What to put on a CV: complete section-by-section guide

What to put on a CV is simple: include clear contact details, a short profile, your skills, work experience (or practical experience), education, and a few optional sections that add proof (like certificates, projects, or references). The best CVs use standard CV sections, are easy to scan, and follow South African conventions (like whether to show an ID number and how to list a driver’s licence).

What to put on a CV (quick checklist)

• Header: Name + contact details (phone, email, location)
• Professional profile: 2–4 lines that match the role
• Key skills: 6–12 skills relevant to the job
• Work experience: Jobs, responsibilities, achievements
• Education: Highest qualification first (Matric, diploma, degree)
• Training & certificates: Short courses, licences, accreditation
• Projects / volunteering / leadership: Especially for graduates
• References: 2–3 (or “Available on request”)

If you want a fast start, you can create a free CV and fill in each section as you go, then choose a CV design when you’re ready to apply.

CV header: what personal details to include (and what to avoid)

Your header should make it easy for an employer to contact you and quickly understand where you’re based. Keep it clean and professional.

Include

• Full name (as on your ID/passport)
• Mobile number (make sure voicemail is professional or disabled)
• Email address (use a simple name-based email if possible)
• Location (City/town + province is enough, e.g., “Bloemfontein, Free State”)
• Linked portfolio link (optional but useful for design, dev, writing)

ID number on a South African CV: should you include it?

This is a common South African question. In most private-sector applications, you don’t need to put your full ID number on your CV. If a form requires it later, you can provide it at that stage. For some government or regulated roles, you may be asked for an ID number during the application process, but it’s still safer to avoid placing it on a widely shared document.

Practical compromise: If you’re worried about privacy but want to meet expectations, you can omit the ID number and include your date of birth only if requested (many employers don’t need it either). When in doubt, follow the advert instructions.

Driver’s licence conventions (South Africa)

If the job requires driving, mention your licence clearly and briefly:

• Driver’s licence: Code B (manual) or Code B (automatic only), Code C1, etc.
• Own transport: Only if true and relevant

If the role doesn’t involve travel or driving, this can be optional.

Avoid

• Full home address (street address) unless specifically requested
• Marital status, religion, or unrelated personal details
• A selfie-style photo (include a photo only if the employer requests it)

Professional profile: a short summary that actually helps

Your professional profile (sometimes called a summary) is a 2–4 line snapshot of who you are, what you can do, and what role you’re targeting. It should match the job advert language without copying it word-for-word.

Good profile formula

• Who you are: graduate, junior admin assistant, career changer, etc.
• Strengths: 2–3 role-relevant strengths
• Proof: brief proof point (experience, project, tools, results)
• Target: the role you’re applying for

Example (entry-level admin):

Detail-oriented administration graduate with strong MS Excel, filing, and customer service skills developed through a 6-month workplace placement. Comfortable handling front-desk queries, scheduling, and document control. Seeking an entry-level administrative assistant role.

Key skills: what to include in a CV South Africa (without exaggerating)

The skills section helps recruiters scan quickly. Include a mix of technical skills and job-relevant soft skills, but only list what you can back up in your experience.

How many skills?

Aim for 6–12 skills that match the job. If you’re applying for different roles, adjust this list each time.

Examples of skills (choose what fits your role)

• Admin: Data capturing, MS Excel, document control, minute taking, switchboard handling
• Retail: POS systems, stock taking, merchandising, customer service, cash-ups
• General: Time management, communication, problem solving, teamwork

Tip: If you’re building your CV online, keep your skills updated as you grow—use update your CV profile whenever you complete a course or gain experience.

Work experience: what to write if you have experience

For each role, include: job title, employer, location, dates, and 3–6 bullet points. Focus on what you did and what it achieved. Keep it honest and specific.

Work experience template

• Job Title — Employer, City
• Month Year – Month Year
• Key duty + context (systems/tools used)
• Key duty + volume or scope (when you can state it accurately)
• Achievement or improvement (even small, real ones)

Example (retail assistant)

• Retail Sales Assistant — Local Clothing Store, Bloemfontein
• Nov 2023 – Mar 2025
• Assisted customers with product selection, sizes, and exchanges while maintaining a neat sales floor.
• Processed card and cash payments on POS and supported daily cash-up checks with the supervisor.
• Received and tagged new stock, updated shelf displays, and supported monthly stock counts.
• Handled customer queries calmly and escalated complex issues according to store policy.

What to put on a CV if you have little or no work experience

If you’re a graduate, school leaver, or career changer, you can still build a strong CV by using experience that proves your skills: practicals, projects, volunteering, leadership, informal work, and short contracts.

