Nkosinathi Mahlangu, Youth Employment Specialist at Momentum Group Foundation
You’ve finally left school or university, and it’s time to get serious about job-hunting.
To increase your chances of landing your dream role, you spend hours building and polishing your CV. You choose a creative-looking template, sure to stand out in the stack. You diligently write – and then rewrite – your personal summary. You agonise over a profile image – to include or not to include? You check your spelling. Finally, you hit “submit” and wait.
And wait.
What many young job seekers don’t realise is that in today’s job market, a human being may not be the first to assess your application. Before your CV lands on a prospective employer or recruiter’s desk, it might first be screened by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or AI-assisted recruitment tool designed to help employers manage hundreds of applications. With youth unemployment remaining stubbornly high and competition for every vacancy fierce, understanding how these systems work could be the difference between getting noticed or getting overlooked.
At the same time, artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for job seekers. Tasks that once required professional CV writers, expensive design software or advanced writing skills can now be completed with the help of easy-to-access AI tools. For many young South Africans – particularly those who may not have English as a first language – AI has helped level the playing field for job-seekers, making it easier to create polished, professional applications.
“AI is changing both sides of the hiring process,” says Nkosinathi Mahlangu, Youth Employment Specialist at Momentum Group Foundation. “Employers are increasingly using tech to sort through job applications and pre-screen candidates, while job seekers now have tools that can help them present their skills more effectively. The key is knowing how to use these tools wisely.”
Mahlangu shares five ways to ensure your CV works for both technology and the people who will ultimately decide whether to hire you.
1. Keep your CV design AI-friendly
When it comes to CV design, simpler is often better for AI-assisted systems. While heavily designed templates may look impressive, some recruitment systems struggle to read information hidden inside text boxes, graphics, icons, tables or multiple columns.
To improve your chances, Mahlangu suggests using clear headings such as Education, Skills, Experience and References, sticking to easy-to-read fonts, and avoiding excessive graphics and decorative elements. Save your document as a PDF or Word document, depending on the employer’s requirements, and make sure your contact details are easy to find.
“If a recruitment system cannot properly read your information, a recruiter may never see it,” he advises.
2. Think of your CV like SEO for your career
Search engines rely on keywords to understand content, and recruitment systems often work in a similar way. If a job advert mentions project management, customer service, data analysis or social media marketing, make sure those skills are reflected accurately in your CV if you genuinely have that experience.
For example, if the job application criteria lists, “customer service experience”, instead of saying, “Helped customers” in your CV, you could say “Provided customer service support.”
“Describe your experience using language employers recognise and actively search for. Also, make sure you avoid sending exactly the same CV to every employer. Small adjustments that align your experience and skills with the requirements of a specific role can significantly improve your chances of progressing to the next stage,” says Mahlangu.
3. Use AI to strengthen your CV – but don’t expect it to tell your story
One of the biggest advantages available to young job seekers today is access to AI-powered tools that can help improve applications. These tools can help you structure your CV professionally, identify transferable skills, improve grammar and tailor cover letters for specific roles. This can be especially helpful to candidates who may struggle with written communication or who lack access to professional career guidance. However, treat AI as an efficient assistant rather than a substitute for your own experiences and perspective, says Mahlangu.
“Create a first draft yourself, and then ask AI to review it for gaps and alignment to the role advertised. Add real examples. Remove any generic phrases that don’t say anything specific – AI loves “filler” if not correctly guided. Make sure you fact-check what it produces, as it can make mistakes. Most importantly, always make sure the final version sounds like you.
“Most employers are looking for people who show critical-thinking skills and this includes using tools like AI to enhance – rather than substitute – their abilities. While a CV that is completely AI-produced may sound perfectly proficient, it will likely also be perfectly forgettable.”
4. Don’t underestimate your experience
One of the most common mistakes young people make is assuming they have nothing valuable to include on their CV because they haven’t held a formal job before. In reality, many experiences demonstrate qualities employers value, such as volunteering, leadership roles at school or college, or having a side hustle. These experiences can showcase initiative, responsibility, teamwork, communication skills and problem-solving ability, which are all qualities employers look for when hiring entry-level candidates, so make sure they’re included.
5. Let technology do some of the heavy lifting
Lean on tools such as Momentum’s Own My CV platform, which uses AI to help people build professional CVs, improve existing applications and generate tailored cover letters that better showcase their skills and experience.
Concludes Mahlangu: “Remember, a strong CV may open the door, but employers are ultimately looking for potential. Use technology to showcase your strengths and tell your story coherently, but don’t forget that your attitude, effort and willingness to learn are often what set you apart.”
ENDS
