Writing the best CV is not about using complicated language or an elaborate design. It is about presenting your qualifications, skills and experience in a way that is clear, relevant and easy for an employer to understand.

Your CV is often the first impression an employer has of you. Before inviting you to an interview, they may use it to decide whether your experience and abilities match the position.

Whether you are applying for your first job, changing careers or returning to work after a break, a well-prepared CV can help you present yourself professionally.

What Is a CV?

CV stands for curriculum vitae. It is a document that summarises your contact information, education, qualifications, work experience, skills and other information relevant to a job application.

The purpose of your CV is not to tell an employer everything about your life. It should show why you may be a suitable candidate for a particular position.

Your CV should therefore be adjusted for each vacancy. The South African Department of Employment and Labour recommends updating your CV for every position and making sure your listed skills and abilities are aligned with the job requirements.

How Long Should Your CV Be?

There is no required length that applies to every applicant. However, your CV should be concise enough for an employer to scan quickly.

For most applicants, one or two pages should be sufficient. Someone with many years of relevant experience may need a longer document, but every section should still contribute useful information.

Avoid adding unnecessary details simply to make your CV look longer. A short and relevant CV is more valuable than a long document filled with unrelated information.

What Should You Include in Your CV?

Writing the best CV starts with including the information an employer needs to assess your application.

A professional CV normally includes:

  1. Contact information
  2. A professional summary or career objective
  3. Relevant skills
  4. Work experience
  5. Education and qualifications
  6. Additional training
  7. Achievements
  8. Languages
  9. References

The order may change according to your experience. A school leaver may place education near the beginning, while someone with an established career would normally highlight professional experience first.

Add Your Contact Information

Place your contact details at the top of your CV so that an employer can find them easily.

Include:

  • Your full name
  • Mobile number
  • Professional email address
  • City and province
  • LinkedIn profile, if it is complete and up to date
  • Portfolio or professional website, if relevant

Use an email address that looks professional. An address based on your name is generally a suitable option.

You do not usually need to include your complete residential address. Your city, suburb or province should provide enough location information during the initial application stage.

Protect Your Personal Information

Be careful about including unnecessary personal information in a CV.

Unless it is specifically and legitimately required, avoid including:

  • Your identity number
  • Bank account details
  • Marital status
  • Religion
  • Health information
  • A photograph
  • A copy of your identity document
  • Your full home address

South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act promotes the principle that personal information should be adequate, relevant and not excessive for its intended purpose.

Only provide sensitive documents after confirming that the employer, vacancy and recruitment process are legitimate.

Write a Strong Professional Summary

A professional summary is a short introduction near the top of your CV. It should explain who you are, what you can offer and what type of opportunity you are seeking.

Keep it to approximately three or four sentences. Adjust it to match the position.

Avoid generic claims such as “I am a hard worker” without providing evidence. Use the rest of your CV to demonstrate your strengths through real responsibilities and achievements.

List Your Relevant Skills

The skills section helps an employer see whether your abilities match the position.

Read the job advertisement carefully and identify the skills the employer values. Include the skills you genuinely possess.

Examples include:

  • Customer service
  • Data capturing
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Google Workspace
  • Bookkeeping
  • Stock control
  • Telephone communication
  • Report writing
  • Diary management
  • Project coordination
  • Problem-solving
  • Time management
  • Teamwork

Technical skills are stronger when you name the relevant software, platform or process. Instead of simply writing “computer skills”, list applications such as Microsoft Excel, Pastel, Canva or a customer relationship management system.

Do not copy every keyword from the job advertisement. An employer may ask you to explain or demonstrate any skill listed on your CV.

Present Your Work Experience Clearly

List your employment history from the most recent position to the oldest.

