Will Bad Credit & DUI Keep Me From Getting a Job?

Dear Experts, I had the interview today, at a major publisher. The HR person requested I fill out a form, that included a blank for my driver's license number. I wrote down my driver's license number. I think the interview went well, although it's really hard to tell. I met with the HR person, and two other people (not HR). My concern is what might happen if they perform a background check. First of all, like millions of Americans, I've been out of work for several months. It's difficult and sometimes impossible to pay bills on time. I have bad credit. Will that stop me from getting a job? Also, in 2007 I unfortunately got a DUI. The police in my area are very strict, and I have an otherwise perfectly clean driving record. The police are so strict in my state some people have moved out of the state, because they lost their driving privilege (I still drive and have an otherwise clean record). My question is, can those two things: bad credit and DUI from 3 years ago, keep me from getting a job? A former President of the U.S. had a DUI. Here is how our CAREEREALISM-Approved Experts answered this question on Twitter:Q#428 Some jobs are inaccessible to you. My org's bound by state regs that prevent us from hiring former DUIs. (@beneubanks) Q#428 Don't make excuses for the DUI (ie. strict police). Not owning up to the mistake will make it harder to land the job. (@gradversity) Q#428 Background checks use for job related problems; depends on whether stuff hurts you. (@juliaerickson) Q#428 Create strong web brand (1st background check is Google). Address openly, but downplay to your skills/value. (@EmilyBennington) Q#428 Your past may not haunt you. ERs look at specific things in background checks and it may not come up! (@marysevinsky) Our Twitter Advice Project (T.A.P.) is no longer an active campaign. To find an answer to the above question, please use the "Search" box in the right-hand column of this website.