Entering the job market can be difficult, especially when you have limited work experience and are competing with many other applicants. Your CV and cover letter are often the first opportunity you have to show an employer what you can offer.
We spoke to Dominique Briers, HR Manager at Company Partners, about how young South Africans can create applications that are professional, relevant and easier for employers to assess.
According to Dominique, applicants often place too much pressure on themselves to create a long or highly technical application.
“The strongest applications are usually not the longest or most technical ones. They are the ones that make it easy for the hiring manager to see the link between the candidate, the role and the value they can bring to the business.”
Start With a Clear and Professional CV
A recruiter may need to review many applications for one position. Your CV should therefore help them find the most important information quickly.
Use clear headings, consistent formatting, and a simple layout. Avoid excessive colours, graphics, or design elements that distract from your qualifications, skills and experience.
List your most recent experience first and include:
- Your job title
- The company or organisation name
- Your employment dates
- Your main responsibilities
- Relevant achievements or contributions
You do not need years of formal employment to create a useful CV. Internships, learnerships, volunteer work, part-time jobs, academic projects and leadership responsibilities can all demonstrate valuable experience.
Dominique emphasises that presentation matters because it affects how easily an employer can assess your application.
“Keep your CV clear, structured and easy to read. Recruiters often scan CVs quickly, so the important information must be easy to find.”
Adapt Your CV for Each Role
Sending the same CV to every employer is unlikely to produce the best results.
Read the job advertisement carefully and identify the qualifications, experience and skills the employer prioritises. Your CV should bring the most relevant information to the reader’s attention.
For an administrative role, this may include organisation, data capturing, accuracy and computer literacy. For a customer service position, you may need to focus more on communication, problem-solving and your ability to assist clients.
Tailoring your CV does not mean changing the facts. It means selecting and presenting your genuine experience according to the requirements of the position.
Show Your Contribution, Not Only Your Duties
A list of duties explains what you were expected to do. Achievements help an employer understand the value you added.
Where possible, include specific examples or measurable results.
Instead of writing: “Responsible for assisting customers.”
You could write: “Assisted approximately 30 customers per day and helped resolve account and service enquiries.”
Other examples may include:
- Maintained accurate client records
- Helped the team meet a monthly sales target
- Completed administrative work within daily deadlines
- Assisted with organising a school, community or workplace project
- Trained or supported new team members
Applicants with limited workplace experience can use examples from studies, community projects, sport, volunteering or other responsibilities.
Include Relevant Skills and Keep the Information Honest
Your skills section should focus on abilities that relate to the job. These may include:
- Communication
- Client service
- Administrative accuracy
- Computer literacy
- Sales ability
- Time management
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork
Avoid listing skills simply because they sound impressive. An employer may ask you to explain how and where you developed them.
The same principle applies to qualifications and experience. Exaggerating your abilities may help you reach an interview, but it can quickly damage your credibility when you are asked detailed questions or expected to perform the work.
Check the Small Details
Simple mistakes can weaken an otherwise strong application.
Before sending your CV, check:
- Your spelling and grammar
- Your phone number and email address
- Your employment and study dates
- The spelling of company and institution names
- Your headings and formatting
- The filename of the document
Use an email address that looks professional and make sure you can be reached on the contact number provided.
Save the document as a PDF unless the employer asks for another format. A clear filename such as Name_Surname_CV.pdf is more professional than “New CV Final Version 3”.
Use the Cover Letter to Explain Your Fit
Your cover letter has a different purpose from your CV.
The CV provides the facts about your background. The cover letter should explain why those facts make you a suitable candidate for the specific opportunity.
“Do not repeat your full CV in your cover letter. Use it to explain why you are suitable for the specific role.”
Mention the company and position directly wherever possible. This shows that you have prepared the application for that vacancy instead of sending the same letter to multiple employers.
Briefly explain:
- Why you are interested in the role
- Which skills or experience make you suitable
- How you could contribute to the company
- Why the company or industry interests you
A small amount of research can make your letter more relevant. You do not need to repeat information from the company’s website, but you should show that you understand what the business does.
Support Your Claims With Examples
Statements such as “I am hardworking”, “I am passionate” or “I am a team player” appear in many applications. On their own, they give the employer little useful information.
Support your strengths with practical evidence.
Instead of writing: “I am a hardworking and reliable person.”
You could write: “During my internship, I captured client information, followed up on outstanding documents and completed daily administrative tasks within the required deadlines.”
The example demonstrates reliability without relying on a general claim.
Keep the Cover Letter Short and Focused
A cover letter should not become a second CV. Keep it concise and include only information that supports your application.
A practical structure is:
- State the position you are applying for.
- Explain why the opportunity interests you.
- Highlight two or three relevant strengths.
- Include a brief example that supports your claims.
- End with a professional closing statement.
The tone should be confident without becoming arrogant. Do not apologise for limited experience. Focus on what you have already learned, the skills you can offer and your willingness to develop further.
A suitable closing could be: “Thank you for considering my application. I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experience could contribute to your team.”
Make the Employer’s Decision Easier
A strong application does not need complicated language or elaborate design. It needs to be clear, accurate and relevant to the position.
Before applying, ask yourself:
- Can the employer quickly understand my experience and skills?
- Have I adapted the application for this role?
- Have I supported my strengths with practical examples?
- Is all the information accurate and professionally presented?
Your CV and cover letter cannot guarantee that you will get the position, but they can make it much easier for an employer to see why you deserve an interview.
