Do you have an excellent credit rating? Great! What if you don’t? Whether it’s poor money management or unemployment, your financial situation may be compromised. Depending on the job you’re interviewing for, the hiring manager may not only run a credit check, but also ask you various questions about your personal finances. The worst thing you can do, however, is to get defensive.

Knowing how to respond to the questions, however, may be your best strategy.
Employers do not want to hear a sad story about why your finances are in their current condition. Why? It sounds like you’re trying to get sympathy even if you “take the high road” and assume full responsibility for your current finances being in the dumps. Divorced? Widowed? Suddenly single? Your story may be compelling; however, the employer is looking for a stable fit for the position.

Don’t be an excuse maker. A sob story during an interview will give the impression that you will use a sad excuse every time you get into a bit of trouble. You may find that some interviewers have tender heart strings and others are hardened to not take tragic circumstances into consideration. Why chance it?

What are employers really looking for? Controlling your own finances is often a good indicator as to how you will handle the finances of others. If you are deep in debt, you may be a financial risk that the company may be unwilling to take, no matter how honest you may be. Even if the job has nothing to do with finances, employers will still be concerned about their assets. If you are in financial trouble due to no fault of your own (or even if it is), you need to learn how to answer the questions.

If poor financial circumstances are recent - the better. Explain that you have been unemployed - period. Once said, turn it around and focus on your job skills that got you to the interview in the first place. Don’t dwell on the negative.

If your financial circumstances are a lifelong problem, sad to say this may not be the job for you. You can indicate that you have learned from your financial mistakes and, here too, point out your excellent skills. Once the interview is over, take the time to see what you can do to repair your situation.

Don’t try to hide your background. Giving false, partial addresses or omitting pertinent information will often backfire. Sometimes candidates try to make it difficult for employers to find background information. Trying to keep information hidden by supplying false information will bring your ethics into question – and cost you the job.

Unfortunately, finances can be an important issue during your job search, whether they are good or not.