CV Template for Ghana: What to Include and How to Present It
Most of what makes a good CV is the same everywhere. But there are a few details that come up often for job seekers in Ghana — national service, referees, phone numbers and which personal details to include. Here's how to handle them.
A recommended structure
- Name, phone, email, town or city, LinkedIn (optional)
- Professional summary
- Work experience (including national service)
- Education
- Skills
- Certifications and professional bodies
- Languages
- References
Recent graduates can move education above work experience. The Graduate template does this for you.
Contact details
- Write your phone number in international format: +233 24 123 4567. It is clear to local employers and works if you apply abroad.
- If you use more than one number, list the one you answer most reliably. One number is usually enough.
- Your town and region (for example Tamale, Northern Region) is enough. A digital address or house number is not normally needed on a CV.
Personal details: what to leave out
Older CV formats used in Ghana often include a “Personal Data” section with date of birth, marital status, hometown, religion, number of children or a photo. These details don't show whether you can do the job, and many employers don't expect them.
Leave them out unless the job advert or application form asks for them. Never put your Ghana Card number, passport number or other ID numbers on a CV you send widely — those belong on official forms only.
National service
National service is real work experience, and for many graduates it is the most relevant job they have had. List it under Work Experience like any other role:
- Title: “National Service Personnel – Accounts Assistant” (use the role you actually did)
- Organisation: where you were posted
- Dates: start and end month
- Bullets: the tasks you did and anything you improved
Education and exam results
List your degree, HND or diploma with the institution and years. Include your class of degree if it helps you. For senior high school, WASSCE is useful to include if you are a student or recent graduate, or if the job asks for it; experienced professionals usually leave it out to save space.
Professional bodies and certifications
If you belong to a professional body or hold a licence — for example in accounting, nursing, teaching, engineering or law — list it with your membership level or licence status. Be exact: write “in progress” or the level reached if you haven't finished.
Languages
Include Ghanaian languages as well as English and any foreign languages. Being able to speak Twi, Ga, Ewe, Dagbani, Hausa, Fante or another language can matter for customer-facing, field and community roles.
References
Many Ghanaian employers ask for referees. If the advert asks for two or three referees, list them with their name, position, organisation and phone number or email. Otherwise, “References available on request” is fine and saves space. Always ask your referees first and let them know which jobs you've applied for.
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Public sector and formal recruitment
Recruitment into public institutions and some large organisations often uses its own application forms, portals or document checklists. Where that is the case, follow the official instructions exactly and treat your CV as a supporting document. Requirements differ between organisations and change over time, so always check the current advert.
Applying abroad
If you are applying outside Ghana, the same structure works well. Remove personal details entirely, keep your phone number in +233 format, and check whether the country expects a one-to-two-page CV (common in the UK and Europe) or a résumé (common in the US and Canada).
Related resources
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