When interviewing for your next accounting position, your potential employer will most likely request a credit check. After all, you’ll be working with the company’s finances, and your hiring manager wants to know you are fiscally responsible. Learn how to discuss your not-so-stellar credit report and focus on your superior job skills and work experience instead.

Explain Bad Credit

If your interviewer requests a credit check before officially hiring you, be proactive in explaining red flags that may appear. Late payments, maxed credit cards, and other financial hits may be viewed as a lack of responsibility in your potential employer’s eyes, so you’ll want to address them head on. Order your free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com and request your Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion files. Thoroughly read them and report any errors. Ensure mistakes are corrected before your hiring manager sees your credit report. If you’ve been the victim of identity theft, your spouse lost a job, your house was foreclosed on, a judgement was brought against you, or you filed for bankruptcy, be brief but upfront about it. Take responsibility for your issues and show the progress you’re making toward improvement. Your interviewer will admire your honesty and hopefully will still consider hiring you.

Focus on Job Requirements

Turn the conversation back to how your skills and experience make you the perfect fit for the accounting job. Share your accomplishments and how you exceeded expectations in previous positions. For example, you might state how you increased annual revenue 25 percent over three years or saved a company $100,000 annually by implementing a new program. Hopefully, the employer will take into account what you bring to the table professionally and treat that as being  more important than what’s happening in your personal life that may be beyond your control. Your successful work history should show potential employers how they’ll benefit from your skills, training, and problem-solving abilities, keeping you in the running for the accounting position.

When searching for your next accounting job, be proactive in minimizing your bad credit and focusing on how you’ll benefit the company with your experience. For additional help landing your new position, contact the professionals at Trimble and Associates today!