How many people do you know that are working their dream job? Probably not a lot, or maybe no-one at all.
On top of that, it is easy to lose hope of getting a job (not to mention landing your dream job) when the job market is more competitive than ever, and economic difficulty adds sky-high unemployment rates.
So, what is the secret to getting the job of dreams? You need to write the CV that your dream employer wants to see.
Learn how to write a CV in South Africa that’ll knock any employer’s socks off — this post has you covered.
Tap the button to access the template now.
Let’s start with the format.
Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) tells potential employers whether you’re the best candidate for the job by summarising your employment history, education, skills, references, personal traits, and how to get in touch with you.
So make sure that you include all the following sections in your CV. This is the most popular CV format in South Africa:
And, if you’re wondering what file format your CV should be, we recommend using the PDF file format.
A great CV could be the difference between getting the job that makes you rich, and not getting a job at all. So put some time aside, follow this post and write an outstanding CV this week.
Recruiters and employers want to know who’s CV they’re looking at.
So start your CV with a header that clearly displays your full name and your role (or potential title), and lists your contact info. This way, Susan from HR will know exactly who she wants to reach, and how to do it.
You must have the following contact details:
These are optional, but may be helpful:
Consider the job that you’re applying for and what the company might want to see from someone applying for the position.
Make your CV stand out by writing a short 70 – 100 word paragraph that tells your future employer why you’re the best candidate for the job.
If you’re an experienced applicant, then you can write a CV summary that highlights your accomplishments, progress, and a future goal. Whereas if you’re inexperienced, then you may opt for a CV objective that features your skills and how you’d fit in, instead.
List your current position and your most recent roles alongside the relevant employers and timelines here. The positions should be sorted from present to past, so start where you are today and work your way backwards.
Keep your older roles shorter and make your latest positions stand out by adding your responsibilities and key accomplishments.
Include the following:
Example:
Marketing Director
Acme Inc. – 2018 -2025
For some jobs, you may even want to list your side hustles, and what you’ve managed to accomplish on your own.
The same applies for your education, start with what you’ve learnt or studied most recently.
Include the following:
Example:
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration
Cape Peninsula University of Technology: CPUT, South Africa
2016 – 2017
Now is your chance to show off what you can do. List your hard and soft skills under this section, where hard skills are things that you learn on the job (like using Zendesk if you’re a customer support rep), and soft skills are abilities that are universally transferable (like problem-solving).
Here are a few tips:
Add the names and contact details of people that you’ve worked for (and with) here. Let your references know that you’re adding them to your CV, and try to keep this section up-to-date. If it has been several years, then check-in to see if the contact information is still the same before updating your CV.
We created a super simple, easy-to-use template for you. The template looks great, is gender-neutral and strikes the perfect balance between creative and professional.
Click the link to download the South African CV template.
The first page of the CV template contains clear instructions that’ll help you to make it your own, plus, the template was created using Google Docs, so you don’t need expensive software to edit it — all you need is a Google account.
Tap the button to access the template now.
Getting your dream job won’t be easy, but if you keep at it and put in the work to make your CV stand out then you can make it into the 10% and tell the world that you’re doing what you love.
Or, you can use the tips that we’ve shared to improve your CV to get a better job so that you can earn more money. The choice is yours!
Check out this article if you were retrenched and are wondering what will happen to your debt.
Find out if you’re eligible to reduce your debt and protect your belongings.
Disclaimer: This website and any information herein is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, financial, tax, legal, investment, credit, or other advice. Before making any decision or taking any action regarding your finances, you should consult a qualified professional directly.