How to write a CV · Free South African guide
How to write a CV, step by step.
Follow these steps in order and you'll have a clear, honest CV you can adapt for every application.
- Seven clear steps
- What SA employers expect
- What to leave out
- Free template excerpt
The steps
- 1. Contact details: name, phone, email, town. A professional email address.
- 2. Profile: 2 to 3 lines about who you are and the work you want.
- 3. Work experience: most recent first, with month and year dates and 3 to 5 bullets each.
- 4. Education: highest first, including matric.
- 5. Skills: computer, languages, driver's licence code if relevant.
- 6. References: two or three, or 'available on request'.
- 7. Save as PDF and name it Firstname-Surname-CV.pdf.
Leave out
- Religion, marital status and photos unless asked.
- Your full ID number unless the employer requests it (share it on the Z83 for government).
- Salary history on the CV itself.
- Anything you can't prove.
Length
Two pages is typical. One page is fine with little experience. Public-service CVs may run longer because panels want full detail.
Free guides for this
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