Credit checks

[Spliffie]

Is it possible to get a job these days, other than cleaning toilets or working in a field, unless you've got perfect credit?

Apart from missing a few months payment on a mobile contract last year and going over my bank overdraft, I've never had any credit problems yet every admin/call centre job i've applied for have rejected me because of a failed credit check. Fucking ridiculous, considering the way to get my credit rating back up would be....to take out credit!

With that and drugs testing becoming ever more common, getting a job is being made more and more difficult for a shitload of people. :mad:

[LuckyStrike]

i've honestly never heard of prospective employers carrying out credit checks, how weird.

altho drugs testing is fair enough.

[Jaloux]

Same here, I really can't see why that's any of their business as they'll be paying out money not taking it from you...

[katralla]

a credit check, for a job? Is that even legal? Are you sure they're checking your credit not something else?

[LuckyStrike]

a good search threw up this:

http://www.annualcreditreport.co.uk/declined-credit.htm

which states Credit checks are also performed when you apply to rent a house, flat and, in some cases, it?s required by law that employers must search you before giving you a new job.

you must have real problems and may be worth checking with one of the credit reference companies cos i have a friend who got a job just after being made bankrupt, so it cant be that strict...

[Spliffie]

a credit check, for a job? Is that even legal? Are you sure they're checking your credit not something else?

Yeah, it's legal if you give them permission - and if you don't, they won't consider you. All financial companies I know of do this, but it's not just banks etc now -even admin jobs I've applied for require you to pass a credit check.

It's bizarre, supposedly it's because how well you manage your own finance is going to be a reflection of how responsible you are as person. Which, of course, is bollocks. People have bad credit often through no fault of their own.

[JsT]

Every bank does it as do the majority of other call centres, seems routine these days when you have access to financial information of people.

[katralla]

bugger!

[purplebutterfly]

Every bank does it as do the majority of other call centres, seems routine these days when you have access to financial information of people.

:yes:

I temp for a bank and had to agree to a credit check as part of my job application. Its policy for a lot companies now, and for some jobs I can see why.