For every position, include:

  • Your job title
  • The employer’s name
  • The location, where relevant
  • Your start and end dates
  • Important responsibilities
  • Relevant achievements

Use bullet points rather than one large paragraph. Start each point with a clear action word, such as:

  • Assisted
  • Managed
  • Organised
  • Prepared
  • Processed
  • Coordinated
  • Resolved
  • Created
  • Improved
  • Maintained

Writing a CV Without Work Experience

You can still prepare an effective CV if you have never held a formal job. Consider skills and experience gained through:

  • School projects
  • Volunteer work
  • Community activities
  • Religious or youth organisations
  • Informal work
  • Helping in a family business
  • Sports teams
  • Student leadership
  • Short courses
  • Learnerships
  • Internships
  • Personal projects

These activities can demonstrate communication, responsibility, organisation, teamwork and technical ability.

Do not apologise for having limited work experience. Focus on what you have done, what you learned and how those abilities relate to the position.

Add Your Education and Qualifications

List your most recent qualification first.

Include:

  • The name of the qualification
  • The school, college or institution
  • The completion year
  • Relevant subjects or modules
  • Relevant achievements

School leavers can include relevant Matric subjects to strengthen their CV when formal work experience is limited.

If you are still studying, state the name of the programme and your expected completion date. Do not present an incomplete qualification as completed.

You should also distinguish between accredited qualifications, professional programmes, short courses and provider programmes. Do not describe every course or certificate as an accredited qualification.

Include Relevant Training

Short courses and workplace training can support your application when they relate to the position.

Relevant training may include:

  • Computer training
  • First aid
  • Customer service
  • Occupational health and safety
  • Bookkeeping
  • Project management
  • Software training
  • Workplace communication

Include the course name, training provider and completion year. Avoid adding certificates that have no connection to the job. The goal is to demonstrate relevant ability, not to make the section as long as possible.

Add Languages and Other Relevant Details

Language skills may be valuable in positions involving customers, colleagues or communities.

List each language and describe your level of proficiency accurately.

You may also include a driver’s licence, willingness to travel or access to reliable transport when this information is relevant to the position.

Choose Suitable References

References are people who can confirm your experience, abilities or work ethic.

Suitable references may include:

  • A current or previous manager
  • A supervisor
  • A teacher or lecturer
  • A volunteer coordinator
  • A coach
  • A community leader

Avoid using close family members unless the employer specifically allows it.

Always ask for permission before listing someone as a reference. Confirm their job title, telephone number and email address before submitting your application.

You can provide two or three references or state that references are available on request. Check the vacancy requirements because some employers request reference details as part of the initial application.

Tailor Your CV to the Position

Sending the same CV for every vacancy is unlikely to produce the best results.

Before applying:

  1. Read the complete job advertisement.
  2. Identify the main duties and requirements.
  3. Update your professional summary.
  4. Highlight the most relevant skills.
  5. Move important experience closer to the beginning.
  6. Remove unrelated details that may distract from your application.
  7. Check that every claim is accurate.

Tailoring your CV does not mean changing the truth. It means making the most relevant information easier for an employer to find.

Make Your CV Easy to Read

An employer may have many applications to review. A clean layout helps them find important information quickly.

Use:

  • A simple, readable font
  • Consistent heading sizes
  • Black or dark text on a white background
  • Clear spacing
  • Short paragraphs
  • Bullet points
  • Consistent date formatting

Avoid:

  • Decorative fonts
  • WordArt
  • Excessive colours
  • Large graphics
  • Complicated tables
  • Long blocks of text
  • Unnecessary icons
  • Important information placed inside images

Simple formatting may also make your document easier for an applicant-tracking system to process. These systems, often called ATS software, may scan applications for information and keywords connected to the vacancy.

Save Your CV in the Correct Format

A PDF normally preserves your layout across different computers and devices. Unless the employer requests another format, a PDF is often an appropriate choice.

Give the file a clear, professional name containing your name and the word “CV”.

Open the PDF before sending it and confirm that:

  • All text is visible
  • The pages are in the correct order
  • Your contact details are correct
  • The formatting has not moved
  • The file opens successfully
  • The filename looks professional

Always follow the employer’s instructions. If the advertisement requests a Word document or an online application, use the required format.

Last Updated: 20 August 2026