Finding work is difficult enough without worrying that your informal experience “doesn’t count”. If you have worked as a casual shop assistant, babysitter, cleaner, gardener, freelancer, driver, domestic worker or street vendor, you already have skills employers may value.
The key is to describe your work professionally. A strong CV without formal employment can show reliability, customer service, problem-solving, time management and practical experience—even if you were paid in cash or worked without a permanent contract.
Does informal work belong on your CV?
Yes. Informal work belongs on your CV when it helped you develop useful skills or complete real responsibilities.
Employers are usually interested in what you can do, not only whether your previous job came with a formal payslip. Your experience may have involved serving customers, managing money, working under pressure, meeting deadlines or solving everyday problems.
Examples of informal work include:
- Casual work at a shop, restaurant or market
- Domestic work, cleaning or gardening
- Babysitting or caring for children
- Selling products from home or in your community
- Freelance design, writing, photography or social media work
- Hairdressing, sewing, catering or baking for customers
- Building, painting, plumbing or electrical assistance
- Delivery work or driving for private clients
- Tutoring learners or helping students with schoolwork
- Volunteer work, community projects or church activities
Key takeaway: Do not leave valuable experience off your CV simply because the work was informal. Present it honestly, clearly and in a way that connects with the job you want.
Start with a strong personal profile
Your personal profile is the short paragraph near the top of your CV. It should quickly explain who you are, what you can do and what type of role you want.
Avoid writing, “I have no experience.” Instead, focus on your practical background and strengths.
Personal profile example for retail work
Reliable and customer-focused worker with experience assisting customers, handling cash, organising stock and supporting daily operations through casual retail and market work. Known for being punctual, hardworking and comfortable working in busy environments. Seeking an entry-level retail, cashier or customer service position in South Africa.
Personal profile example for domestic work
Dependable and detail-oriented domestic worker with experience cleaning homes, managing household tasks and caring for children. Strong time-management, communication and problem-solving skills, with a reputation for honesty and consistency. Seeking a housekeeping, cleaning or care-related opportunity.
Personal profile example for freelance work
Self-motivated freelance worker with experience completing client projects, communicating requirements and meeting deadlines. Skilled in basic graphic design, social media support and online research. Seeking a junior administrative, digital or remote support role.
Keep your profile to three or four sentences. Tailor it to each vacancy by using relevant words from the job advertisement.
Choose the right CV structure
A standard chronological CV can work well if your informal jobs have clear dates. If your experience is varied, a skills-based CV format may present you more effectively.
Chronological CV
Use this format when:
- You have several jobs with clear dates
- Your experience relates directly to the role
- You want to show steady work activity
- You can describe each position with responsibilities and results
Skills-based CV
Use this format when:
- You worked for several clients or employers
- Your work was irregular or seasonal
- You have gaps between jobs
- You want to highlight abilities before job titles
- Your experience includes freelance, unpaid or community work
You can also combine both formats. Start with a personal profile and key skills, then include a practical experience section underneath.
How to list casual jobs professionally
You do not need to call yourself “just a casual worker”. Use an accurate, professional title that explains the work.
For example:
| Informal experience | Professional CV title |
|---|---|
| Selling clothing at a market | Independent Retail Seller |
| Cleaning homes | Domestic Cleaner |
| Looking after children | Childcare Assistant |
| Helping at a family shop | Retail Assistant |
| Making cakes for customers | Freelance Baker |
| Doing social media posts for a small business | Freelance Social Media Assistant |
| Painting homes for private clients | Casual Painter |
| Helping learners with homework | Private Tutor |
| Working at events | Events Support Assistant |
Do not exaggerate your title. If you worked independently, use labels such as Freelance, Independent, Self-employed or Casual.
Example of a strong experience entry
Independent Retail Seller
Johannesburg, Gauteng | March 2023–Present
- Sold clothing and accessories to customers at weekend markets and through WhatsApp.
- Managed product enquiries, pricing, payments and customer collections.
- Kept simple sales records and monitored stock levels.
- Built repeat business through friendly service and reliable communication.
- Adjusted product selection based on customer demand and seasonal trends.
This is much stronger than writing:
Sold clothes at markets.
The improved version shows customer service, sales, administration, stock control and business awareness.
For more examples, see how to turn temporary, casual and contract work into strong CV experience.
Turn everyday tasks into transferable skills
Transferable skills are abilities you can use in different jobs. Informal work often develops these skills naturally, even when you have not received formal training.
Customer service
If you dealt with customers, you may have:
- Answered questions
- Handled complaints
- Recommended products
- Taken orders
- Followed up with clients
- Built repeat business
Organisation and time management
If you worked for several clients or managed your own tasks, you may have:
- Scheduled appointments
- Planned routes or deliveries
- Prioritised urgent work
- Completed tasks by agreed deadlines
- Managed multiple customers at once
Money handling
If you sold goods or provided services, you may have:
- Accepted cash or electronic payments
- Calculated change
- Prepared quotes
- Recorded income and expenses
- Managed stock purchases
Communication
Informal work can demonstrate communication through:
- WhatsApp customer support
- Explaining services and prices
- Giving instructions
- Negotiating with suppliers
- Reporting progress to clients
Problem-solving
You may have solved problems such as:
- Finding replacement materials
- Handling a difficult customer
- Completing work with limited equipment
- Managing last-minute changes
- Fixing errors before delivery
If you are unsure which skills to include, use this step-by-step guide to identifying transferable skills when changing careers.
