You passed the GED test and got your certificate. Great! But how do you list it on your resume?
And how do you write your resume while maximizing your chances of getting a job interview?
Let's get started.
Example 1:
Education:
GED - High School Equivalency Diploma, 2020
This is the best GED template. Create an education section and add that line underneath.
It helps employers understand what GED is. And while most people know, not everyone does.
Example 2:
Education:
GED - General Educational Development Certificate, 2020
This template assumes the hiring manager knows what GED is. It's not a bad alternative, but I still like example 1 better.
If you haven't gotten your certificate yet, you can simply mention it on your resume:
Education:
GED - High School Equivalency Diploma (in progress)
If you got a GED and are a high school dropout, you can optionally include the years you attended high school on your resume.
Here's an example:
Education:
GED - High School Equivalency Diploma, 2020
Malvern High School, Malvern, AR
Attended from 2015 to 2018
The question is, should you do it? Yes, if you have a short career or no job experience. It helps fill out your resume and gives more information about your educational background.
When writing your resume, create a "Skills" section to complement your education section.
This is where you'll list your soft skills. Things like your communication ability and people's skills, your attention to detail, and other traits businesses find valuable.
You can also include your hard skills there. Computer software knowledge, ability to operate machinery, food regulation knowledge, dealing with children, you name it. If you know it, list it.
Most people with GEDs are not doing this, and it's a simple way to set yourself apart from the competition.
If you have certifications, list them in a certification section on your resume. And this includes online certifications too.
The same is true for online courses you attended. Yes, this also means those free online you can get on Coursera, Harvard, or Yale's websites.
Any seminars, training courses, and workshops you attended. All of that should go into your resume.
If you attended college for just a couple of semesters, don't mention you have a GED or that you're a high school dropout. It doesn't matter by then.
Your college experience supersedes your GED, and the rule is that your most important educational experience is the one that gets put on your resume.
It's actually a smart strategy to get a few credits at a local community college so you can put "attended college [college name] between [dates]" on your resume.
As I wrote previously, mentioning your education is more important when you're just starting out your career.
Once you get a few jobs under your belt, it's okay to drop your education section out of your resume.
If you have a solid job experience, you're more likely to get an interview if you don't mention you have a high school or high school equivalent diploma.
If they ask you just tell the truth. It doesn't matter by then, you already got the hardest part nailed down, which is getting the job interview.
Once you get a job interview, the employer might request a copy of your diploma to prove you have a GED. You can get a copy by contacting the agency you got your GED from.
Don't forget that some employers run background checks. Don't lie.
If you don't have a long career and haven't attended college, then don't be afraid to include the GED on your resume. We all have to start somewhere.
It tells hiring managers that you care about your education enough to go back and get it done.
Not to mention that many businesses look specifically for people with GEDs to hire. Many apprenticeships are also open for people with GEDs.
If you have a LinkedIn account, you can add your GED under the "Education" section. Format it exactly as I've shown in this article.
Also, don't forget to clean up your social media accounts before you send resumes. Make them private if you have embarrassing content or photos.
If you ever fill a job application that asks for your education, write down the same thing you have on your resume: "GED - High School Equivalency Diploma" with the date you got your GED certificate.
Do not put the name of the high school you attended if you dropped out. And obviously, don't put GED if you have some college credits.
Did you know that 60% of people who get a GED eventually enroll in college? Most colleges accept people with a GED on the condition they score above a certain limit.
That limit changes from college to college, but 165 is the lower limit for a college application. And If you score above 175, you are eligible for credits in most colleges.
Before you apply for college, read about that college's GED policies. You will also need a copy of your GED certificate.
Traditionally, the military has required a high school diploma to be eligible for service. However, you can join even with a GED.
Standards for GED holders are higher than those with high school diplomas. You need to score higher on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery.
That said, if you have some college credits then your chances are actually higher than high school graduates.
People think having a GED is worse than having a high school diploma. In practice, and according to studies, it doesn't really matter.
What studies show is that success in life is more down to the individual and that people with a GED are no more likely to make less money if they work hard and are ambitious.
Any career that doesn't require a college certificate(like doctor, lawyer) is available to someone with a GED.
I know six-figure Silicon Valley software developers that have GEDs. Same for high-powered executives, successful salespeople. It's not just fast-food jobs.
Your success in life is more about your ambition than anything else. You can even start your own business. The sky's the limit!
GED stands for General Educational Development Test.
Different states use different tests for equivalency. However, your GED will always be recognized through the United States, by companies and government institutions alike.
Be proud of your GED! Some of the most successful people out there have a GED. People such as Jim Carrey, Eminem, Paris Hilton, Jay Z and Beyonce, Michael J. Fox, or David Bowie.
Now go out there and win at life.