South African CVs are the longest in the English-speaking world — two to four pages is normal and detail is expected rather than tolerated. Two local features have no equivalent elsewhere: employers often ask for identity and employment-equity information for B-BBEE reporting, and references are expected to be contactable rather than withheld.
South Africa CV rules at a glance
Name: CV is the standard term
Length: Two to four pages. Detail is expected
Photo: Optional and reasonably common, unlike in the UK or US
Personal details: ID number, nationality and equity details are often requested for B-BBEE reporting
Date format: DD/MM/YYYY or Month YYYY
Spelling: British English — organise, centre, programme
References: Contactable references with names, positions and phone numbers are expected
Paper size: A4
What to include, in order
Personal details, including ID number and nationality where requested
Professional summary
Key skills and computer literacy
Employment history with responsibilities and achievements
Education, including matric (National Senior Certificate) subjects and results
Contactable references with full details
Mistakes that cost people interviews in South Africa
Submitting a one-page resume, which South African recruiters read as incomplete.
Omitting matric results, which many SA employers still screen on regardless of later qualifications.
Listing references without contact numbers when 'contactable references' is the local expectation.
Leaving unexplained employment gaps, which SA employers probe more directly than in many markets.
Sharing a full ID number on a CV posted to public job boards — provide it once an employer formally requests it.
South Africa CV questions
How long should a South African CV be?
Two to four pages. South Africa expects considerably more detail than the US or UK — full responsibilities per role, matric subjects, computer literacy and contactable references all take space, and a short CV reads as evasive rather than efficient.
Should I include my ID number on my CV?
Many South African employers request it for employment-equity and B-BBEE reporting. Include it when applying directly to a known employer or a form that asks for it, but leave it off CVs uploaded to public job boards, where identity-fraud risk is real.
Do I need to include matric results?
Yes. The National Senior Certificate remains a common screening threshold in South Africa, and many employers check it even for candidates with degrees. List your subjects and symbols, particularly early in your career.