Should You Include Your IQ on Your Resume? — The Answer

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If you ask someone what an IQ score is, they will likely tell you that it is a measure of one’s intelligence.

This may lead you to think that an IQ score is an excellent thing to include on a resume!

Other types of scores, such as SAT scores are sometimes listed, so are IQ scores listed in a similar manner?

 

Should you include your IQ on your resume?

You should not include your IQ on your resume. IQ results are difficult to officially recognize because there are many different IQ organizations. Also, boasting an IQ score carries negative connotations in today’s society. In short, don’t include an IQ score unless specifically asked.

 

Can’t I prove my IQ score is legitimate with a certification?

You can certainly list an IQ score in the certifications section and include the certification number. The problem lies with the number of accrediting organizations. IQ test centers have no centralized body, so the requirements of one test can differ from that of another.

One organization may have an IQ test of 20 questions and a ten-minute time limit, and another maybe 50 questions with a 30-minute time limit.

Because of a lack of consistency among tests, IQ scores are not easily recognized by employers, and are therefore less useful on a resume.

 

Why You Shouldn’t Include IQ Scores on Your Resume

IQ scores get a bad reputation because they test a very different kind of intelligence. Unlike the requirements of other certifications, IQ scores test innate intelligence by presenting questions about different patterns of shapes and numbers.

Tests such as SATs cover the basics of math, reading, and writing. Exams for a Six Sigma certification test skills in efficiency and waste reduction.

Exams for a CFA designation test knowledge of economics and finances.

These are all skills that can be applied directly to a job.

Because IQ tests do not test directly applicable knowledge, scores are less impressive to an employer.

Always remember that you should cut out the unnecessary on a resume, and this includes IQ scores.

 

What negative connotations do IQ scores have?

In today’s media, the characters who often brag about IQ scores tend to exhibit anti-social behaviors.

Characters from popular television shows such as Big Bang Theory or Rick and Morty come to mind, and these are not character archetypes that a job-seeker should emulate.

These characters also exude a sense of superiority about their intelligence and are often braggarts. Because this negative stereotype is well-known in pop culture, it’s best to avoid including IQ scores on a resume. 

You don’t want to give a potential employer the wrong idea about the type of person you are!

 

A job ad specifically asked for an IQ score. What should I do?

In this rare case, you should include your IQ score in the certifications or the skills section. Make sure you include the testing organization and list the date of certification. 

The date can be omitted if much time has passed since the test, but an employer requesting this information may want to see that the score is recent. This can be formatted as follows:

Certifications

• IQ Score 130 Brain Power Inc.    (January 2020)

Certification #0000 0854 1278

 

Here’s how it should look on your resume:

 

 

You can also format it in a single line if you wish to save space on your resume.

 

Certifications

• IQ Score 130 Brain Power Inc.  (January 2020) – Certification #0000 0854 1278