Remember that your CV is a reflection of you. You are selling yourself to a business or recruitment agency and your goal is to secure an interview. See the guidelines below to help you achieve this.

Write a brief letter relating to the job that you are applying to and briefly motivate why you think you are suited to the position.

• It must be professional looking – so avoid using graphics, art clips and borders with frills.
• Have clear headings separating the sections of your CV.
• You could have bold headings or a shaded box across the page to highlight your headings.
• Stick to plain colours like black or grey.
• A photo of yourself is not essential, but if you choose to include a picture of yourself it should be from the shoulder up and you should look neat and professional. Avoid low cut tops, t-shirts and distracting backgrounds. No wedding photos, party photos, etc.

• The content must be accurate, to the point and up to date.
• Spelling mistakes are bad news!
• Use bullet points for easy reading.
• All dates should be accurate with no time gaps

Include the following headings in your CV:

Personal Particulars

• Full name
• Address
• Telephone number (landline and mobile)
• E-mail address
• ID Number
• Nationality
• Gender
• Home language and other languages
• Drivers license
• Own transport

Educational Qualifications

• Name of School
• Highest Standard
• Year completed
• Subjects

Tertiary Education

• Name of Institution
• Qualification
• Dates started and completed
• Major subjects
• Other subjects

Short Courses and Certificates

• Name of Institution
• Name of course or certification

Professional memberships

Name of membership

Employment History

• Start with the most recent and work backwards.
• Preferably state your entire career or a minimum of ten years of your career should be reflected.
• Name of Employer and type of business.
• Start and end dates of employment – include month and year.
• List duties – using bullet points.
• Reason for leaving
• Don’t leave gaps. If you worked on a temporary basis, travelled or were unemployed, then you should include this.

References

• Ensure that contact details for references are current and list employer’s name, name and position of immediate superior and contact number.

• Treat your initial interview with Recruitment Agencies seriously as they are the doorway to your next job.
• Dress professionally. Ask us if in doubt. Be punctual – ensure that you have the directions in advance and allow for traffic.
• Take the consultants phone number with you in case there are any problems getting to the interview.
• Prepare for the interview.
• Try and anticipate what questions would be asked based on the relevance of your experience to the job and prepare answers, which must be honest and sincere.
• Do some research on the company.
• Know the interviewer’s name and introduce yourself in a warm and friendly manner.
• Answer questions concisely, giving a positive account of yourself, whilst being sincere.
• Ask relevant questions that will help you assess whether this is the right job for you.
• Switch your cellphone off.

• Don’t smoke just before your interview.
• Don’t spray deodorant or perfume on just before the interview.
• Don’t chew gum.
• Don’t criticize your previous employers.
• Don’t bring up salary – wait for the interviewer to raise it.

• Always be open and honest with your recruitment consultant.
• If you have any concerns or fears, then please share them with your consultant.
• If for any reason you cannot make an interview, let your consultant know immediately.
• Give your consultant feedback after your interview.
• Ensure that you update your CV regularly on our database.

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