Resume in South African format: how to build yours

How to build a resume in the format that South African employers usually expect.

A clear and objective resume opens doors. See what to put in each section.

1–2 pagesideal length
PDFsubmission format
Referencesusually requested

Step by step

1
Contact informationName, phone, email and city.
2
Professional summaryTwo or three sentences about you.
3
Experience and educationFrom most recent to oldest.
4
Skills and referencesWith contact details of people who can speak about you.

How long it takes

Draftone afternoon
Reviewask someone to read it
PDFsave and name it well
Submissiontailor for each job opening

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What they will ask for

Resume in PDF
Reference contacts
Course certificates, if you have them

What to include and what to avoid

SectionIncludeAvoid
Contactphone and emailinformal email
Experienceresults and taskslong texts
Format1–2 pageshard-to-read fonts

Everything you need to know

1

Tailor for each job opening

Read the job description and highlight in your resume the experience and skills it requires. Small adjustments make a big difference.

Use words from the job posting itself: many selection systems filter resumes by keywords.

2

References

It's common for employers to ask for references from previous jobs. Give people a heads-up before listing them and confirm their phone and email.

If it's your first job, teachers or volunteer project coordinators can serve as references.

3

Professional summary

At the top of your resume, write two or three sentences about who you are, your experience and the type of job you're looking for. It's the first thing a recruiter reads.

Tailor this summary for each job opening, highlighting what it requires.

4

Skills that stand out

Communication, teamwork, punctuality and IT skills are valued in many fields. List the ones you have and give examples.

If you speak more than one language, mention your proficiency level for each one.

5

Summary

Contact, summary, experience, education, skills and references, in one or two pages, saved as a PDF.

Review the text and ask someone to read it before sending.

Quick tips

✏️

Review the textfor errors

📛

File namename-resume.pdf

⚠️

Never paya legitimate selection process doesn't charge fees

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to include a photo?

It's not required. If you include one, use a professional photo.

How many pages?

One or two pages are sufficient for most job openings.

What if I have no experience?

Highlight courses, volunteer work and skills.

Should I send it in Word or PDF?

Prefer PDF, unless the job posting asks for a different format.

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