How to Write an Electrician CV That Gets a Call

Most CVs for electrical jobs look the same: a name, a phone number and a long list of services. “DB boards, wiring, plugs, lights, geysers, solar, fault finding, three-phase.” An employer reading that has no idea what you have actually done, and neither will the next one.

A good electrician CV answers one question: what work have you done with your own hands? This guide shows you how to write a CV that gets you a phone call, whether you are a qualified electrician, an electrician’s assistant or a student looking for your first job.

The big mistake: listing services instead of experience

A list of services tells an employer what you have seen. It doesn’t tell them what you can do. Many CVs list work the person only watched, or did once with help. That is easy to spot in an interview, and it costs you the job.

Compare these two lines:

• Weak: “DB boards, solar, fault finding.”
• Strong: “Helped replace about 15 old DB boards in houses, including mounting the new board, labelling circuits and testing before switch-on. Found and fixed earth leakage faults caused by outdoor lights and geyser elements.”

The second one is honest, specific and shows you understand the work. That is what gets a call.

What to put in an electrician CV

1. Contact details

Your full name, a phone number you actually answer, an email address and the area you live in. Employers want to know if you can get to their jobs.

2. A short summary

Two or three sentences: what you are, how long you have been in the trade and what you are looking for. For example: “Electrician’s assistant with three years on residential jobs in Pretoria. Studying N2 electrical. Looking for a position where I can work towards my trade test.”

3. Qualifications

List what you have, with dates: matric, N1–N3 or NCV electrical, trade test, registration category with the Department of Employment and Labour, PV GreenCard, first aid or working at heights. Have copies ready to send. Never list a qualification you don’t have; it will be checked.

4. Work experience, with real examples

For each job: the company, your title, the dates, and three to five lines about the work you did yourself. Use numbers and details where you can:

• What kind of sites: houses, complexes, shops, offices, factories
• What you did on your own and what you did under supervision
• Specific jobs: “wired a new kitchen extension”, “ran cables for 12 outdoor lights”, “installed inverter and battery systems with the electrician”
• Tests and tools you can use, such as an insulation tester or earth loop tester

If you are honest that you did something “with the electrician” or “under supervision”, that is fine. Employers respect honesty far more than a CV that falls apart in the interview.

5. Driver’s licence and transport

Say whether you have a driver’s licence and which code. In this trade it matters.

6. References

One or two people who have worked with you on site, such as the electrician you assisted, with their phone numbers. Ask them first.

Keep it short and neat

Two pages is enough. Use a simple layout, clear headings and no spelling mistakes. Save it as a PDF or Word document with your name in the file name, for example “Thabo Mokoena CV.pdf”. A neat CV says a lot about how neat your work is.

When you email your CV

• Put the job in the subject line, for example “CV: electrician’s assistant”.
• Write two or three lines in the email: who you are, what you are looking for and your phone number.
• Attach one file, not ten photos of pages.
• Follow up once after a week or two if you have not heard back. Don’t send the same CV every day.

Your CV is only the start

A strong CV gets you the interview. How you work gets you the job and keeps it. Read our guide on how to be a better worker and grow in the electrical trade, and see the steps to becoming a registered electrician on our electrician jobs in Pretoria page.

Electrician Worx keeps CVs on file for electricians, electrician’s assistants and apprentices in Pretoria and Centurion. Email yours to info@electricianworx.co.za.

Frequently asked questions

What should an electrician put on a CV?

Contact details, a short summary, qualifications with dates, work experience with specific examples of jobs you did yourself, your driver’s licence and one or two references from people you worked with.

Should I list every type of electrical work on my CV?

No. List the work you have actually done, with examples. A long list of services you have only seen makes your CV weaker, not stronger.

How long should an electrician’s CV be?

One to two pages. Keep it neat, clear and easy to read, and save it as a PDF or Word document.

I have no experience yet. What do I put on my CV?

Your studies (N1–N3 or NCV), any practical work at college, related work such as helping a family member or working in a hardware store, and why you want to become an electrician. Be honest about where you are.