Use results, numbers and evidence
Specific details make informal experience more credible. You do not need perfect business records, but include honest figures where you can.
Compare these two descriptions:
- Helped customers and sold products.
- Served approximately 20 customers each market day, processed cash and electronic payments, and maintained stock records.
The second statement gives an employer a clearer picture of your responsibilities.
Useful details may include:
- Number of customers served
- Number of children cared for
- Homes cleaned per week
- Average orders completed
- Number of social media posts created
- Value of sales managed
- Number of clients supported
- Time taken to complete projects
Do not invent statistics. If you are uncertain, use careful wording such as “approximately”, “up to” or “regularly”.
Include freelance, volunteer and unpaid experience
Unpaid work can be included when it demonstrates skills relevant to the vacancy. This may include helping at a school, assisting a community organisation, organising church events or supporting a family business.
Create a separate section if the experience is substantial:
Volunteer experience example
Community Food Distribution Volunteer
Local Community Organisation | January 2024–June 2024
- Packed and distributed food parcels to community members.
- Assisted with registration and maintained basic distribution records.
- Worked with volunteers to organise queues and manage collection times.
- Communicated respectfully with people from different backgrounds.
You can also include unpaid work under Relevant Experience if it connects directly to the job. For example, helping a family member with bookkeeping may support an application for an administrative role.
Explain employment gaps without overexplaining
Informal work often creates a CV that does not look like a continuous full-time employment history. That is not automatically a problem.
Use a simple, honest explanation if a gap may raise questions:
- 2022–2023: Freelance and casual work while seeking permanent employment
- 2021–2022: Family responsibilities and part-time domestic work
- 2020–2021: Independent sales and short-term contract work
- 2023: Skills development, job searching and community volunteering
You do not need to describe private family circumstances in detail. Keep the explanation professional and focus on what you were doing during that period.
Add education, short courses and practical skills
Your education section does not need to be extensive. Include your highest school grade, certificates, learnerships and relevant short courses.
You might list:
- National Senior Certificate or highest grade completed
- First aid certificate
- Food safety training
- Computer literacy course
- Customer service training
- Driver’s licence, if relevant
- Occupational health and safety training
- Digital marketing or social media course
- Trade-related experience or practical training
Also include technical skills honestly:
- Microsoft Word
- Google Docs
- WhatsApp Business
- Excel or basic spreadsheets
- Social media platforms
- Point-of-sale systems
- Canva
- Email and online applications
If you are applying for your first formal role after training, this guide on getting your first job after a learnership may help you connect your training to your CV.
Include references when they can verify your work
A former informal client, supervisor, community leader or long-term customer may be able to confirm your reliability.
Ask permission before listing anyone. Include:
- Full name
- Job title or relationship to you
- Organisation, business or community group
- Telephone number
- Email address, if available
If you do not yet have formal references, read this guide on building credible referees for your first job application.
Never create a fake reference. A genuine person who can confirm your work is more valuable than an impressive-sounding contact who knows nothing about your responsibilities.
Avoid these common CV mistakes
A CV with informal experience can be strong, but presentation matters.
Avoid:
- Writing “I have no experience” at the top
- Listing every casual task without explaining skills
- Using vague phrases such as “did everything”
- Claiming qualifications you have not completed
- Using unprofessional email addresses
- Including personal information that is not needed
- Sending the same CV for every job
- Making the CV longer than necessary
- Giving false job titles or invented statistics
- Including references without asking permission
Use a professional email address, clear headings and consistent dates. Save the document as a PDF with a filename such as Name-Surname-CV.pdf, unless the employer requests another format.
A simple CV layout you can follow
Use this structure for most entry-level applications:
- Full name and contact details
- Professional profile
- Key skills
- Relevant work experience
- Volunteer or community experience
- Education and training
- References
Aim for one or two pages. Put the most relevant experience near the top, especially when applying for customer service, retail, hospitality, administration, cleaning, delivery or remote support roles.
Before sending it, compare your CV with the vacancy. If the advert asks for stock control, customer service and computer skills, make sure those abilities are easy to find in your profile, skills section and experience bullets.
Final checklist before you apply
Your CV is ready when:
- Your informal work has professional, accurate descriptions
- Your strongest transferable skills are easy to see
- Your personal profile matches the job
- Your dates are consistent and honest
- Your contact details are correct
- Your spelling and formatting have been checked
- Your references have given permission
- Your file is saved with a professional name
- You have removed irrelevant information
The main lesson is simple: informal work is still work. When you describe the responsibilities, skills and results clearly, your CV can show employers that you are capable, dependable and ready to contribute in a formal role.