Use Credit Cards Wisely to Land your Dream Job |

If you think running up debt on your credit cards won’t affect your ability to one day find a job, think again. That’s because a growing number of employers check the credit histories of would-be hires. If those histories turn up a low three-digit credit score, the employers might move on to the next candidate, even if you are perfectly qualified for the job. Running up huge amounts of revolving debt – which usually means credit card debt – is one of the main reasons why people’s credit scores fall. So next time you decide to put that flat-screen TV on your credit card, remember that a large amount of credit card debt could prevent you from landing that dream job.

Careful With Credit

The national unemployment rate finally fell below 10 percent early this year. But as of the end of January, it still was at 9.7 percent. There are a lot of applicants, then, for every available job. This means it’s essential that job candidates do everything they can to give themselves an edge. This includes bringing a solid credit score to the table. The Society of Human Resource Management recently conducted a survey of about 100 employers. A total of 60 percent of them said that they checked credit histories for many of their hires. That’s a big jump from 2004, when just 43 percent of employers in the same survey said that they checked the credit histories of applicants.

Pay Bills on Time

Your credit score can also plummet if you fail to pay your credit card bills on time. Every time you fail to pay a bill, whether it be a credit card bill or an auto loan payment, your score will suffer a bit. If your score falls too far, below 620 or so, potential employers may view you as a person who’s not responsible with his or her finances. They may then wonder if you’ll be an irresponsible worker, too. Remember, when you’re competing against dozens of job seekers for a position, you don’t want to give potential employers any doubts at all.

Restore your Credit

If your credit score is low, there are steps you can take to boost it. First, make a vow to pay all your bills on time. This is the surest way to improve sagging credit scores. Secondly, make extra efforts to pay down the debt on your credit cards. Again, this will have a positive impact on your scores. And finally, put your credit cards away when you head out on the town. The best way to keep from abusing credit cards is to remove the temptation to use them.