Good substitutes for formal work experience

• Work-integrated learning (WIL) or placements
• Volunteering (church, community, NGOs, events)
• Academic projects (especially if they match the role)
• Freelance or small jobs (tutoring, catering, admin help)
• Leadership roles (class rep, society committee, team captain)

Example (project-based experience):

• Student Project: Basic Budget Tracker (Excel) — Personal/Academic Project
• Feb 2025 – Mar 2025
• Built an Excel workbook to track monthly income, expenses, and category totals using formulas and data validation.
• Created a one-page dashboard with charts to show spending trends and savings targets.
• Documented steps in a simple user guide for non-technical users.

Education: how to structure it (SA-friendly)

List your education in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Keep it easy to verify.

Include

• Qualification name (e.g., National Diploma, Bachelor’s, Higher Certificate)
• Institution
• Location (optional)
• Year completed (or expected completion date)
• Relevant modules (optional, good for entry-level)

Matric (NSC) on your CV

If Matric is your highest completed qualification, include it clearly. If you’re unsure how to format it (subjects, symbols, pass type), use this guide: Matric certificate on CV: how to list it (subjects, symbols, pass type).

Training, certificates, and short courses: where they fit

Add a “Training & Certificates” section if you’ve completed any short courses, accredited programmes, or job-relevant training. This section is often what makes an entry-level CV stand out.

What to include

• Course name
• Provider/institution
• Year completed
• Any accreditation details (only if you’re sure)

If you’re listing SETA-related learning, keep the wording accurate. If you need examples, see: SETA accredited courses on CV: how to list them (with examples).

Optional CV sections that add real value

These sections are optional, but they help a lot when you don’t have much experience or when you need to show proof quickly.

Projects

Best for graduates, career changers, and technical roles. Include what you built/did, tools used, and the outcome.

Volunteering

List it like work experience. It counts, especially when it proves reliability and people skills.

Languages (South Africa)

South African employers often value language ability. List languages you can use professionally and keep proficiency simple and honest:

• English — Fluent
• Sesotho — Fluent
• Afrikaans — Basic/Conversational

Achievements

Add awards, academic recognition, or work-related recognition that can be verified (avoid vague claims).

References: how many to include and how to format them

References are usually placed at the end. If you have them, list 2–3. If you don’t (or you’re protecting their contact details), you can write “References available on request.”

Reference format

• Name & surname
• Job title, Company/Organisation
• Relationship (e.g., Supervisor, Lecturer)
• Phone and/or Email

Copy-and-paste CV example (South Africa)

Use this as a full example you can adapt. Replace every bracketed part with your details.

[YOUR NAME SURNAME] [Mobile number] | [Email address] | [City, Province] [LinkedIn/Portfolio link – optional] Driver’s licence: [Code B] | Own transport: [Yes/No – only if relevant]

Professional Profile Entry-level [target role] with strengths in [skill 1], [skill 2], and [skill 3], developed through [placement/part-time work/project]. Reliable, organised, and confident working with [tools/systems]. Seeking a [job title] role where I can contribute to [type of work].

Key Skills

• [Skill: e.g., Data capturing]
• [Skill: e.g., MS Excel (basic formulas, formatting)]
• [Skill: e.g., Customer service]
• [Skill: e.g., Filing and document control]
• [Skill: e.g., Communication (phone and email)]
• [Skill: e.g., Time management]

Experience

• [Job title or Volunteer role] — [Employer/Organisation], [City]
• [Month Year – Month Year]
• [Duty 1: What you did + who/what you supported]
• [Duty 2: Tools/systems used]
• [Duty 3: Outcome/achievement you can prove]

Education

• [Qualification] — [Institution], [City] ([Year completed / Expected Year])
• Relevant modules: [Module 1], [Module 2], [Module 3] (optional)
• National Senior Certificate (Matric) — [School], [Year]

Training & Certificates

• [Course name] — [Provider] ([Year])
• [Course name] — [Provider] ([Year])

Languages

• [Language] — [Fluent/Conversational/Basic]
• [Language] — [Fluent/Conversational/Basic]

References [Reference 1 name], [Title], [Organisation] — [Phone], [Email] [Reference 2 name], [Title], [Organisation] — [Phone], [Email]

Final checks before you send your CV

• Match the advert: adjust your profile and skills to the role.
• Keep it readable: consistent dates, spacing, and headings.
• Proofread: spelling and formatting errors cost interviews.
• Use a clean layout: choose one style and stick to it.

If you already have a CV, you can log in to CV Hub to refine it, update your CV profile, and then choose a CV design that looks professional. If you get stuck, read the CV Hub FAQ or contact CV Hub.

FAQ: common South African CV questions

How long should my CV be?

For students, graduates, and entry-level candidates, aim for 1 page (or 2 pages if you have genuinely relevant content). For experienced candidates, 2 pages is common.

Should I include a photo?

Only include a photo if the job advert requests it. Otherwise, skip it.

Should I include an ID number?

Usually no. Share it only when required later in a formal application step, and only through the correct channel.

Where can I see how other people structure theirs?

Seeing examples helps. You can browse the CV database to understand how different roles organise their CV sections.