In a story that highlights the far-reaching consequences of financial missteps, Brittany Greene recalls the moment her career aspirations were derailed by something she couldn't immediately fix: her credit history. Back in 2017, Greene, then an assistant at an unnamed company, was poised for a promotion to a business analyst role. She had earned a master's degree in project management and even shadowed the team she hoped to join. But the opportunity slipped away, and Greene says it was due to her poor credit score.
"I actually found out afterwards that I did not get [promoted] into that position because of my credit," Greene told CNBC Make It in a recent interview. She learned of the decision through an email, followed by a virtual meeting with a team member who allegedly confirmed that her credit history factored into the rejection. While CNBC was unable to independently verify whether Greene's credit played a direct role in her former employer's decision, her account serves as a stark reminder of how personal finances can intersect with professional opportunities.
Greene's credit score at the time hovered in the 400s, well below the 580 threshold that Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, considers the start of fair credit. FICO scores, the most commonly used by lenders, range from 300 to 850, and anything under 580 is deemed poor. "If you have anything that is below 550, employers will likely take a deeper look at your report to make sure that there's not any specific item that makes them hesitant about giving an offer," says Cynthia Chen, co-founder and CEO of Kikoff, a fintech company specializing in credit building and repair.
The practice of employers reviewing credit reports is more widespread than many realize. According to a 2021 survey by the Professional Background Screening Association, about half of employers incorporate credit checks into background screenings for their U.S. operations. These checks are particularly prevalent in sectors like financial services—such as brokerage firms—and health care, where financial responsibility is seen as paramount.
"The impact of a person's credit score and also credit report goes far beyond financial services or even housing opportunities," Chen explains. "It can actually impact your eligibility to be hired, to be promoted, and in some cases, if you want to work in a regulated industry, your ability to get licensed." For Greene, the setback was especially painful. She attributes her low score to early financial inexperience: signing up for a credit card in college just for free pizza, then struggling with payments after accumulating debt.
Greene says the promotion would have boosted her income, allowing her to stabilize her finances and improve her credit. Instead, the rejection left her feeling defeated. "It was very frustrating, very gut-wrenching, because you do all of this hard work, you go to the lengths of getting your degrees, taking the interview prep, making sure your resume is on point," she reflects. Her experience underscores a broader tension in the job market, where personal financial history can become a gatekeeper to advancement.
Importantly, employers don't always see the actual credit score during these checks. "They usually receive a modified version of your credit report rather than the three-digit score itself," notes Courtney Alev, a consumer financial advocate at Intuit Credit Karma. "It's important to understand the difference, because a credit report contains information about your account history and payment behavior, while a credit score is a separate calculation based on that information." This distinction means decisions might hinge on details like late payments or collections rather than a single number.
Legal protections do exist to regulate these practices. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, employers must obtain written consent before pulling credit reports on job candidates or current employees and can only use the information for legitimate business purposes, such as hiring or promotions. Violations can lead to disputes or legal action, though enforcement varies.
Progress is being made on the state level to curb what critics call discriminatory use of credit checks. As of April 18, 2026, New York has joined 10 other states—along with cities like Philadelphia and Chicago—in banning or restricting employers from using credit history in employment decisions, with exceptions for certain sensitive roles. These laws aim to prevent credit issues, often tied to economic hardship, from perpetuating cycles of inequality in the workplace.
Nearly a decade after her disappointment, Greene has turned her setback into a platform for advocacy. Today, she serves as head of community at Self Financial, a fintech firm dedicated to helping people build and repair their credit. With a Ph.D. in human behavior, she emphasizes that improving credit isn't a straight path. "Getting to a good place with your credit isn't necessarily a 'linear journey,'" she says.
Greene offers practical advice for those starting from a similar position. The first step, she insists, is facing the facts. "I think that's the scariest part," she says. "A lot of people will take a step back and not look at it or avoid it as much as possible. But a good 50% of you wanting to improve your [score] is knowing where you are…taking that fear out of it." Free weekly credit reports are available from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion via annualcreditreport.com, and many banks or credit card issuers provide free score monitoring.
Once armed with this information, individuals should scrutinize their reports for errors or fraud. "If you notice an account you don't recognize or incorrect information about whether you're up to date on payments on an account, reach out to the credit bureau directly to dispute it," Chen advises. Building positive habits follows: consistent on-time payments and low credit utilization can gradually lift scores.
Psychologically, progress requires mindset shifts, Greene argues. "From a psychological perspective, 'You have to align yourself with the [credit] score that you say that you want,'" she says. "'You have to connect yourself to that score that you want, or the habits of the person who would have that score.'" Celebrating small victories, like paying a bill on time, fosters momentum, while avoiding self-criticism for setbacks keeps motivation alive.
For those with limited or no credit history—often called "credit invisible"—innovative tools are emerging. Secured credit cards, which require a deposit as the credit limit, offer a low-risk entry point. "Because secured cards typically have lower limits, they can also help people ease into using credit and build consistent payment habits over time," Chen notes. Services like Self, Kikoff, and Boom allow renters to report monthly payments to credit bureaus, turning a major expense into a credit-building asset.
Greene's journey illustrates the interconnectedness of personal finance and career success in America. While credit checks remain a tool for some employers to assess risk, evolving laws and fintech solutions are democratizing access to financial health. For job seekers like Greene once was, understanding and addressing credit early can open doors that might otherwise stay closed, preventing one poor decision from echoing through a lifetime of opportunities.