to think you don't need to list your school achievements on your CV

[User543212345]

If you're over the age of 21?

I'm proof reading a CV for a friend and we're having a spirited discussion about how much of their school career/achievements to include. She thinks that, even though she's a professional in her 40s, she should include the 6th form scholarship, the senior chemistry prize and the 5th form physics prize. I think they have no place on a CV and would have very little place even on a UCAS form.

AIBU to think we should put professional qualification, degree and A levels down and leave off the rest? Or am I being a curmudgeonly bugger and should I let my friend celebrate her achievements?

Nope you are right different if you have just left school but it's not relevant to employers at that stage in your career. They don't want to read it.

You are sort of right..... No need for all of that but I think there's no harm in letting potential employers know you have school level certificates in English and Maths at least. I always put this in my CV anyway.

God, no! Less is definitely more when it comes to CV's.

Sorry I just re read your post and saw that you stated A Levels should be included!

I'm 27 and have just recently re-written my CV. I didn't put anything school related down except my highers (Scottish equivalent to A levels).

I have lots of voluntary experience from university days aged 17-22, but not a lot since then. I struggled to know whether this would even be relevant anymore as I've two full-time graduate jobs since then.

I usually include A levels in one line and that's it. The rest is gubbins once you are over 21. To be honest, I recruit students and I am not interested in their work experience as a waitress, team building in Uganda or whatever either. I think you have to tell people the absolutely most important thing they need to know about you first, and summarize the rest.

God no, you are totally correct. A levels is as far back as it goes, and if you have a good degree I'd question if you even need the A levels.

Handy to know if your GCSEs include a pass grade for English and Maths.

DH was out of work a couple of years ago and had to fill in school stuff on every application form and it was a massive PITA. He left school 30 years ago and I fail to see how obsolete O levels from that long ago have any bearing on jobs that he's applying for now.

You're right.

It smacks of clutching at straws. At forty, it's the equivalent of a 21 year old including their 100m swimming badge.

You are right. Unless it's an actual qualification she's listed, anything older than 5 years just isn't relevant if she's been working for that 5 years in 99% of cases.

I include only the 2 most recent / relevant qualifications, so degree + MSc. no A levels in my case. But if I didn't have the degree / MSc, then I might include the A levels. And if I didn't have A-levels, I might include the GCSEs.

It depends a lot on the type of job you are applying for but I can't think of a situation where 6th form scholarships or 5th form prizes would be relevant after the age of 21.

I would normally say for example 10 gcses including English and maths and then my a levels and that's it for school stuff. It takes about a line up

I now just put the names and grades of my A levels and then "11 GCE O'levels including Maths and English Language" unless it's a specific job requiring my (mediocre) O level German!

I also hire people, and yes, above the age of 21 I'm afraid I'd raise an eyebrow if there was a huge list of school and boy scout achievements, lovely though they are.

I put the number of GCSEs A*-C including maths and English, A levels and my degree. Tbh the GCSE maths and English are more relevant than my a level subjects and degree.

I don't put being a prefect or anything else about my life at that age though

(similary, references should be recent- why would someone list their old maths teacher or owner of the shop they first worked in at age 17 unless everyone else in the intervening 20 years has sacked them!)

No of course you don't include school qualifications!

In fact I wouldn't include anything except what is directly relevant to the job you're applying for.

Actually, the fact of a sixth form scholarship may not be a bad thing to include - it shows that the education was earned and not simply paid for by wealthy parents. I agree with other posters - number of GCSEs and grades (but not subjects) and A level subjects and grades.

But definitely not other school prizes!

From school, nowadays I list only A levels plus number of O levels (just in case they're box ticking on number you have).

If it's your first jobs, in your early 20s, and don't have much work experience, then sticking in achievements and positions of responsibility age 16+ might be worth it. But not beyond that.

GCSE and A-levels: fine. Great A levels results don't hurt a CV even if you have a master.
some amazing achievement when you were a teen: fine
(such as representing GB internationally, being part of a some huge charity international event, musical performance at the Royal Albert Hall)

Anything else, really no. It looks like you haven't achieved anything since - and really, if you are in your 40s you should have!

I disagree about not including anything older than 5 years, it depends on the CVs. Don't forget it's impossible to recruit people nowadays, so I would love to see an interesting CV for a change. I have been trying to recruit 2 people for the last 3 weeks, mid-level job, with fairly average requirements, paid above the market rate (a lot more if you include bonus and package we offer). I haven't seen anyone I would remotely consider so far, it's so painful.

You are right, friend is wrong. It's not necessary and it looks a bit desperate.

It would actively put me off someone as I would think they were a knob.

In your 40s I'd list A levels & just the number of O levels + "including Maths/English/German/French" if that's the highest level qualification you have obtained. So I wouldn't mention Maths and English O levels as I have higher qualifications, and wouldn't mention my RE O level because nobody cares unless you're applying for the priesthood but would mention German and French A/O because those are the only formal evidence of competence I've got.

I keep telling my husband this, but he got all of his CV writing advice overseas, so I wonder if in some places it's more normal. His siblings are all the same. Maybe its a family thing rather than a country thing. He's well qualified, has held several respectable and relevant jobs, yet thinks he still needs to include that he flipped pancakes for a fundraiser when he was 14...

We've been married four years, and I'm slowly whittling it down to the actually interesting stuff ;)

On my CV the education section goes:

Masters degree, institution
Batchelor degree, institution
A levels, subjects
GCSEs, x A-C

Why do you need any more?