Your CV should not be something you create once and leave unchanged for years. As your education, skills, work experience and achievements grow, your CV should grow with you.
Regularly updating your CV can help ensure that your information is accurate and that your most relevant skills and experience are included when you apply for jobs, internships, learnerships, apprenticeships and graduate programmes.
In this guide, we explain how to update your CV and what information you should review before sending it to an employer.
Why Should You Update Your CV?
Keeping your CV updated means you do not have to rebuild it every time you find a new opportunity.
Your CV may need updating when you:
- Start a new job
- Complete a qualification
- Complete a course or certificate
- Gain new skills
- Receive a promotion
- Complete an internship or learnership
- Work on a new project
- Gain volunteer experience
- Change your contact details
- Obtain a driver’s licence
- Gain professional experience
- Achieve something relevant to your career
An updated CV also makes it easier to apply quickly when a suitable opportunity becomes available.
1. Check Your Personal Information
Start by checking the basic information at the top of your CV.
Make sure your:
- Full name is correct
- Phone number is current
- Email address is professional and active
- Location is accurate
- LinkedIn profile is updated, if applicable
- Other relevant contact information is correct
If you have changed your phone number or email address, update it immediately.
You don’t want an employer to contact you using information that is no longer valid.
2. Update Your Work Experience
Your employment history should reflect your most recent experience.
If you started a new position, add it to your CV. Include:
- Job title
- Company or organisation
- Employment dates
- Main responsibilities
- Relevant achievements
Focus on information that is relevant to the type of job you are applying for.
For example, if you recently gained experience using Microsoft Excel, customer service software or a particular technical system, consider including it if it is relevant to your target position.
3. Add New Qualifications
Have you completed a new qualification, course or certificate?
Add it to your education or qualifications section.
Depending on the qualification, you may include:
- Qualification name
- Institution
- Completion year
- Relevant specialisation
Students and graduates should also update their CV when they complete important academic milestones.
For example, if you were previously studying towards a qualification and have now graduated, change the wording to show that the qualification has been completed.
4. Update Your Skills
Your skills can change significantly as you gain experience.
Review your skills section regularly and add new skills that you have actually developed.
These could include:
Technical skills
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Computer networking
- Programming
- Data analysis
- Graphic design
Workplace skills
- Communication
- Customer service
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Organisation
Avoid listing every skill you have ever encountered. Focus on skills that are relevant to your career and the positions you are applying for.
5. Add Relevant Certificates and Training
Short courses and professional training can strengthen your CV, especially when they are relevant to the position you want.
Examples include:
- Computer courses
- First aid
- Health and safety
- Project management
- Digital skills
- Software training
- Industry-specific certificates
Include the name of the course, training provider and completion date where appropriate.
6. Update Your Professional Summary
Your professional summary should describe where you are in your career now—not where you were several years ago.
For example, if you were previously a student but have since gained work experience, your summary should reflect your new experience.
Keep your summary short and focused on:
- Your current professional level
- Your main area of expertise
- Your relevant experience
- Your key s
