Should I Include O'Level Results on My CV? WAEC and NECO

If you are asking "should I include O'Level results on my CV?", the honest answer is: sometimes, and usually in one line. For many Nigerian roles, especially graduate trainee schemes and public sector jobs, WAEC or NECO results are a stated entry requirement. For experienced professionals and most international applications, they take up space that your work history could use better.

This guide shows you how to decide, how to word the line, and how the answer changes for Nigeria, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia.

Should I include O'Level results on my CV? The short answer

Use this quick test before you add or delete anything:

1. Does the job ad mention O'Level, SSCE, WAEC, NECO or "five credits"? If yes, include them.
2. Is it a Nigerian graduate trainee, entry-level or public sector role? Include them, even if the ad is vague. These employers often screen on them.
3. Is secondary school your highest qualification? Include them. They are your main academic evidence.
4. Do you have a degree or HND plus several years of relevant work? Usually leave them out unless asked.
5. Is the job outside Nigeria or with an international remote employer? Usually leave them out, or reduce them to the school name and year at most.

If you answered yes to any of the first three, keep them. If only the last two apply, cut them.

When WAEC and NECO results still matter

Nigerian job ads that list them as a requirement

Many Nigerian job adverts state something like "minimum of five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, at not more than two sittings". When you see that, the recruiter needs to confirm you meet it. Make it easy: put the line where they can see it in seconds.

Some employers also use online application forms with screening questions about your O'Level results. Answer those accurately. A form answer that does not match your certificate can cause problems later, at verification or after an offer.

Graduate trainee and entry-level roles

Banks, consulting firms, FMCG companies and oil and gas graduate programmes in Nigeria commonly check O'Level results alongside your degree class and NYSC status. If you are a fresh graduate, your O'Level line is part of a short academic record, and it is worth the space. Our guide to a CV for a fresh graduate in Nigeria with no experience shows where it sits in a full layout.

Public sector, military and paramilitary roles

Federal and state civil service recruitment, and recruitment into the armed forces, police and similar agencies, often lists O'Level requirements explicitly. Even if you will upload certificates separately, including a one-line summary on your CV avoids any doubt.

When secondary school is your highest qualification

If you are applying for roles such as sales, retail, driving, security, customer service or an apprenticeship, and you have no tertiary qualification, your O'Level results show literacy and numeracy. Include them with a little more detail, such as your English and Maths grades.

OND holders and career starters

If you have an OND and limited work experience, O'Level results can still support your application, particularly for roles that also accept HND or degree holders. Once you have an HND, degree or solid experience, review whether you still need them.

When O'Level results waste space

You have several years of relevant experience

Once you have a few years of real work behind you, recruiters care far more about what you did in those jobs. A line about your 2012 WAEC grades rarely adds anything for a mid-career role unless the ad asks for it. Use the space for a measurable achievement instead.

If you are unsure, check the ad. If it is silent on O'Level and you are clearly beyond entry level, remove them. Keep a copy of your certificate ready in case an employer asks during background checks.

You are applying abroad

Employers in the UK, US, Canada and Australia generally focus on your highest qualifications and work experience. Secondary school exam results from any country tend to fall away once you have a degree. Listing WAEC subject grades can also confuse a recruiter who does not know the grading scale.

Our guide on Nigerian CV vs UK CV differences covers other items, such as date of birth and state of origin, that you may also want to remove for international applications.

Remote roles with international companies

For remote jobs with overseas employers, the same logic applies. Lead with skills, tools and results. If a specific employer asks for proof of secondary education, you can supply it then.

How to list O'Level results: templates

Keep it short. You do not need a table of every subject and grade unless the employer asks for one.

Template 1: Nigerian graduate or entry-level CV

West African Senior School Certificate (WASSCE), WAEC, 2016 Seven credits, including English Language and Mathematics (one sitting) Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos

Template 2: Two sittings, stated honestly

SSCE, WAEC (2015) and NECO (2015) Five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, across two sittings

If you combined results from two sittings, say so. Many ads allow two sittings, so there is no reason to hide it, and certificates will show the truth at verification anyway.

Template 3: Secondary school is your highest qualification

SSCE, NECO, 2019, Government Secondary School, Kubwa, Abuja English Language: B3 | Mathematics: C4 | Economics: B2 | Commerce: C5 | Civic Education: B3

Here, listing key grades helps because there is no higher qualification for the recruiter to look at.

Template 4: International CV, if you include anything

Secondary education, Federal Government College, Lagos, Nigeria, 2010 to 2016

No grades, no exam body acronyms. Many applicants with a degree drop this line entirely. See how to convert a Nigerian CV to an international CV for the full education section.

How the advice differs by country

Country	Typical approach
Nigeria	Include for graduate trainee, entry-level and public sector roles, or when the ad mentions credits. Often drop for experienced roles.
UK	Usually omit once you have a degree. Some ads ask for GCSE English and Maths or equivalent; if so, you can mention WAEC results and note they are your equivalent.
US	High school details are usually left off a resume once you have a degree. Include only if it is your highest qualification.
Canada	Usually omit secondary results if you have post-secondary education. Focus on degrees, certifications and Canadian-relevant experience.
Australia	Usually omit if you have tertiary qualifications. Some entry-level or apprenticeship roles may ask about Year 12 or equivalent.

For UK roles that ask for GCSE equivalence, do not claim equivalence you cannot back up. If you need an official comparison, check UK ENIC, the UK national agency for recognising international qualifications. For immigration or professional registration in any country, rely on official government sources and the relevant regulator, not on a blog post. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Listing your exam number, scratch card PIN or serial numbers. These do not belong on a CV and are a security risk.
• Adding your First School Leaving Certificate. Almost no employer needs it.
• Rounding up grades or sittings. Writing "one sitting" when it was two, or "credit" when it was a pass, will surface when certificates are checked.
• Giving O'Level results more space than your degree or work history. The line should support your application, not dominate it.
• Leaving them on every version of your CV. Keep a Nigerian entry-level version and an international version, and use the one that fits the role.
• Ignoring withheld or pending results. If a result is still withheld or under review, do not list it as a credit. Wait for confirmation or leave it out.

A quick checklist before you send your CV

• I have read the job ad for words like O'Level, SSCE, WAEC, NECO, GCE or "credits".
• If they are required, my O'Level line states the number of credits, English and Maths, and the number of sittings.
• Every grade and sitting matches my actual certificate.
• For international or senior roles, I have removed or shortened the line.
• My O'Level line takes no more than two or three lines of space.
• I can access my certificate or an online result printout if the employer asks.

If you want to see whether your CV reflects the requirements in a particular advert, you can paste both into the ATS CV checker. The score it gives is QuickApplyPilot's own estimate of how well the wording lines up, not the score any employer's applicant tracking system will produce, so use it as a prompt to review your CV rather than a verdict.

The principle behind all of this is simple: include O'Level results when they prove you meet a stated or likely requirement, and remove them when they push stronger, more recent evidence further down the page.