Don't Let Bad Credit Spoil Your Job Search

You've probably seen tons of commercials on TV for sites that let you check your credit score. These services espouse the benefits of making sure you spot potential inaccuracies in your credit so you aren't blind-sided when you want to purchase, say, a new house.

Maybe you won't be moving to a new home anytime soon, but a bad credit score can also affect your search for a nonprofit job.

Unless you live in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, or Washington, employers have the right to check your credit score. Thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act passed by Congress, you have the ability to check your score for free once every 12 months. So if you haven't already, make sure to take a look and see if you have any bad scores. You should do this before you start your job search so you have enough time to correct any inaccuracies that may have led to the bad credit.

If it turns out your bad credit scores are not the result of error, get to the bottom of what caused it so that you have an explanation should the employer ask about it. Poor scores can often be the result of some bad expenditures in the past, so you can chalk it up to that -- assuming that's the truth. If you tell a sincere story and assure them you have changed your ways, you should be all clear. Don't even consider telling them it was inaccurate if it wasn't; that will put you in more hot water than admitting the truth.

You can see a full list of credit score sites here.