Free CV examples · 2026

CV examples that work in South Africa

Four complete CVs for common jobs, written the way South African recruiters like to read them. Use them as a guide, or build your own in five minutes on your phone.

Example CV for a general worker in South Africa

General worker CV

Shows reliability and safety: attendance, training and the physical work done, with numbers.

Example CV for a cashier in South Africa

Cashier / retail CV

Leads with accuracy ("zero cash-up shortages") and customer numbers, which is what store managers look for.

Example CV for an admin assistant in South Africa

Admin assistant CV

Software and systems up front (Excel, Sage), and results like a faster filing system.

Example CV for a school leaver with no experience

School leaver / no experience CV

Education first, then volunteering, family-business work and leadership. Everything counts.

These are fictional examples made with the HiredSA CV builder. Names, employers and phone numbers are made up.

What South African recruiters want to see

✅ Include

  • Name, phone, a professional email and the area you live in
  • A 3–4 line profile that matches the job
  • Most recent job first, with 2–4 results per job ("served 120 customers a day")
  • Your matric pass type for entry-level jobs
  • Key words from the advert (if true): "Pastel", "forklift licence", "debtors"
  • Driver's licence code if the job needs travel

❌ Leave out

  • Your ID number and full street address (identity fraud risk)
  • A photo, unless the advert asks for one
  • Marital status, religion and age
  • Long paragraphs: recruiters scan, they don't read
  • "References available" plus fake numbers: ask your references first
  • More than 2 pages (1 page for a first job)

How to write the profile

Formula: [Who you are] with [X years] experience in [field]. Skilled in [2–3 skills from the advert]. Looking for [the kind of role].
"Reliable retail cashier with 3 years of experience serving customers quickly and accurately. Known for zero cash-up shortages and a friendly attitude."

Turn duties into results

Instead of "Responsible for the till", write "Served 120+ customers a day with zero cash-up shortages for 12 months." A number, a result and a time period make any job sound stronger.

Build a CV like these in five minutes.

HiredSA gives you 5 layouts, ready-made phrases for 20 jobs, PDF and Word download, a cover letter builder and 15 interview answers. R79 once-off, works on any phone.

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