You nailed the interview.

You took the company's psychological exam and convinced them you're only marginally insane.

Now there's one thing left on the company's checklist – the credit check.

Wait a minute. You've been out of work for months, maybe years, so you are obviously behind on your bills. Your credit score won't earn you any praise.

A recent column in the Chicago Tribune looked at this "Catch-22."

"According to a 2010 report by the Society for Human Resource Management, 13 percent of companies run credit checks on all job candidates and 47 percent run checks on selected candidates. The report said that credit checks 'are seldom used as a definitive hiring criterion,' but groups such as the National Consumer Law Center fear they are coming into play more often than companies might admit."

It would be a crime if your credit score cost you a job. According to the article, the best thing you can do is make sure the company follows proper procedure, such as getting your permission and giving you a copy of their findings. Most of all, just admit what they may uncover won't be pretty. You're unemployed. You can't pay your bills. That's why you're on the job hunt. (But say it more gracefully.)

In the end, a credible employer will make a decision on your skills (hopefully). Read the column in its entirety here.

As for that psych test? You're on your own.