A finely tuned resume can set you apart when you're applying for a job. So can customizing your cover letter to the position and being charismatic during an . What many people don't know is that your credit report can affect your chances of getting hired, too.

"Any missed payments or bankruptcies could signal signs of being irresponsible elsewhere, and negatively separate you from the competition," Jill Gonzalez, an analyst at WalletHub, tells CNBC Make It.

A CareerBuilder survey found that 72 percent of employers conduct background checks on all the employees they hire and, of those cases, 29 percent check credit reports. Typically employers perform the checks on people who will be handling financial transactions and responsible for large amounts of money, Gonzalez says.

Fortunately, an employer won't check without your knowledge. They need to obtain written permission from you first. And in some states, specific restrictions apply.