Getting Hired with A recent Chap 7 on credit report

[busbis]

I'm just curious if anyone has feedback. I recently got a job as a firefighter and I am going through the background check and phyical soon. I just received notice today that my credit was check and the bk chp 7 was mentioned. My physical is scheduled for next Wed, but I can't sleep now thinking this may be an issue. Does anyone hear have feedback on this?

[lrprn]

It is against the law to refuse to hire or fire someone solely because they filed bankruptcy. However, it's not that hard to make up an acceptable reason if the company really doesn't want to hire you, and that's for any reason including they don't like the color of your hair

With the financial problems at a record level in this country, most employers aren't going to be overly picky about a prior bk filing, especially if the job has nothing to do with handling or being responsible for money.

Best of luck with your firefighter's job. I'm betting all will be well - hang in there!

[relief13035]

I recently had the exact same situation. I was offered the great position even though the "Chapter 7" showed up plain as day on the credit report.

Good Luck!

[Jason2000]

I am in the AF Reserves and prior to my 341 I told the Commander about my CH.7 to be honest. I got promoted to Staff Sergeant the same week. He said that when they re-new my security clearance, I may be interviewed by OSI about it. I think as long as you are honest about your situation, you're fine. For fire-fighting, I'd think they judge on criminal records not credit.

[ThreadsSnapping]

I got hired as a tax office manager while in the middle of a chapter 7. Come to think of it, they never actually did a credit check. Go figure.

TS

[Flamingo]

During your interview process, if the discussion turns to your references or credit report/background check, that is the time to bring up your BK and just be open and honest. A bad credit report just like a felony on your background check could keep you from getting the job. Many financial places are up front with prospective employees about that when they advise they they will be required to have a credit check, background check and also fingerprinted prior to hiring. If anything comes back negative, they pretty much know they won't be hired. Unless you handle cash, checks and accounts or need to be bonded in the position you are applying for, you should not have much of a problem.

[StartingOver08]

.... A bad credit report just like a felony on your background check could keep you from getting the job.....

No, a bad credit report is not just like a felony.

A bad credit report is just that - bad credit. You do need to be upfront so there are no surprises, but having bad credit is not just like a felony. That is a mischaracterization.

[Flamingo]

[/B]


No, a bad credit report is not just like a felony.

A bad credit report is just that - bad credit. You do need to be upfront so there are no surprises, but having bad credit is not just like a felony. That is a mischaracterization.

Bad credit on your records, just like a felony conviction on your records, can both keep you from getting a job. They are black marks that work against you...while one is credit and one is criminal, they both work the same way no matter how you want to pretty up the package.

[StartingOver08]

Bad credit on your records, just like a felony conviction on your records, can both keep you from getting a job. They are black marks that work against you...while one is credit and one is criminal, they both work the same way no matter how you want to pretty up the package.

What are you saying here Flamingo? That bad credit = thief?

Bad credit is financial mismanagement. It is not a felony no matter how you slice it unless you committed some sort of crime, which is a separate event altogether.

I suggest being honest and upfront with it, like I stated in my last post. But to EQUATE bad credit with a felony is not rational thinking. It does interfere in obtaining a job sometimes, but it does NOT involve jail time. I am a very practical person and for you to say it is just because I want to 'pretty up the package' is not an accurate assessment. For you to equate CRIME to bad credit is an overstatement. Most of us here, including YOU, had to file BK. Most of us have learned a lesson. I for one am not going to go jump off a cliff because Flamingo says that you are now equal to a felon because you filed BK. That is a ridiculous comparison you have made between bad credit and felony actions.

[Flamingo]

What are you saying here Flamingo? That bad credit = thief?

Bad credit is financial mismanagement. It is not a felony no matter how you slice unless you committed some sort of crime, which is a separate event altogether.

I suggest being honest and upfront with it, like I stated in my last post. But to EQUATE bad credit with a felony is not rational thinking. It does interfere in obtaining a job sometimes, but it does NOT involve jail time. I am a very practical person and for you to say it is just because I want to 'pretty up the package' is not an accurate assessment. For you to equate CRIME to bad credit is an overstatement. Most of us here, including YOU, had to file BK. Most of us have learned a lesson. I for one am not going to go jump off a cliff because Flamingo says that you are now equal to a felon because you filed BK. That is a ridiculous comparison you have made between bad credit and felony actions.

Hold On, StartingOver...you are thinking I am equating bad credit with something criminal. Why do you think they pull a credit report and also do a background check on an prospective employee? One is to view your credit and how you handle your financial affairs and the other is to see if you have any criminal items on your record. Both are two separate animals. One credit, one criminal. Both can be black marks to a prospective employer if there is bad credit/repos/foreclosures/BK on your credit reports and/or a criminal conviction is on your background check. No where in my postings do I equate bad credit with being a felon - good grief, I've done a lot of work withr HR and this stuff and I know how these things are viewed and a lot of people don't like it, but there is no comparison between bad credit and a criminal conviction. If either comes back negative to a prospective employer, it just works against the prospective employee - a bad credit report does not make the person a felon! I don't know how you would think that could occur!

