Applications for national and provincial public service jobs need a completed Z83 form and a detailed CV. Selection panels shortlist against the requirements in the advert, so your CV needs to show clearly that you meet each one.
What “detailed” means
- Exact dates: start and end month and year for every job, with no unexplained gaps.
- Job title and level: your title, and your salary level or rank if you work in government.
- Duties and results: what you did in each job, written so it matches the duties in the advert.
- Qualifications: each qualification with the institution, year and NQF level where you know it.
- References: at least two contactable references, ideally recent supervisors, with their phone numbers and email addresses, listed with their permission.
Match the advert
Government adverts list the requirements, the competencies and the duties of the post. Use the same words in your CV where they are true, for example “PERSAL” or “supply chain management”, and make sure your Z83 and CV give the same dates and job titles.
What to send
Send the completed and signed Z83 and your CV, plus any copies of documents the advert asks for. In 2022 the Department of Public Service and Administration told departments to ask for certified copies of qualifications only from shortlisted candidates, so follow the advert’s instructions exactly. Apply separately for each post, quoting the reference number.