How to write a CV with no work experience
Everyone starts somewhere. When you apply for your first job, employers look at your matric, your skills and whether you are reliable. A good first CV shows all three on one or two pages.
Updated 24 October 2026 · By Tumelo Vincent Tau
1. Start with a short profile
Two or three sentences at the top that say who you are, what you are good at and what work you are looking for.
2. Put your education first
Without work experience, your education is your strongest section, so list it before anything else.
- Matric (National Senior Certificate): school, year and subjects. Add your results if they are good.
- Studies after school: TVET college, university or learnerships, including ones you are still busy with ("in progress").
- Short courses and certificates: computer literacy, first aid, a driver's licence course, online courses.
3. Experience counts, even when it was unpaid
Employers want proof that you can show up and do a job. That can come from:
- Piece jobs, holiday or weekend work
- Helping in a family business or spaza shop
- Volunteering at church, a clinic, a sports club or a community project
- Leadership at school: class representative, prefect, sports captain, peer tutor
Write these like a job: what you did, where and when, and two or three things you were responsible for, for example "Served customers and handled cash at the family tuck shop, weekends 2024 to 2025".
4. List skills you can prove
- Computer skills: MS Word, Excel, email, typing
- Languages: every South African language you speak, read or write
- Driver's licence: with the code, e.g. Code EB (Code 08)
- People skills: customer service, teamwork, communication
Only list skills you can talk about in an interview.
5. Choose references who know you
A teacher, principal, sports coach, pastor, community leader or someone you did piece work for. Ask them first, and give their name, how they know you and a phone number that works.
6. Keep it simple
- One to two pages, in a clear layout without spelling mistakes.
- Your full name, phone number and email address at the top. Use a sensible email address, such as name.surname@gmail.com.
- Save it as a PDF, so it looks the same on every phone and computer.
- Add a short cover letter for every job, naming the post you are applying for.
Make it on your phone
CV Maker SA asks for everything above step by step: your matric subjects, short courses, skills and references, and ready-made duties for common jobs. Choose a template and save your CV as a PDF. You can also write a cover letter from your CV in a minute.