How critical is credit report?

[tradersltd]

Hi Guys,
How critical is my credit report in getting hired with a regional? And would fiing bankruptcy change my otherwise poor credit report? Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks !!

 

[pilotyip]

Depends

Based upon my experience as an interviewer, if it is explainable, like you had business that failed, or lost your job and you were forced to declare bankruptcy, and it is not part of a larger trend of irresponsibility, it should not be a showstopper. But if there is a combination, of driving incidents, bad credit, and lots of jobs in a short period, plus other hard to explain shortcomings, a decent flying job may be tuff to find.

 

[tradersltd]

So is bankruptcy better than just poor credit? Which is seen as better or lesser of the two??

 

[acaTerry]

Is it your credit history or your debt you are worried about? If it's debt, I don't think ANY of us would get jobs!

 

[chperplt]

You're talking about getting hired with a regional. What regionals run credit checks? I've worked at two different regionals and neither ran my credit.

As far as your credit goes... do an internet search and educate yourself. If you can bring all your accounts current and keep them current for 12-18 months, your credit score will improve greatly. If you're so far under water, bankruptcy might be an option for you. Again, you're going to need to do some research and talk with an attorney. Many bankruptcy laws have changed recently after record numbers of filings the past few years. Depending on your debt, a bankruptcy filing may not help you very much.

Good luck

 

[tradersltd]

I have bad credit, but I am thinking of filing bankruptcy in an effort to save face during an interview/background check. I am paying on my debts but I was behind for a while.

 

[chperplt]

I don't see how filing bankruptcy will "save face" at an interview. Bad credit is bad credit any way you look at it. Credit reports aren't pulled very often for regional jobs. In fact, I don't know of any regional airlines that pull credit reports. Comair didn't even ask me about my driving record.

If you're paying on your bills, regardless of how past due they were, keep paying on them.

 

[tradersltd]

I have an up coming interview with pinnacle and it has a credit report release in the paper work I have to fill out. It looks like they will pull my credit...

 

[chperplt]

They may use it as a step in verifying your identity and not as a "credit" check.

 

[tradersltd]

Good to know. I really want to get on with pinnacle flying an RJ. I have wanted a shot like this my entire life and to think my credit would blow it would really suck. Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it!!

 

[English]

Whatever you do, don't file bankruptcy. That is absolutely the worst thing you could do to your financial future.

Do some research. The more you know, the better off you'll be.

www.myfico.com

And go watch Suze Orman tonight.

 

[nitrogen]

Bad Credit

Bad credit will sink you at a major interview.

Why?

Because they are looking for a history of responsibility.

People with bad credit usually do because they don't pay their bills and don't try to resolve financial dilemmas.

Almost every company will work with you as long as you are TRYING to satisfy your debts.

Plus, I suppose it also is a matter of what you consider bad credit.

Frankly, as a landlord credit is my number one determinant of whether I would rent a property to a person. I believe I would have the same attitude as an interviewer.

Generally, people I've seen who don't pay their debts are bad risks in every sense of the word.

Lots of irresponsible people have dreams of flying. It's the responsibility of the interviewer to make sure they don't get that chance.

 

[chperplt]

Generally, people I've seen who don't pay their debts are bad risks in every sense of the word.

What a ridiculous generalization!

 

[MetroSheriff]

Re: Bad Credit

Generally, people I've seen who don't pay their debts are bad risks in every sense of the word.

Lots of irresponsible people have dreams of flying. It's the responsibility of the interviewer to make sure they don't get that chance.

What about management types. Based on that criteria it would probably be a good idea to never step foot on another US airline again.

 

[LearLove]

Since 1998 I've interviewed at 4 121 airlines, been hired by three of the 4 and not one asked or mentioned anything about a credit check.

 

[Lear70]

Good to know. I really want to get on with pinnacle flying an RJ. I have wanted a shot like this my entire life and to think my credit would blow it would really suck. Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it!!

ROFLMAO!! Thanks for putting such a big smile on my face as I awoke from my afternoon nap going into day 6 of illegals (Continuous Duty Overnights) here at Cynical (Pinnacle) Airlines... Remember our motto: "We're not happy until you're not happy, and the beatings will continue regardless of whether morale improves or not!"

