What to include in your CV

You might be the best applicant out there, but if your CV is difficult to read, you will most likely not even be invited for an interview.

Use this checklist to ensure that your CV will help you get the job.

What makes you unique?

"We really want to get a full picture of who you are as a person and this can’t always be done by looking at your transcript. We also need to know that you have been challenged in solving problems and thinking critically, so perhaps add this information." – Aarti Singh, PWC

Keep it neat and (reverse) chronological

"A CV should be legible and easy to read (in terms of structure). It should follow a chronological order." – Priya Naidoo, EY

Is everything relevant?

Everything on your CV should be relevant to the job. Ensure it reflects the requisite qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences for successful performance in the role.

"A CV should give you a taste of who the individual is, a trailer to get you excited to meet the individual. People screening CVs usually have to do this in large numbers. They don’t have a lot of time to spend on each CV and the individual therefore has very little time to make an impact." – Deloitte Audit Graduate Recruitment Team

Less is more

"Historically, CVs were meant to include every piece of information about a person. However, it is important to note that certain things need to change as we evolve. As a graduate, your CV should be no longer than two pages." – Aarti Singh, PWC

Show your resilience

"With the onset of the pandemic, the individual should be able to articulate how they have been able to adjust to studying or working online, give an overview of lessons learnt as a student, highlight skills they have developed in this time, i.e. self-study, time-management. To an assessor, this will demonstrate the individual’s ability to be agile to change." – Deloitte Audit Graduate Recruitment Team

Are you being honest?

"The old saying goes: 'You only get one chance to make a first impression' and in the era of the hybrid environment that first impression is often your CV – so make sure it is an accurate but to-the-point representation of you and your ambitions. It’s your foot in the door so make sure the authenticity and honesty of who you are shines through." – Deloitte Audit Graduate Recruitment Team

Choose your references wisely

"Referees who have worked with/supervised the applicant should be listed. If the applicant has not attained formal work experience, a university lecturer or tutor, who has observed the applicant's work/abilities, and can provide testament to his/her work abilities and character can be listed. An individual, such as a family member, should not be listed as a referee as they may provide bias in their reference." – Priya Naidoo, EY

Don’t work alone! Get help with customising, reviewing and proofreading your CV from friends, peers, family members and mentors.

If you need further help, reach out to UCT’s Career Development Consultants and professional CV-writing and checking services.

DID YOU KNOW?

Most organisations use online applicant tracking systems (ATS) which use algorithms to filter and match your CV with what the company is looking for. ATS don’t care about fancy CV formats – they mangle images, tables, columns, graphics, text boxes and icons. And whilst newer versions of ATS can read the above, you don’t know if the one you’re uploading your CV onto can. So, the simpler the format of your CV, the better – it’s easier for algorithms to scan and match its content with what companies filter for.