By the Corvaj team · Updated
Ghanaian employers usually expect a two-page CV with your education, experience, national service and referees. Recruiters receive many applications for graduate roles, so a CV that matches the job and shows what you achieved stands out.
The Ghanaian CV at a glance
- Call it a CV. Aim for about two pages.
- Begin with a two- or three-line profile of what you offer.
- Experience in reverse-chronological order, including internships and national service.
- Education with your degree or diploma; early in your career, your WASSCE results as well.
- Contact details: name, phone number, email, town or city, and LinkedIn if you have one.
National service
For graduates, national service is often your first professional experience, and many employers look for it. List it like a job: the organisation, your role, the dates and what you achieved.
Referees
Listing two or three referees, with their title, organisation, phone number and email, is common in Ghana. Choose people who know your work, such as a national service supervisor or lecturer, and ask them first.
What to leave out
- Your Ghana Card number, until an employer formally asks.
- A photo, unless the employer specifically asks.
- Date of birth, marital status and religion.
- Hobbies that say nothing about the job.
Tailor it to each job
- Search Jobberman Ghana and LinkedIn, and check companies’ careers pages.
- Match the advert’s requirements in your wording.
- Present national service as experience, with your NSS details ready.
- Lead with the experience closest to the role.
Cover letter
Many Ghanaian employers ask for an application letter. Address it to the person or office in the advert, keep it to one page, and state the role you’re applying for in the first line.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out national service or listing it with no detail.
- A generic objective statement instead of a profile.
- Out-of-date contact details for you or your referees.
- Long CVs listing every workshop.
Sample CV
A fictional example in the local format. Use it as a pattern, not a script.
Kwame Mensah
Accra · +233 XX XXX XXXX · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/your-name
Profile
Administration graduate with national service experience in records management. Organised, reliable and confident with Excel. Looking for an administrative assistant role.
Experience
National Service Personnel, Administration, Tema West District Office
- Organised filing for 1,200 client records, cutting search time for staff in half
- Prepared weekly attendance and visitor reports for the district coordinator
Intern, Human Resources, Volta Agro Ltd
- Updated staff files and helped schedule 40 interviews
Education
BSc Administration (Human Resource Management), Second Class Upper
WASSCE: 8 subjects, including English and Core Mathematics (A1–B3)
Skills
Records management · Microsoft Excel and Word · Report writing · Customer service
Referees
[Name], District Coordinator, Tema West District Office
[Name], Lecturer, University of Ghana Business School
Why it works
- National service listed like a job, with results.
- WASSCE results included, as it’s early in the career.
- No Ghana Card number, photo, date of birth or religion.
- Two referees who know the work, asked first.
Example: turning a duty into a result
National service personnel, administration
Before
Did national service at a district office.
After
Organised filing for 1,200 client records during national service at a district office, cutting search time for staff in half.
National service written as real work experience, with scale and a result.
By career stage
- Graduate or first job
- Lead with national service and internships, then your degree class and WASSCE results. About two pages.
- Changing careers
- Use the profile to name the new field, and list relevant certificates and short courses near the top.
- Experienced
- About two pages, results first. Drop WASSCE results once you have a degree and experience.
CV keywords for ATS
Applicant tracking systems and recruiters search for the skills a posting names. Examples for common roles; use only the ones that are true for you, in the posting’s own words.
- Administrative assistant
- records management, Microsoft Office, scheduling, report writing, customer service
- Accounts officer
- bookkeeping, reconciliations, payroll, GRA tax filing, QuickBooks or Tally
- Sales executive
- sales targets, client relationships, distribution, market visits, CRM
Questions
How should I list national service on my CV?
Like a job: the organisation, your role, the dates and what you achieved. Keep your NSS details ready in case an employer asks.
Should I include my WASSCE results?
Early in your career, yes, especially for graduate roles. Once you have a degree and experience, you can drop them.
Should I put a photo on my CV in Ghana?
Only if the employer specifically asks for one.
Should I include my Ghana Card number?
No. Give it only when an employer formally asks.
Do I need referees on my CV?
Listing two or three is common. Choose people who know your work, such as your national service supervisor, and ask them first.
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