Best CV Format For South Africa
It is important to choose the correct CV format to suit your skills and experience, as well as engage the interviewer as quickly as possible. Recruiters receive thousands of CVs and job applications, so to ensure you stand the best possible chance at securing a job, yours needs to stand out from the crowd. Here are some examples to help you choose the best CV format for you.
General CV Template South Africa
A general CV template offers a clear starting point for any job you’re applying for. It highlights important details like professional profile and contact details. You can easily customise this CV template by adding sections that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.
Click here for a general CV template.
Chronological CV Template South Africa
If you’re looking to present yourself in a professional and career-oriented manner, this type of CV format is perfect. Chronological CVs place emphasis on your work experience, starting with your most recent role and going back chronologically. You can simply customise this template to include relevant and skills and qualifications needed for a specific role.
Click here for a chronological CV template.
CV Template With Relevant Work Experience
This CV template highlights your previous experience in a specific field, such as marketing or public relations. This type of template shows job recruiters that you can deliver the job you’re applying for.
Begin by stating your most recent position, then list all of your previous roles in reverse chronological order. You should provide a brief overview of what each position involved, while focusing on the skills that were required and what you accomplished in each given position. This will demonstrate how useful you would be to employer in a similar role.
Click here for a CV with relevant work experience.
Skills-Based CV Template South Africa
This CV template is great for applicants who want to emphasise the skills and expertise that make them stand out from the competition. Start with a profile that helps employers immediately understand your unique skillset, such as exceptional customer service or expert knowledge in the most recent medical research.
In this section, you will provide work experience in order of relevance to the position you are applying for, while also emphasising any relevant skills or abilities you gained during your time in these roles. At the end, you should include an education section where you mention any qualifications and certificates acquired here.
Click here for a skills-based CV template.
Academic CV Template South Africa
This type of CV is ideal for recent graduates, lecturers and other academic professionals. It highlights your education, knowledge and other qualifications, while providing recruiters with an idea of your most valuable skills. Start by discussing the highest qualification achieved and the university or institution you attended.
If you have yet to complete a course, indicate where you are currently studying. After this section, provide a list of any published articles, relevant awards or honour received. Also include a list of any relevant courses or certificates that demonstrate practical knowledge.
Click here for an academic CV template.
CV Template With No Previous Work Experience
A problem many recent graduates face is their lack of work experience. This can make compiling your first CV very stressful.
However, even if you have no formal work experience, you can include positions such as job shadowing, volunteering and sports teams or societies you were involved in in high school or university.
You can also list any skills you have acquired through your time at education institutions. If you have very few role to highlight, then make sure that you place emphasis on your skills. Show your potential employer that you are worth hiring.
Click here for a CV template with no previous work experience.
Functional CV Template South Africa
The primary aim of a functional CV is to demonstrate the skills you possess, rather than where you have worked previously. This type of CV will help the recruiter focus on what you can contribute to the company instead of your prior work experience.
This format is great if you are entering a new industry or role as mentioning any relevant skills or knowledge can help make up for your lack of experience in that particular industry.
Click here for a functional CV template.
When submitting job applications, be sure to submit your latest CV with your most recent job position included. Outline everything you can about your most recent role.
Another tip for your CV is that if you've been out of work, you'll have a gap in your employment history. To turn this around, show that you used that time productively, such as with personal projects.
