll-free telephone number, and a mailing address through which you can order your free annual report. Only one website is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law — annualcreditreport.com.

Never pay for a copy of your credit report again. There are several companies that offer free copies of your credit report as well as your credit scores, which are mentioned below.

Make sure to check your all of your credit scores, which includes the VantageScore, and FICO from Transunion, Experian, Equifax. Credit scores range between 300 and 850. For creditworthiness, you want to keep your credit score above 700. Credit scores below 500 are considered higher risk by credit card companies and lenders. If you find any errors on your credit report, make sure to dispute them immediately.

The following are the best providers of your credit reports and scores. No purchase or credit card required - 100% Free: 

1.  Annual Credit Report - www.annualcreditreport.com Provides 100% Free Experian, Equifax, and Transunion credit reports. 

2.  CreditKarma.com provides VantageScore 3.0 scores from TransUnion and Equifax, with weekly updates, as part of its free Credit Report Card service. 

3.  Freecreditscore.com provides FICO scores from Experian, with updates every 30 days, as part of the credit report included with its free membership account. 

4.  CreditSesame.com provides VantageScore 3.0 scores from TransUnion as part of a free subscription service. 

5.  Wallethub.com provides VantageScore 3.0 scores from TransUnion, with Daily updates, as part of its free Credit Report Card service. WalletHub is the only company that provides daily updates. 

6.  Credit.com provides VantageScore 3.0 scores from Experian, with updates every 30 days, as part of the credit report card included with its free membership account. 

7.  Quizzle.com includes a VantageScore 3.0 score from Equifax and an Equifax credit report with its basic free membership and updates the score every six months. 

ABOUT MAS CREDIT REPAIR 

Marc A. Stephens (MAS) provides personalized consulting services to individuals and businesses. MAS has prepared the most effective credit repair process with over 15 years of proven results. Pursuant to United States Code Title 15 U.S.C. § 1681g(c)(2)(E) for credit repair, MAS can rapidly remove any item from your credit report, even if the debt is yours. MAS takes tremendous pride in ensuring that clients have a realistic plan of action to successfully repair their credit. 

MAS will quickly delete the following items from your credit report: 

Auto Loans, Bank Loans, Bankruptcy, Charge-Offs, Child Support, Collections, Credit Cards, Foreclosures, Home Loans, Inquiries, Judgments, Late Payments, Liens, Repossessions, School Loans, Utility Bills