By the Corvaj team · Updated
South African CVs are usually a little longer than in the UK or US, often two to three pages, and many recruiters expect a short personal details section and contactable references. Getting those right, while protecting sensitive information, makes a good first impression.
The South African CV at a glance
- Call it a CV. Two to three pages is common.
- A short career summary at the top.
- Experience in reverse-chronological order, then education and skills.
- Early in your career, include your matric results, noting a bachelor’s pass if you have one, and any tertiary qualifications.
- Contact details: name, phone number, email, city or suburb, and LinkedIn if you have one.
Personal details: include and protect
Many employers like a brief personal details section, but you don’t need to give everything up front. Personal information is protected under POPIA, so share sensitive details only when an employer needs them.
- Useful: languages you speak, whether you have a driver’s licence (and its code), and your citizenship or work permit status.
- Leave off: your ID number, a photo, marital status and religion until an employer formally asks.
- Employment equity information is usually collected by the employer during the process. Include it on your CV only if you choose to and it’s relevant to the role.
References
South African employers often contact references. Listing two or three, with their role, company and phone number, is common practice. Ask them first and keep their details up to date.
Tailor it to each job
- Search PNet, Careers24 and LinkedIn.
- Match the advert’s requirements, including the licence code or languages it asks for.
- If you’re a school leaver, show your matric pass level and any work experience or volunteering.
- Lead with achievements that match the role.
Cover letter
A one-page cover letter is commonly expected. Refer to the job reference number if there is one, and summarise why you meet the requirements.
Common mistakes
- Including your ID number on every CV you send out.
- Five-page CVs that list every short course.
- Out-of-date references who don’t know they’re listed.
- Missing the closing date or reference number in the application.
Sample CV
A fictional example in the local format. Use it as a pattern, not a script.
Thandiwe Nkosi
Randburg, Johannesburg · +27 XX XXX XXXX · [email protected]
South African citizen · Driver’s licence: Code B · Languages: English, isiZulu, Sesotho
Career summary
Junior bookkeeper with two years’ experience processing payments and reconciliations for small businesses. Accurate, organised and comfortable with Sage. Looking for a bookkeeper role in a growing accounting practice.
Experience
Junior Bookkeeper, Mahlangu & Partners Accountants
- Process invoices and payments for 25 small-business clients
- Saved a day at each month-end by setting up bank feeds for reconciliations
Finance Learner, Learnership Programme, Highveld Retail Group
- Completed a 12-month bookkeeping learnership while working in accounts payable
Education
Bookkeeping, NQF Level 4
National Senior Certificate (matric), bachelor’s pass
Skills
Sage Business Cloud Accounting · Reconciliations · Debtors and creditors · VAT basics · Excel
References
[Name], Senior Accountant, Mahlangu & Partners
[Name], Accounts Payable Supervisor, Highveld Retail Group
Why it works
- Personal details limited to citizenship, licence code and languages.
- No ID number, photo, marital status or religion.
- Matric pass level stated, as it’s early in the career.
- Contactable references who’ve agreed to be listed.
Example: turning a duty into a result
Call centre agent
Before
Answered calls from customers.
After
Handled 80+ inbound calls a day in English and isiZulu, meeting service targets for 11 of 12 months.
Languages, volume and consistency: what South African contact centres look for.
By career stage
- Graduate or first job
- Lead with your matric pass level, any tertiary qualification, learnerships, volunteering and part-time work.
- Changing careers
- Use the career summary to name the new field, and put learnerships or short courses for it near the top.
- Experienced
- Two to three pages, results first. Drop matric results once you have a qualification and some years of 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.
- Bookkeeper
- Sage, Pastel, reconciliations, VAT returns, debtors and creditors, payroll
- Call centre agent
- inbound calls, customer service, CRM, first-call resolution, sales targets
- Retail store manager
- stock control, shrinkage, staff scheduling, sales targets, merchandising
Questions
How long should a South African CV be?
Two to three pages is common. Keep it focused on what the advert asks for.
Should I put my ID number on my CV?
No. Share it only when an employer formally asks, for example for background checks. Personal information is protected under POPIA.
Should I include a photo on my CV?
No. Leave it off unless the advert asks for one.
Do I need to include my matric results?
Early in your career, yes: state your pass level, such as a bachelor’s pass. Once you have a qualification and experience, you can drop them.
Should I list references?
Yes, it’s common practice. List two or three contactable references who know they’re listed.
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