South African CV
The terms CV and resume are often used interchangeably in South Africa.
The aim of your south african CV should be to persuade recruiters to invite you for a job interview. Therefore, your CV is a marketing tool, which should be adapted to the market in which you intend to use it.
Because there are no strict rules for CVs in South Africa two types may be used.
Initially, it is acceptable to submit a “Brief Profile” in form of one page CV letter. This is a short summary of your full “Comprehensive CV” giving personal information, education and a chronological list of previous positions emphasizing your most recent or relevant position. Mention that a comprehensive CV is available.
The “Comprehensive CV” is best received when it is brief, about two pages long and in reverse chronological order. Although CV of four or five pages are not uncommon either. In personal details include your date and place of birth, nationality, telephone number and civil status.
Often the south african CVs are kept on file for lengthy periods, so any contact details you give have to remain accurate in the long term. A daytime phone number, with the international access code and e-mail are most important.
In “Education” section, list with dates schools attended, their locations, your majors, diplomas and degrees. South African employers think that post-school education is very important, so put stress on relevant courses and education programs. Briefly list extracurricular activities, leadership roles, awards, honors and any extra courses, training or relevant experience.
"Employment History" may be listed in chronological, reverse-chronological, or functional order. Use power words and action verbs to highlight your skills and experience. For each position, provide the name of your employer, the location and specialization of the business, your titles and the dates of your employment. Describe your responsibilities, achievements and reason for leaving.
Make your CV more effective by providing examples to illustrate your achievements. Use power words and action verbs such as contributed, organized, demonstrated, trained, managed, developed, coordinated etc. Bullet point these at the start of a sentence for maximum impact.
In the final section, list professional affiliations, relevant volunteer experience and foreign languages with reference to the spoken and written level. Include the names of several references, with contact information. Also you may mention your hobbies.
Carefully consider what to leave out of your CV and exclude anything that might give prospective employers a chance to discriminate against you.
It is more common in South Africa to apply for a job through the Internet. However, you should be aware that an electronic CV does not look the same as a standard one. South African CV are often scanned by employers, so make your CV scannable by avoiding for example lines or italic fonts etc.
If you have a difficulty with your south african cv writing, try Resume Writing - 100% Guaranteed .
Stop writing your resume the hard way. Instead of staring at a blank piece of paper, use one of these “fill in the blanks” The Amazing Resume Creator.
Other South African CV Info
Now to finalize your south african job search, if your south african cover letter and South African CV are ready, you may email them through our job search engine to job recruiters and executive headhunters.
On a south african job interview page you will find useful tips on a job interview and a job interview dress code in South Africa.
Good luck with your job south african CV.
