Your CV is rejected by software before a human sees it. If you’re applying on PNet, LinkedIn, or company portals and hearing nothing back, it’s probably not because you’re not qualified. It’s because your CV never reached a human.
Most medium and large employers in South Africa now use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). It scans your CV for keywords, job titles, and formatting before a recruiter sees it. That beautiful Canva CV with columns, icons, photos and tables? ATS reads it as gibberish and auto-rejects it.
What to LEAVE OUT (POPIA + ATS)
Remove:
- Photo of yourself
- ID number, passport number
- Full street address — just “Cathcart, Eastern Cape” is enough
- Age, gender, marital status, religion, number of children
- Fancy graphics, tables, text boxes, headers/footers, columns
- “Curriculum Vitae” at the top
Why? Under POPIA employers aren’t allowed to ask for sensitive info upfront, and ATS can’t parse graphics.
The Format That Actually Passes
Use a simple Word doc, then save as PDF. Font: Calibri, Arial or Verdana, size 10.5–11.5. No more than 2 pages. Save as: Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf
1. HEADER
Full Name
Phone | Email | City, Province | LinkedIn URL
2. PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY (3 lines — THIS is where you win)
Don’t write “Hardworking individual seeking opportunity”. Copy the advert.
Bad: “I am a hard worker looking for a job in retail.”
Good: “Retail assistant with 2 years at Shoprite in Eastern Cape, experienced in POS, cash-ups of R20k+, stock take and customer service for 80+ customers daily. Seeking cashier role in East London.”
Tailor this for EVERY application.
3. CORE SKILLS (8–10 bullets, keyword match)
Go to the job advert, look at “Requirements”. If it says “POS, cashier, stock control, customer service, Excel” — use those exact words.
4. WORK EXPERIENCE — Use numbers
Reverse chronological. Latest first.
Shoprite — Cashier | Jan 2023 – Present | Cathcart, EC
- Processed 100+ transactions daily accurately
- Reduced customer waiting time during month-end rush
- Trained 3 new staff on cashup procedures
If you have no formal work, use volunteer, church work, school project. That counts.
5. EDUCATION
Matric: School — Year — Subjects. If no matric, list highest grade: “Grade 11, Hoërskool Cathcart, 2021”. Never lie. Add learnerships: “Services SETA — Retail Operations NQF 3 (2022)”.
6. REFERENCES
“Available on request” is fine. Or list 2: former manager + teacher. Not family.
The ATS Keyword Trick
ATS looks for exact matches. If the advert says “must have driver’s license Code 8”, write “Driver’s License Code 8 (EB)” — not just “license”.
5 Mistakes That Get SA CVs Rejected
- Sending the same generic CV to 50 jobs
- PDF scanned as an image
- Email from cutiepie123@gmail.com — get firstname.lastname@gmail.com
- Lying about matric — easy to check on SAQA
- 4+ pages. Recruiters spend 7 seconds on the first scan.
Free download: JobsJunction ATS CV Template 2026 (.docx)
Written by the JobsJunction Team — practical job-hunting guidance for South Africa.