In South Africa, many people apply for each job. The average job listing receives over 250 applications, but only about 2% of those applicants get interviews. That is why your CV must make a strong first impression. You need to show why you are the best person for the job.
This guide will teach you what to include in your CV. You will learn how to write each section in a clear, innovative way that gets noticed.
What Must Go in a South African CV?
A good CV has the following sections:
- Contact details
- A short headline
- A summary
- Skills
- Work experience
- Education
- Extra sections like awards, languages, or volunteer work
If you have many years of experience, a two-page CV is okay. But keep it focused.
1. Contact Information
This is the first thing employers look at. Make sure your contact details are easy to find and correct. Include:
- Your full name
- City and province
- A working cell number
- A professional email address
- A LinkedIn profile (if you have one)
- A link to your online portfolio (for creative or tech jobs)
Example
Name: Sizwe Molefe
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng
Phone: 082 123 4567
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sizwe-molefe
CV Headline
A CV headline is a one-line sentence. It tells the employer who you are and what you do. Here’s a good formula:
Job Title + Years of Experience + Key Skill or Achievement
Examples:
- “Electrical Technician with 7 Years’ Experience in Power Systems and Maintenance”
- “Sales Professional Who Increased Revenue by 30% in 2024”
- “IT Graduate with Strong Data Analysis and Coding Skills”
A strong headline gets the recruiter’s attention quickly.
3. CV Summary
This short paragraph tells the employer about your skills, achievements, and goals. Include:
- Your job title
- Years of experience
- Key skills
- Achievements with numbers
- Career goal (if you’re entry-level)
Example:
Experienced Admin Officer with 5+ years in office management. Skilled in Microsoft Office, SAP, and inventory control. Reduced admin errors by 40% at previous company. Looking to join a growing logistics company in Gauteng.”
According to CareerJunction, South African employers scan CVs in under 7 seconds, so make this part count.
4. Skills Section
Could you list your most valuable skills? These include both hard skills (technical skills) and soft skills (people skills).
In South Africa, many companies now focus on skills-based hiring. According to LinkedIn South Africa, 45% of recruiters use skills data when shortlisting candidates.
Break your skills into types:
- Hard Skills: Excel, plumbing, welding, coding, forklift operation
- Soft Skills: Teamwork, problem-solving, time management, leadership
- Technical Skills: AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, JavaScript, SQL
- Languages: isiZulu, English, Afrikaans, Xhosa
Make sure your skills match the job description.
5. Work Experience
This is the most essential part of your CV. Include:
- Job title
- Company name and location
- Dates worked (MM/YYYY format)
- Key duties
- Achievements with numbers
Example:
Job Title: Warehouse Supervisor
Company: Makro, Cape Town
Dates: 01/2020 – 05/2024
Duties and Achievements:
- Managed a team of 10 staff
- Reduced delivery delays by 25%
- Trained new workers on safety rules
- Improved stock control with barcode systems
Use action words like “managed,” “led,” “trained,” and “improved.”
A recent study by Job Crystal showed that 44% of South African recruiters focus on years of experience when shortlisting candidates.
6. Education
Your education shows if you meet the job’s minimum requirements. Include:
- Name of school or university
- Degree or certificate
- Location
- Dates attended
- GPA (if strong)
- Awards or distinctions
Example:
School: University of Pretoria
Qualification: BCom in Accounting
Location: Pretoria, Gauteng
Year Completed: 2022
Honours: Golden Key Member, Dean’s List 2021
7. Extra Sections
Add these only if they apply:
- Certifications: Forklift licence, Project Management Certificate, etc.
- Volunteer Work: Soup kitchen, teaching kids, etc.
- Awards: Best Employee 2023, Top Sales 2022
- Projects: Any freelance or university projects
- Languages: List languages and skill level
These show that you are active, reliable, and have real-world experience.
Tips for a Strong CV
- Use short sentences.
- Use keywords from the job ad.
- Quantify your achievements. Use numbers.
- Avoid spelling mistakes.
- Keep your CV layout neat and easy to scan.
- Save it as a PDF named like this:
Thabo_Masina_CV_2025.pdf
What if You Have No Work Experience?
Focus on:
- Your education
- Internships or part-time jobs
- Projects or community service
- Transferable skills like communication, leadership, and teamwork
- Achievements at school or in student groups
Example Headline: “Final-Year IT Student with Strong Python and Data Science Skills”
Example Summary: “Computer Science student at UCT. Completed data analysis internship with Vodacom. Built mobile app for school project. Eager to grow in the tech field.”
What If You Are Changing Careers?
Show how your experience fits the new role. Include:
- Transferable skills
- New training or certificates
- Volunteer work or side projects
- A headline like “Retail Manager Shifting into Digital Marketing”
Example:
Worked as a store manager. You led teams, handled marketing, managed stock, and dealt with customers. Now you want to move into office-based marketing. You can highlight those matching skills.
What Not to Include
Do not add:
- Age, race, religion, or ID number
- Salary history
- References (only give them when asked)
- Photos or fancy designs
- Lies or made-up job titles
- Old jobs that don’t apply
Please keep it clean and honest.
Final Notes
Make sure you:
- Tailor your CV to the job
- Use job keywords
- Focus on what the employer wants
- Show your best results
- Keep your CV clear and simple
Your CV is your ticket to an interview. Give it the time and care it deserves.
