The Complete Guide to Writing a South African CV in 2025/2026
Your CV (Curriculum Vitae) is your first impression on potential employers. In South Africa's competitive job market, with unemployment rates among the highest globally, having a professionally crafted CV isn't just helpful—it's essential. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating a CV that stands out, passes ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), and gets you invited to interviews.
Whether you're a recent matric leaver, a graduate entering the workforce, or an experienced professional looking for new opportunities, this guide covers the South African CV standards and expectations that employers are looking for.
1. Personal Details Section
✅ What to Include:
- Full Name - Use your legal name as it appears on your ID
- Phone Number - Preferably a mobile number you check regularly
- Professional Email - firstname.lastname@gmail.com format is ideal
- Location - City/Town and Province (e.g., "Sandton, Gauteng")
- LinkedIn Profile - If you have a professional, updated profile
❌ What to Leave Out:
- ID Number - Only include if specifically requested. Risk of identity theft.
- Date of Birth/Age - Can lead to age discrimination
- Photo - Not required in SA and can cause bias
- Marital Status - Irrelevant to your job performance
- Full Physical Address - City/Province is sufficient
2. Professional Summary / Personal Profile
Your professional summary is a brief 3-4 sentence paragraph at the top of your CV that summarizes who you are professionally. This is your elevator pitch—make it count!
📝 Formula for a Great Summary:
✅ Good Example:
"Results-driven Administrative Professional with 5+ years of experience in office management and executive support. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, SAP, and customer relationship management. Successfully reduced office expenses by 20% through implementing efficient filing systems. Seeking to leverage organisational skills and attention to detail in a challenging Office Manager role."
❌ Poor Example:
"I am a hard worker looking for any job opportunity. I am reliable and punctual. Please give me a chance to prove myself."
⚠️ Too generic, no specific skills, sounds desperate
Pro Tip: Customise your summary for each job application. Use keywords from the job description to show you're a perfect match.
3. Work Experience Section
This is typically the most important section of your CV. List your work history in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Focus on achievements, not just duties.
📋 Format for Each Position:
Job Title
Company Name | Location
Month Year – Month Year (or "Present")
- Achievement/responsibility using action verb + result
- Achievement/responsibility using action verb + result
- Achievement/responsibility using action verb + result
✅ Achievement-Based (Do This)
- • Increased monthly sales by 35% through implementing new customer follow-up system
- • Reduced customer complaints by 50% by training team on conflict resolution
- • Managed portfolio of 150+ client accounts worth R2.5 million
❌ Duty-Based (Avoid This)
- • Responsible for sales
- • Handled customer complaints
- • Managed client accounts
🎯 Power Action Verbs for Your CV:
4. Education & Qualifications
List your education in reverse chronological order. Include formal qualifications, certifications, and relevant training courses.
📋 Format:
Qualification Name
Institution Name
Year Completed (or Expected Completion Date)
Relevant modules or achievements (optional)
Example:
Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Accounting
University of Johannesburg
2022
Graduated with Distinction, Dean's Merit List 2021
For Recent Graduates:
- • Place Education section before Work Experience
- • Include matric subjects and symbols if impressive
- • List relevant coursework and projects
- • Include academic achievements and awards
For Experienced Professionals:
- • Place Education after Work Experience
- • Only list highest qualification
- • No need for matric details if you have tertiary education
- • Focus on recent, relevant certifications
5. Skills Section
Your skills section should include a mix of hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (interpersonal abilities). Always prioritise skills mentioned in the job description.
💻 Hard Skills (Technical)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Accounting Software (Pastel, QuickBooks, SAP)
- Programming Languages (Python, JavaScript, SQL)
- Data Analysis (Excel, Power BI, Tableau)
- Industry-specific certifications
🤝 Soft Skills (Interpersonal)
- Communication (Written & Verbal)
- Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking
- Leadership & Team Management
- Time Management & Organisation
- Adaptability & Flexibility
Important: Avoid rating your skills with stars or percentages (e.g., "Excel: ★★★★☆"). This is subjective and unprofessional. Instead, demonstrate proficiency through achievements in your work experience.
6. Formatting & Layout Guidelines
📐 Layout Best Practices
- Use clear section headings (bold, slightly larger font)
- Maintain consistent spacing throughout
- Use bullet points for easy scanning
- Leave adequate white space (margins: 2-2.5cm)
- Align text consistently (left-aligned is standard)
🔤 Font & Typography
- Font: Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica
- Size: 10-12pt for body, 14-16pt for headings
- Colour: Black text, minimal colour accents
- File format: PDF or Word (.docx)
- File name: FirstName_LastName_CV.pdf
Understanding ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)
Most large South African companies (banks, retailers, corporations) use ATS software to automatically screen CVs before a human ever sees them. Up to 75% of CVs are rejected by ATS systems due to formatting issues or missing keywords.
🤖 How to Beat the ATS:
Use standard section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
Include keywords from the job description
Avoid tables, text boxes, and graphics
Use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
Save as .docx or simple PDF (not scanned)
Don't put important info in headers/footers
📊 Industry-Specific ATS Keywords:
Administrative
Finance
IT
Sales & Marketing
Healthcare
Retail
8 Common CV Mistakes South Africans Make
Including a photo on your CV
Why it's bad: In South Africa, photos can lead to unconscious bias. Most employers prefer CVs without photos unless specifically requested.
Fix: Remove your photo unless applying to modelling, acting, or front-of-house positions.
Using an unprofessional email address
Why it's bad: Emails like 'coolboy2000@gmail.com' make you look unprofessional and immature.
Fix: Create a professional email using your name, e.g., 'john.smith@gmail.com'.
Writing 'CV' or 'Curriculum Vitae' as the title
Why it's bad: Employers know it's a CV. This wastes valuable space at the top of your document.
Fix: Use your full name as the title/heading instead.
Including your ID number or date of birth
Why it's bad: This information can lead to age discrimination. It's also a security risk.
Fix: Only include your ID number if the job advert specifically requests it.
Listing duties instead of achievements
Why it's bad: Duties tell employers what you were supposed to do. Achievements show what you actually accomplished.
Fix: Use action verbs and quantify results: 'Increased sales by 25%' instead of 'Responsible for sales'.
Making your CV too long
Why it's bad: Recruiters spend only 6-7 seconds scanning a CV initially. Long CVs often go unread.
Fix: Keep it to 2 pages maximum. Entry-level candidates should aim for 1 page.
Using the same CV for every job
Why it's bad: Generic CVs don't highlight the specific skills each employer is looking for.
Fix: Tailor your CV for each application, matching keywords from the job description.
Including references on the CV
Why it's bad: It wastes space and employers will ask for references later in the process.
Fix: Simply write 'References available upon request' or remove the section entirely.