Keep it to two pages
Most Zambian employers — from banks in Lusaka to mining companies on the Copperbelt — expect a CV that fits on one to two pages. Recruiters often review dozens of applications for a single vacancy, so a long, unfocused CV works against you. Trim anything older than ten years of experience unless it is directly relevant, and cut down on paragraphs of dense text in favour of short, scannable bullet points.
Lead with a summary, not an objective
A short professional summary — two to three sentences at the top of the page — works far better than an "objective statement." Employers want to know what you can do for them, not what you are looking for. State your role, years of experience, and one or two standout achievements, ideally with a number attached (e.g. "Accounts officer with 4 years experience reconciling multi-currency ledgers for a Lusaka-based SME, reducing month-end close time by 30%").
Section order that works
Zambian recruiters generally expect this order: contact details, professional summary, work experience (most recent first), education, and then skills or certifications. If you are a recent graduate with little work history, move education above experience. Add a "Professional Certifications" section if you hold ZICA, ACCA, PMP, or similar qualifications — these carry real weight with Zambian employers and should not be buried in a generic skills list.
Include the details employers actually check
Always list your NRC-verifiable full name, a working phone number (WhatsApp-reachable numbers are common in Zambia and worth including), and a professional email address. If applying to an international employer or NGO, add your location as "Lusaka, Zambia" rather than a full street address — this is safer and standard practice. Leave out marital status, religion, and a photo unless the employer specifically asks for one; these are becoming less common on modern CVs even though older Zambian CV templates still include them.
Use a template built for this
Formatting a CV from scratch in Word is where most people lose hours and still end up with inconsistent spacing or a document that breaks when opened on another computer. Zed Career gives you 29 ATS-friendly templates designed with this exact structure in mind — pick one, fill in your details with a live preview, and export a polished PDF in minutes.