If an employee applicant tells me they have a GED how can I verify this?

You can call the school that issued the GED—that’s how someone would verify what high school I graduated from (I have my diploma… somewhere)

If they achieved something, it’s on record somewhere. As @grumpyfish said, try the place that issued the degree.

I would tell them to get their damn paperwork. It’s not your responsibility to obtain a copy of their GED. It’s their responsibility to get a copy of it and show it to you.

Without being too predisposed – does he act as if he lacks his GED? Why is it a problem? I wouldn’t mind hiring anyone if they actually had the skills, GED or not.

When you complete the GED tests you are given paperwork.

@phoebusg: I am only interested in the honesty of the applicant… not their scholastic achievement.

@MrItty: Asking them to do it may incur delay above and beyond what would be necessary for my own verification. I prefer to hire people same-day. Good employees (who may or may not have brought their paperwork) are easy to lose out on if you delay.
@loser: I am aware. Often applicants do not have it.
@elenuial @grumpyfish: Is there a way to look this up if you know the state?

They should, at the very least, provide the information of the administration that provided the certification.

Do you really want to hire someone who “doesn’t keep” information as important as that? It goes beyond their “scholastic achievement” to simple responsibility!

@mrrich724: Of course I don’t want to hire anyone willing to work for minimum wage but when you hire for minimum wage you have to pick the lessor of many evils. Not keeping up with some paperwork is low on my list of things to worry about for those individuals.

I have my GED and agree with @MrItty.

I must say though, I have no clue where my paperwork is. But, to obtain it you actually have to contact your state. For me, I’d have to contact Harrisburg (PA) to get a copy of the results. I took the exam at my local community college, but they do not keep the records like that. I had to get the results then take them to the school when I applied to it.

Also, I’ve never had anyone doubt me. Do they have no college completed at all? You cannot go to college without finishing high school/GED, so I guess that’s proof enough to most people in my case.

I’m an HR person. . . do you mind telling me what position this guy is applying for?

Also, it goes beyond whether or not he kept up on his paperwork. He may very well be telling the truth. But it is a pretty simple way of a preliminary honesty test.

There are several good reasons why you should follow up and get the verification. Even if it is a little more work.

@mrrich724: Maintenance.

@malevolentbutticklish Degrees of any form are generally not published online in any way. Well, I think my college has me on a list that says that I graduated in such-and-such a year, but that could very well be a different G. Fish since there’s no other identifying information.

Is there a reason you can’t just call the place that issued it?

@grumpyfish: I do not know the place that issued it. I do know the state. In the past I never used this information and assumed knowing the state was “enough” so I didn’t bother. Going forward I will be sure to ask.

If the position requires a high school education, and you are serious about knowing the truth AND you want to hire him right away, make the employment offer dependent on the proof being submitted, and be prepared to fire him if it isn’t. Give him two or three weeks to provide the proper documentation, or he’s out of a job.

well for a maintenance position, a national background check is of way more importance, but I think you should stick to your request for a GED.

Especially if you made it a requirement.

I dunno.. if I were going to lie, I’d probably say I graduated HS rather than getting a GED… but that’s just the way I inflate my resume.

@YARNLADY: The position doesn’t “require” a high school education. It does require integrity. Of course a GED helps. I would hate to have some expensive error due to poor reading ability, basic math error, etc. If they didn’t have a GED I would be certain to quiz them with some questions like how many square inches in a square meter.

In the past year and a half, I’ve probably screened 3000 resumes. You would be surrrr-prised what people lie about. I have really just looked at many people thinking to my self, “really, are you serious?”

@mrrich724: I have had people lie to me about what their name was and give me someone else’s ID. A surprising number of people fail my run around the block because I told you to test.