Financial Security

• People who have credit problems fall behind on their personal bills like mortgages, car payments and credit card payments, and they need money to catch up. If a position involves handling money, such as accounting, bookkeeping or even a grocery store cashier, it might be tempting to skim funds. And if you have demonstrated problems in handling your personal credit, employers might come to the conclusion that you can't be trusted to work with the company's finances, either.
  
  

Handling Responsibility

• Right or wrong, employers might view poor credit handling as a sign of irresponsible behavior. The rationale is that if you can't handle your personal finances well, you might not be trustworthy when it comes to managing people and completing important projects. They might question your organizational skills and your ability to manage a departmental budget. If the job requires hiring new employees and evaluating job performances, your employer could also question your judgment to make key personnel decisions.
  
  

National Security

• Some employers view your personal credit history as a matter of national security. According to the MSN Money website, the Transportation Security Administration, the entity that oversees airport security, rejects applicants for airport screening jobs if they have more than $5,000 in overdue credit. The thinking is that people who have money problems could perpetrate a crime that could endanger national security, such as an act of terrorism, as a means to acquire a large sum of money.
  
  

Due Diligence

• Employers sometimes view checking credit along with background and reference checks as part of the hiring due diligence process. As lawsuits become a larger part of the fabric of modern society, employers sometimes believe they need to leave no stone unturned regarding bringing on new employees. Businesses that require their employees to handle customer funds fear repercussions if the employee decides to "skip town" with the customer's money. This could not only create a financial loss but also tarnish the company's image.