[StartingOver08]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"].... but there is no comparison between bad credit and a criminal conviction. If either comes back negative to a prospective employer, it just works against the prospective employee - a bad credit report does not make the person a felon! I don't know how you would think that could occur![/FONT]

That was my point. In your earlier posts you had equated the two and my point was that the two were separate events. We run credit and criminal checks regularly. But in no event do we confuse the credit issues with the criminal issues - they are SEPARATE events caused by separate actions.

[HHM]

The fact is Flamingo, you are wrong about your interpretation here.

First lets make a distinction between "bad credit" and "Bankruptcy". (they are not the same thing). Second, employers rarely, if ever actually pull the "credit score", (a. they don't want to pay for it, and b. it is not very useful to them).

Bad Credit (i.e. charge offs, late payments, owing a lot of money) makes you a higher risk employee in some jobs, but guess what, a BK actually fixes that. A BK fixes bad credit.

The bankruptcy, by itself, will not disqualify you from a job..the main reason being, the BK tends to fix the problems with your credit that would have made you are higher risk.

So, Bad Credit makes you a risk, bankruptcy does not.

[StartingOver08]

The fact is Flamingo, you are wrong about your interpretation here.

First lets make a distinction between "bad credit" and "Bankruptcy". (they are not the same thing). Second, employers rarely, if ever actually pull the "credit score", (a. they don't want to pay for it, and b. it is not very useful to them).

Bad Credit (i.e. charge offs, late payments, owing a lot of money) makes you are higher risk employee in some jobs, but guess what, a BK actually fixes that. A BK fixes bad credit.

The bankruptcy, by itself, will not disqualify you from a job..the main reason being, the BK tends to fix the problems with your credit that would have made you are higher risk.

So, Bad Credit makes you a risk, bankruptcy does not.

Thank you HHM, well said.

[Flamingo]

That was my point. In your earlier posts you had equated the two and my point was that the two were separate events. We run credit and criminal checks regularly. But in no event do we confuse the credit issues with the criminal issues - they are SEPARATE events caused by separate actions.

In my earlier postings I stated both are a black mark on your records and either one can keep you from getting a job. I did not equate bad credit the same as being a felon. This is my initial sentence that apparently bothered you "A bad credit report just like a felony on your background check could keep you from getting the job." In that sentence are listed two different items; that either one could keep one from getting a job. You apparently have never been involved with HR in a finance/bank environment. I did onsite contract work at a large reputable national bank in the late 90s and saw firsthand people not being hired due to just having bad credit (no BK) on their credit reports. They were advised at the time of the interview that bad credit could prevent them from being hired and that a full background and credit check would be run together with fingerprinting being done. Prior to the credit check, a form was provided for them to fill in and return listing all their bills, amounts due, payments, etc. Being contract, I had to go through the same thing myself along with all others on our team. If none of us passed or refused, we would not be allowed to work at that client.

Now, that is just for the credit part and a background check exposing any criminal activity on one's record is another black mark that can work against you even if you have excellent credit.

I am sorry you misinterpreted my postings but it is common knowledge that anyone with bad credit or filing a bankruptcy is not a convicted felon and not all convicted felons have bad credit or filed bankruptcy. An employer does not have to hire either.

[Flamingo]

The fact is Flamingo, you are wrong about your interpretation here.

First lets make a distinction between "bad credit" and "Bankruptcy". (they are not the same thing). Second, employers rarely, if ever actually pull the "credit score", (a. they don't want to pay for it, and b. it is not very useful to them).

Bad Credit (i.e. charge offs, late payments, owing a lot of money) makes you are higher risk employee in some jobs, but guess what, a BK actually fixes that. A BK fixes bad credit.

The bankruptcy, by itself, will not disqualify you from a job..the main reason being, the BK tends to fix the problems with your credit that would have made you are higher risk.

So, Bad Credit makes you a risk, bankruptcy does not.

Please read my last posting in response to StartingOver. I explain the "bad credit" point more fully as probably most people on here have never worked inside a bank HR dept. And, yes, most employers do require credit checks and background checks (you mention credit "score"? - they don't require that). At least all employers I have worked at, have had family and friends work at, clients of my employer and any and all businesses I work with on a daily basis. And not all of them are banks or financial establishments. In fact, most major companies have legal policies in place requiring credit checks and background checks to protect the employer and if a prospective employee does not agree to have either done, the application is withdrawn.

I think this has been overblown in this thread because it is just plain common knowledge in the business world that bad credit, repos, foreclosures, Bk, etc. on your records or having a criminal record can keep one from getting a job.