Gingko100,

BossGman2 wrote, 4. How will this affect his future employment opportunities if they do a credit check?

To which you replied, Badly, if they do it. But almost no companies actually do this. Just financial sector or military contractors I think. I've never had an employer do it for me in 25 years of working.

This hasn't been my experience. I'm a computer programmer and I do not work in either the financial or military sectors. I just took a job in the Seattle area with a major corporation here. They pulled my credit report as part of a background check.

It should not be possible for me to do things like embezzle funds or sell military secrets. However, I will be privy to product plans of the company and its partners. This company decided that knowing my financial situation is important to understanding the risk I might pose to the company's intellectual secrets.

So I would say that a bad credit report can affect your career in unexpected ways. And I would also say that the more you make, the more likely it will affect you ... at least as long as you are not self-employed.

- Joel