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How to write a call centre CV in South Africa

By the CallCentreCV team · Updated 28 October 2026

Ten steps from a blank page to a CV a team leader can read in seconds, written for South African call centre and customer service jobs.

1. Collect your numbers first

Call centres measure everything, so your numbers are your proof. Before you write a word, collect the ones you can: calls or chats handled a day, average handling time, first-call resolution, quality (QA) score, customer satisfaction, attendance and schedule adherence, and the targets you reached.

Your team leader's stats sheet, your QA reports and your bonus or incentive statements are good places to look. If you only know a figure roughly, say "about", and only use numbers you can explain.

2. Pick the job you are applying for

Call centre jobs go by many names: call centre agent, contact centre consultant, customer care consultant, client service consultant, collections agent, helpdesk agent. Use the exact title in the advert at the top of your CV and in your profile.

3. Contact details

Your name, cell number, email address and the suburb or town where you live. Use a plain email address with your name in it. Leave off your ID number, photo and marital status unless the advert asks for them. Where you live matters for shift work, so name your area.

4. Write a short profile

Three or four lines: who you are, how many years you have done this work, what kind of calls you take, your best number, and what you are looking for. Include languages and shift availability if you can work them.

5. Put your best results near the top

Three to five highlights: an award, a quality score, a target you beat, a perfect attendance record. A recruiter should see these without scrolling.

6. Your job history

Most recent job first. For each job: title, company, campaign or department, and dates. Then three to six lines, each starting with a verb and ideally ending in a number. Keep older jobs shorter.

7. Skills, systems and languages

List the systems you have really used by name (a CRM, a ticketing tool, a dialler or softphone), your typing speed if you have tested it, and the languages you can serve customers in. Many adverts and online application systems search for these words.

8. Education and training

Matric first, then any contact centre or customer service certificate, short courses (telephone etiquette, complaints handling) and anything that matches the advert, such as POPIA or TCF awareness. Only list a qualification or registration you actually hold.

9. Say what you can work

Adverts often ask for shifts, weekends, public holidays or night shift. If you can work them, say so in one line, along with how you get to work and your notice period. For remote jobs, say whether you have your own laptop, headset, fibre and backup power.

10. Length, format and tailoring

Aim for two pages, saved as a PDF and named with your name. Read the advert again and check that your title, systems and languages match it. Change what is true for you; never add what is not.

Questions people ask

How long should a call centre CV be?

Two pages is right for most people. Put your most recent job in detail and keep older jobs short. A first-time applicant can use less than two pages.

Should I put my typing speed on my CV?

Yes, if you have tested it. Some adverts name a speed, and you may be asked to do a typing test, so give a figure you can reach on the day.

Should I put my ID number or photo on my CV?

No, unless the advert asks. You can give your ID details when you are shortlisted and the company asks for them.

More call centre CV examples

The examples on this page are made up to show the format. Use your own real details and numbers: an interviewer may ask you about anything on your CV.