Knowing what to include in a CV is an important first step when preparing for a job application. Your CV should give an employer a clear picture of your qualifications, skills, experience and suitability for the position.
Whether you are a school leaver, graduate, first-time job seeker or experienced professional, the information you include should be relevant to the job you are applying for.
A professional CV does not need to contain every detail about your life. Instead, it should present the most useful information in a clear and organised format.
In this guide, we explain what to include in a CV in South Africa, what information you may leave out and how to structure your CV.
What Should Be Included in a CV?
A typical CV can include the following sections:
- Personal details and contact information
- Professional profile or career objective
- Education and qualifications
- Work experience
- Skills
- Certifications and training
- Achievements
- Projects
- Languages
- References
You do not necessarily need every section. The sections you use should depend on your career, experience and the requirements of the job.
1. Personal Details and Contact Information
The first section of your CV should make it easy for an employer to identify you and contact you.
You can include:
- Full name
- Phone number
- Professional email address
- City or town
- Province
- LinkedIn profile, if relevant
Example
Thabo Mokoena
Pretoria, Gauteng
Phone: 000 000 0000
Email: thabo@example.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/example
Make sure your contact details are accurate.
If your phone number or email address is incorrect, an employer may not be able to contact you about your application.
Use a Professional Email Address
If you do not already have one, consider creating an email address based on your name.
For example:
Avoid using an email address that could appear inappropriate or unprofessional.
Do You Need to Include Your Home Address?
You generally do not need to include your full street address on your CV.
Your city and province are usually enough unless the employer specifically requests more information.
For example:
Pretoria, Gauteng
can be sufficient for many applications.
2. Professional Profile
A professional profile is a short introduction near the top of your CV.
It should briefly explain:
- Who you are
- Your area of expertise
- Your experience
- Your main strengths
- What type of opportunity you are seeking
Example
Motivated IT support professional with experience providing technical assistance to users, troubleshooting hardware and software issues and supporting Microsoft environments. Strong communication and problem-solving skills with a focus on delivering efficient technical support.
Keep the profile relatively short.
You do not need to write an entire biography.
3. Career Objective
A career objective can be useful for school leavers, graduates and people with limited work experience.
It explains the type of opportunity you are looking for and what you hope to contribute.
Example
Motivated recent graduate seeking an entry-level position in information technology where I can apply my technical knowledge, develop practical experience and contribute to a professional team.
If you already have substantial professional experience, a professional profile may be more useful than a generic career objective.
4. Education and Qualifications
Your education section should show your academic background and relevant qualifications.
Depending on your circumstances, include:
- Qualification
- Institution
- Year completed
- Relevant specialisation
- Relevant subjects
- Academic achievements
Example
Diploma in Information Technology
ABC University
2025
Or:
National Senior Certificate
ABC High School
2026
If you are currently studying, you can indicate that the qualification is in progress.
Example
Bachelor of Commerce
ABC University
2025 – Present
For graduates and students, education may be one of the most important sections of the CV.
5. Work Experience
If you have previous employment, include your relevant work experience.
For each position, include:
- Job title
- Employer
- Location
- Employment dates
- Responsibilities
- Achievements where relevant
List your most recent experience first.
Example
Administrative Assistant
ABC Company – Pretoria, Gauteng
January 2024 – December 2025
- Managed administrative records and documents.
- Responded to emails and telephone enquiries.
- Assisted with scheduling meetings.
- Captured information on company systems.
- Provided general administrative support.
Focus on information that is relevant to the position you are applying for.
6. Skills
Your skills section should show an employer what you can do.
Skills can include both technical and workplace skills.
Technical Skills
Depending on your career, these might include:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft 365
- WordPress
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- Accounting software
- Graphic design
- Data analysis
- Computer troubleshooting
Soft Skills
Examples include:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Organisation
- Customer service
- Adaptability
- Attention to detail
Do not simply add dozens of skills to make your CV look longer.
Focus on skills that are relevant to the position.
7. Certifications and Training
Include relevant certifications, licences and training that support your application.
Examples can include:
- Professional certifications
- Computer courses
- First Aid
- Health and safety training
- Microsoft certifications
- Industry-specific certificates
- Short courses
- Driver’s licence, where relevant
For each certification, include the name and issuing organisation.
Example
Microsoft Office Specialist
Microsoft
2025
Only list qualifications and certificates that you actually hold.
8. Achievements and Awards
Achievements can help demonstrate your abilities.
Depending on your background, you could include:
- Academic awards
- Workplace awards
- Leadership achievements
- Sports achievements
- Competition results
- Successful projects
- Recognition received at work
- Community achievements
Example
Academic Achievement
Received an academic excellence award for achieving strong results during the final year of study.
If you have limited work experience, achievements can help demonstrate your abilities and commitment.
9. Projects
Projects can be particularly useful for students, graduates and people working in technical or creative careers.
Projects could include:
- University projects
- School projects
- Software projects
- Business projects
- Design projects
- Research projects
- Personal projects
Example
Website Development Project
- Designed and developed a responsive website.
- Created the website structure using HTML and CSS.
- Tested the website across different screen sizes.
- Documented the project and presented the final result.
Projects can demonstrate practical skills even when you have limited formal work experience.
10. Internships and Volunteer Experience
Internships, volunteering and community work can be valuable additions to a CV.
They can demonstrate:
- Responsibility
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Leadership
- Practical experience
- Commitment
Example
Volunteer Administrative Assistant
Community Organisation
2025
- Assisted with administrative tasks.
- Helped organise community activities.
- Maintained basic records.
- Communicated with members of the community.
Do not assume that experience only counts if you were paid.
Relevant unpaid experience can also demonstrate useful skills.
11. Languages
South Africa has a multilingual population, so language abilities can be relevant depending on the position.
You can include languages you speak and your level of proficiency.
Example
Languages
- English – Fluent
- Setswana – Native
- isiZulu – Conversational
- Afrikaans – Basic
Be honest about your ability.
Do not claim fluency if you cannot communicate comfortably in that language.
12. References
References are people an employer can contact to learn more about your professional or academic background.
Suitable references may include:
- Previous managers
- Supervisors
- Teachers
- Lecturers
- Internship supervisors
- Professional colleagues
Always ask someone for permission before listing them as a reference.
Example
References
Jane Smith
Manager – ABC Company
Phone: 000 000 0000
Email: jane@example.com
You can also state:
References available upon request.
The South African Government advises applicants to use credible references and check with them before an interview to ensure their information is still correct. South African Government – Compiling a Curriculum Vitae
13. LinkedIn Profile
If you have a professional LinkedIn profile, you can include it in your contact section.
For example:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourname
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is professional and consistent with the information on your CV.
If your LinkedIn profile contains outdated information, update it before including the link.
What Not to Include in a CV
Knowing what not to include in a CV is just as important.
Avoid unnecessary information that does not help demonstrate your suitability for the position.
Depending on the application, you may not need to include:
- Your full residential address
- Unnecessary personal information
- Irrelevant hobbies
- Salary expectations unless requested
- Reasons for leaving every previous job
- Excessive personal details
- False qualifications
- False work experience
- Unprofessional email address
