A Guide to Including GCSEs on a CV, with Tips

Understanding the Role of GCSEs in Your CV

GCSEs are a key stage of the education system in the UK. They mark the end of compulsory secondary education and are the final qualifications you’ll receive after finishing school at the age of 16. As such, they’re the basic requirement for various entry-level and junior jobs. They also create the opportunity to proceed to further and higher education and gain qualifications that can make you eligible for various other jobs.

Depending on the role you’re applying for, you’ll find different stipulations regarding GCSEs and other UK qualifications. Some junior roles might require a set number of GCSEs at grades 9 to 4, or A* to C in the old grading system. Other roles might request a minimum of GCSE passes in Maths and English. 

GCSEs on your CV signify that you finished compulsory education, while your grades tell employers something about your academic ability, your discipline levels and your willingness to learn. These are all important considerations for employers looking to hire junior candidates who might not have any relevant work history or other experience.

In addition, some positions at more senior levels may stipulate a requirement for GCSEs in certain subjects, in addition to higher qualifications. This will all depend on the industry sector and area of specialism, as well as the level of the position.

Some situations where it can be valuable to include GCSEs on a CV are:

• When you’re applying for a junior role with minimal educational requirements.
• When you’re a school-leaver looking for your first job.
• When you’re creating a student CV for further education, such as A-levels, apprenticeships, NVQs or HNDs.
• When you’re applying for an entry-level role but want to showcase specialist knowledge reflected in your GCSEs.

How to List GCSEs on Your CV

If you’re adding GCSEs to your CV, they should always go in your education section. In a reverse-chronological CV, the education section traditionally goes after your work experience. However, if you’re applying for entry-level jobs and you don’t yet have any real-world work experience, you might prefer to use a functional, or skills-based CV format. In this case, you can add your education section as either the first main section or the second, underneath your skills section.

Typically, a CV only includes your highest or most recent qualification, although there may be some cases where employers request details of your complete education history (such as for academic roles or educational courses). As with your work experience section, list your education in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent qualifications and working backwards in time.

The standard format for listing your qualifications in a CV is:

However, when it comes to GCSEs, you’re likely to be listing multiple qualifications and grades. It’s especially useful to separate out your different subjects and grades if you want to showcase certain specialist skills and knowledge. In this case, you would outline them in the following way:

For jobs that don’t require details of each of your GCSEs, but that simply require a certain number of GCSEs, including Maths and English, you can format them on your CV like this:

GCSEs on your CV signify that you finished compulsory education, while your grades tell employers something about your academic ability, your discipline levels and your willingness to learn.

Tailoring GCSE Information Based on Career Stage

Whether you decide to include your GCSEs on your CV, and how you choose to present them, will depend heavily on your career stage. If you’re just starting out in your career or you don’t currently hold a higher education qualification or professional certification, your GCSEs may be quite prominent in your CV. If, on the other hand, you’ve established a track record of work experience or gained a higher qualification, they might be less critical. Here is a guide to how to tailor GCSEs on your CV at different career stages:

School-leavers

If you’ve just finished secondary education, you’ll probably want to highlight your GCSEs prominently on your CV. A 16-year-old CV is unlikely to include much relevant work experience, so the emphasis is usually more on soft, transferable skills and educational achievements.

Consider using a functional CV layout and adding your education section either as the first section below your contact details and personal profile, or as the second section, under your skills list. Depending on the educational requirements listed in the job description, you might list your GCSE subjects individually and the grades you achieved for each. Otherwise, you may wish to name the number of GCSEs and highlight the most important subjects (typically Maths and English).

Recent graduates

For recent graduates, GCSEs tend to take on less importance overall in the CV. This is because, by this stage, you’ll have gained higher qualifications and more specialised skills and experience.

A CV education section for a recent graduate may include a summary of all your qualifications. Make sure you reserve the greatest detail for your most recent and highest qualification (in this case, your degree). If they’re relevant, you can then include a brief summary of your previous qualifications, including your A-levels or equivalents, and your GCSEs.

To list your GCSEs on a graduate CV, state the number of GCSEs and the range of grades (i.e. A*-C or 9-4). You could then include some brief detail about the subjects, such as ‘including English and Maths’, or referencing a specific subject if it’s particularly relevant to the job you’re applying for (i.e. ‘including Business Studies’ for a role in business).

Experienced professionals

In most cases, if you’re an experienced professional, it’s not necessary to include GCSEs on your CV. It’s highly likely that your higher qualifications and work experience will be far more relevant than your GCSEs. Once you’ve built a body of relevant work experience in your chosen industry, this is the most important part of your CV, and gives the clearest indication to employers about your suitability for any role.

If the role requires a specialist professional qualification, your education may play a more significant role. However, it would be rare for GCSEs to play a major role once you reach this stage of your career. You may, however, still wish to briefly mention any particularly relevant GCSEs. These could become more relevant if you’re changing careers, making your previous work experience less relevant.

Enhancing Your CV Beyond GCSEs

While there can be some benefits to adding GCSEs to your CV at any career stage, there are other things you can do to add more value to your applications. Even if you’re at the start of your career and you’re applying for entry-level roles, these tips can help you to enhance your CV and place less emphasis on your GCSEs:

• Highlight relevant skills: For an entry-level position, employers will typically be looking for candidates who have relevant transferable skills to indicate they’ll be a good fit for the organisation, and that they’ll adapt and learn quickly on the job. Make sure your CV includes examples of key transferable skills that match the job description.
• Discuss training courses - either completed or ongoing: if you’ve completed any relevant training besides your formal qualifications, be sure to mention these on your CV to show your commitment to learning new skills. These could even be courses that you’re still studying.
• Include volunteer work or hobbies and interests: when you’re just starting out in your career, activities outside work that showcase relevant skills can be valuable for your CV. These might include volunteer work or hobbies and interests. If they help you show how you’ve developed and used skills required for the job, they’re worth including in your CV.

Key Takeaways for GCSEs on a CV

Adding GCSEs to your CV can be valuable for entry-level candidates, or if your GCSEs are relevant to the role you’re applying for. Choose a format that’s suitable for showcasing your GCSEs, and avoid adding too much detail about your GCSEs once you’ve gained higher qualifications and work experience. CVwizard’s CV maker can help you to create a professional, eye-catching CV that showcases your GCSEs and other qualifications. Sign up today and choose from a wealth of CV examples, to start creating your winning application.