How to write a CV in Ghana

What a Ghanaian CV should contain

• Your name, phone number, email address and town or city. Use an email address that looks professional.
• A short profile or summary of three to four lines: who you are, what you do, and what you offer the employer.
• Work experience, newest first, with the job title, employer, dates and what you actually did.
• Education and professional qualifications, with the institution and the years.
• Skills that match the job, and certificates such as professional licences.
• Referees, only if the advert asks for them, or the line “Available on request”.

How long should it be?

Two pages is a good length for most people. A recent graduate can often fit everything on one page. Senior managers and academics may need three. If the CV is longer than the experience justifies, the strongest points get buried.

Write what you did, not just where you were

Under each job, write short lines that start with a verb: “Prepared monthly stock reports”, “Handled customer complaints at the front desk”. Say what you were responsible for. If you have a real number, such as the size of a team or a budget you handled, include it. Never invent numbers or titles: employers check, and interviewers ask about every line.

Personal details: what is needed and what is not

Contact details are essential. Date of birth, marital status, religion and a photograph are not needed unless the advert asks for them. Leaving them out keeps the page focused on your skills.

Mistakes that cost interviews

• One CV sent to every job. Change the summary and the order of your points to match each advert.
• Spelling and grammar errors. Read it aloud, then ask someone else to read it.
• Long paragraphs. Use short lines that are easy to scan on a phone.
• Gaps that are not explained. A short, honest line is better than silence.
• Fancy designs that hide the text. Keep it clean and readable.