Mostly joking, don't freak out... Seriously, congratulations on the interview. The first year here as an F/O is a bit brutal: 3 months of non-paid ground school and sims, then reserve rules suck, then illegals until you're senior enough to hold a day-trip or 2-3 day trip line, but once you get through that it's pretty cool - sounds like your enthusiasm should carry you through that with no problems.

The good news: I just got off the phone with our HR people - they screwed up my deductions for the insurance I have so I had to call anyway - and I asked specifically about the bankruptcy deal. I was told, unless the interviewee's background (places worked and lived) doesn't jive and it raises a red flag during the interview process, that a credit report is NOT pulled at Pinnacle. Our HR's department exact words to me 30 seconds ago: "We don't want to know, it's none of our business, unless they're lying about where they got their flight time". As a result, I STRONGLY suggest NOT bringing it up at an interview unless asked about it... but tell the truth if asked.

Despite what another poster wrote, bad credit does not necessarily make you a bad person, unless it's obvious to see that the person deliberately lived outside of their means as a way of "living large" until their income could no longer keep up with their debt and they knew full-well they'd be filing BR on a bunch of creditors.

When your debt goes through the roof because you get furloughed during a down-turn in the economy (or a group of religious zealouts turn 4 planes into ballistic missiles), or BOTH, and you end up with extended slow-pay periods or file bankruptcy to continue to use the money you are making to put food on the table and buy gas at $2.00 a gallon to go to work, it's not a character flaw.

That said, don't sweat it at the interview, you have enough on your tray to worry about these kinds of "what ifs"... Your primary concerns right now:

Be able to pass the written with a 70% or better - flunk it and you WILL NOT successfully pass the interview.

Be able to brief a Jeppessen approach plate.

Be knowledgeable on your current aircraft; it shows how well you will remain current on the CRJ if hired.

Have several TOAAT (Tell Us About A Time) stories, there are several interview prep websites out there, run a search and have your stories rehearsed decently (but please don't "rote memorize and repeat" them). Remember, short situation description, longer resolution description, meaning, don't spend 10 minutes telling what happened with the situation then spend 30 seconds telling how you resolved it - it's your resolution they're most interested in.

DON'T BULLSH*T THE ANSWER IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT! Just say you don't know, and if you have a good idea where to look it up, say where you think it would be found and you can look it up if they'd like. B.S.'ing the answer means you might do the same thing in the airplane and give wrong information...

And above all HAVE FUN! Seriously, if you don't smile, don't look like you're generally enjoying being there, and come across as a sour-puss, the interviewer will think "I don't think I'd like to get paired with this guy/gal for a month", and that will be it. Don't be cocky, but be relaxed and smile. Most of the interviewers are drinking buddies, if that gives you any hints about how much they like to relax and have a good time -vs- being irritated they have to be interviewing people (it's a volunteer gig).

Good luck!

 

[flynryan15]

Well

I have the same worry I fell on hard times with 4 high impact orthopedic surgeries. Causing my credit and other things to suffer and so now I am worry that after fighting to get healthy and complete my flying that my credit will cost me.

 

[LearLove]

Guys your getting all worked up over nothing, correct me if i'm wrong but no airline hiring today from SWA to Colgan checks credit.

 

[tradersltd]

Guys thank you for the positive input regarding my credit. You have saved me a lot of stress. Thanks again!!

 

[Cosmo1999]

Bad credit will sink you at a major interview.

Well id have to say most major airlines arent exactly poster childs for good credit. Kind of hyopcritical for some of the majors to exclude someone for bad credit when many airlines out there have been bankrupt at some point or have flirted with it because of bad debt. Oh well not very many majors are hiring now anyway, get your credit good over the next few years then you can see whos hiring. I dont think ive ever heard of a regional doing a credit check. The waiver you sign usually allows them to grab a "consumer report" on you. That includes court records, driving records, credit reports, etc. ive aksed quite a few people and i havent found a regional yet that runs them.