Can a low FICO score prevent employment?

[sarapaige05]

:oI just graduated from nursing school! I have been researching various jobs and have heard that everyone does credit checks and low FICO's usually hurt a person. Any hope?

[llg, PhD, RN]

Of course there is. If you think there is a chance that your FICO score will prevent you from getting a job, then you should ask the recruiter directly about whether or not they check it and if so, how they use it in hiring. It might not be as big of a problem as you think.

Depending on the reasons for it being so low, you might be able to provide a suitable explanation for it being so low that would allow you to be hired in spite of it.

You'll never know until you ask.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

Considering that simply running a credit check lowers your score I guess it would be wise to find out if they are checking it...seems like an odd thing to check though. I damaged my credit a long time ago when I got a credit card at 17, I would hate to see that crop up as the reason (now at 29) to not believe I am a competent nurse.

(This is all assuming that FICO means credit score, I have never heard the term and had to Google it)