A credit report used for employment purposes describes an applicant’s credit and payment history over the most recent seven years and is not the same as a standard credit report. The Fair Credit Reporting Act specifies that certain information such as account numbers are not disclosed. Other information that is included are other credit inquiries that have been made on the candidate, any unpaid bills turned over to a collection agency, bankruptcies, tax liens, and civil judgments. These reports are also useful as an additional source of identity verification as they provide information on the applicant’s aliases, social security number, address history, and employment history. A record of your inquiry will appear on the applicant’s future credit reports, but it will not affect their credit score.  Note: A credit report for employment purposes does not include an individual’s credit score.