A credit report is traditionally thought of as a comprehensive financial history on each and every one of us – used to determine our creditworthiness by lenders. And while it is certainly true that our credit report is used to help qualify us for those loans for which we have applied, they are used for other reasons as well. In fact, our credit report is checked by landlords to help them determine if we are responsible enough to rent an apartment; checked by auto insurance companies that are issuing policies on our automobiles, and even checked by potential employers.

The fact that a potential employer looks at our credit report before making a job offer may be surprising to some people. But this information is incredibly helpful in preparing us for a job hunt; allowing us to put our best foot forward. Just as many of us procure a free credit report prior to house hunting – to be sure that our finances are in order for the mortgage pre-approval process – so should we get a free credit report prior to being interviewed for those jobs likely to look at our credit. Any job in the financial industry is likely to check a potential employee’s credit report; but beyond the financial arena, a credit check is possible in nearly any industry where we are looking for a job. So a free credit report can clear up any potential problems before they arise in a more public setting.

A free credit report can be found online through a central website that pulls credit reports from the three major credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Free credit reports give us a window into what our financial history is saying about our creditworthiness and ultimately our trustworthiness. And by addressing problems in advance, potential job applicants can clean up their credit report so that they are ready for any job that comes their way.

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