Hiring process question.

[Noob-E]

I am about to begin interviewing for a hospital postion. Can really horrendous credit keep you from getting hired? Anyone have some insight to alleviate my concerns? Some freinds and I attempted to open a bar a few years ago and we lost major $$ and I filed for bankruptcy. It just hit me recently that this could be an issue since the apps do say I authorize them to do a consumer credit check.

Just looking for some reassurance or "heads-up" on a potential issue.

Thanks in advance!

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Good likelihood it's a potential issue.

(Sorry to say so.)

[PJMommy]

Most places do a credit and background check. However, if they have concerns about your credit report or past bankruptcy, they'll likely discuss them with you. Essentially, they want to be sure you aren't going to do illegal things at work in order to finance your personal situation (i.e. steal narcs and sell them on the street). In nearly every professional position, including those outside of healthcare, the employer runs a credit check.

I wouldn't fret over it especially if you've had a clean nose since the bankruptcy - i.e. paying on time, not owing more than you can manage. I know people who are financial planners who have a bankruptcy on the books.

[susanna]

Whats this? I thought they needed YOUR PERMISSION to run a credit check on you??? Every time they check, your points go down. They can't do that without your permisiion, can they?

[bioniclewoman]

Whats this? I thought they needed YOUR PERMISSION to run a credit check on you??? Every time they check, your points go down. They can't do that without your permisiion, can they?

I've never heard that your points go down when someone checks it. In fact I have heard several times from finacial advisors that you should check it yourself every 6 month to make sure it is correct.

With that said though I did think they had to get permission. My family used to have a business where they gave credit so they had to check peoples credit, and they had to have them sign a form giving permission other wise it was elligal. But that was 10 years ago.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

... if they have concerns about your credit report or past bankruptcy, they'll likely discuss them with you...

Can't agree on that.

Much easier, and less risky, to just go to the next app.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Whats this? I thought they needed YOUR PERMISSION to run a credit check on you...

Yes, they do.

But most serious applicants go ahead and sign the form containing that authorization. And whoever doesn't will typically be screened out.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

I've never heard that your points go down when someone checks it...

Generally, it does. But there are exceptions.

Your personal review will not count against you.

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

I thought that employers wanted to make sure that they wouldn't be involved in garnishment proceedings and that was the reason for credit checks. Employers hate getting invovled in that kind of thing.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

... Employers hate getting invovled in that kind of thing.

That may be true but that's not the principal reason. They generally associate bad credit with unreliability, undesirability, etc.... in short, negative qualiities.

[LilStudent]

This has been discussed here before. From that discussion I learned that some hospitals do use credit as part of their hiring process. It prompted me to contact the hospitals in my area, Tampa, FL. Most of the hospitals said that they don't even run a credit check, just a criminal background check. One of the hospitals did say that they use a credit check, but as long as you were honest about the credit problems you had, they wouldn't disqualify you because of credit history.

Unforunately the people in this country have come down to a number. If you've made mistakes in the past they will haunt you for 7 years or 10 if you file bankruptcy. My credit is not sterling and it has nothing to do with how responsible I currently am. These are past mistakes that I couldn't even begin to pay off. I just don't have enough money as a single parent that receives no child support. However, I do pay all my bills on time now. I've worked at the same place as an Insurance Underwriter for 4 years. I'm a good employee. Don't let bad/marginal credit discourage you!

With all the open nursing positions you will find a job somewhere. I wouldn't worry about it.

[Sheri257]

Larry is right. Credit checks are fairly standard with employment applications these days. You usually have to sign a consent form along with the application.

There have been some threads where nurses have reported problems getting jobs because of bad credit. They did eventually find jobs, but the bad credit definitely caused problems for them.