How Women Can Fix Their Credit Before Applying for a Job: Part 1 — Credit Scores and Credit Reports

a guest post by Michelle Dunn

(www.bizchicksrule.com) — As the economy continues to fail, more and more women are finding that they can’t even get past a job interview because of some bad credit they may have. More and more employers are checking credit as a way to filter who they hire or even interview for a job. Because this is happening more and more I have some tips for women who want to clean up their credit before applying for a job.

How can women check their credit?

Order copies of your credit reports. The FCRA requires each of the 3 credit bureaus to provide you with a free copy of your credit report annually at your request. Don’t ask each credit bureau for your report, visit annualcreditreport.com, a website set up just for this purpose.

Also, if you are denied credit or employment because of your credit, you can request a free copy of your credit report.

How do you improve your credit score?

• Pay your bills on time – this will raise your score.
• Keep credit card balances low – carrying high balances of debt can lower your score.
• Pay off as much debt as you can.
• Don’t apply for credit often. each time you apply for credit somewhere and someone pulls your credit report, that lowers your score.

How do you dispute an item on your credit report?

Make sure everything on your report is correct. If you don’t agree with something send them a letter disputing the item and explain why your disputing the item and ask that while you are disputing this item, your letter be attached to your credit report. Make sure to include copies of any documentation that supports your claim. Send the letter by certified mail with return receipt requested and keep copies of everything you send. Also send a copy to the creditor who reported the information. This way when a potential employer pulls your report they will be obligated to disregard that item.

If something is corrected or removed from your report you are entitled to another free copy of your report.

Tune in for Part 2 — Debt and Budgeting later today.

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Michelle Dunn, author of an award winning book, one of the Top 5 Women in Collections in 2007 & 2008, one of the Top 50 Most Influential Collection Professionals of 2007 shares her hard-won expertise on debt collection with the titles in her “Collecting Money" series. She is the founder and president of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC and her 10-year-old Credit & Collections Association with thousands of members. Michelle started and ran M.A.D. Collection Agency for 8 years and has worked in the debt collection industry for 20 years.

(image: SXC.hu)

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