John has applied for a job as the finance manager for a company. After completing his application and submitting his resume, the company requested permission to view his credit report.

What type of inquiry is this considered?

There are two types of inquiries into your credit history: hard and soft.

Hard inquiries happen when lenders view your credit history in an attempt to lend you money. These will affect your credit scores.

Soft inquiries do not appear on your credit file and do not affect your credit history. These inquiries happen when you check your own credit or in this case a job checks your credit.