Home CV Writing
03 · Career

Professional CV writing,
from the recruiter's side of the table.

Twenty-two people apply for every role. A CV that opens with tenure gets skipped. A CV that opens with capability gets read. There is a difference — and it is learnable. Anchor writes CVs for mid-career and senior professionals, delivered remotely to clients in South Africa and worldwide.

22
professionals competing for every single role in today's market.
7 sec
average time a recruiter spends on a CV before deciding yes or no.
75%
of CVs are filtered out by ATS software before a human ever reads them.
22
years working inside the industries your CV needs to speak to. Not from the outside.

A CV built to compete.
Every element counts.

01

Professional summary

Capability-first. Three to four lines that tell a recruiter exactly what you deliver — before they read a single role. Not a career objective. Not a personal statement. A positioning statement.

02

Achievement-led experience

Every role rewritten using the STAR framework. What you did, the action you took, and the result you produced. Numbers where they exist. Impact where they don't.

03

ATS keyword optimisation

75% of CVs are filtered before a human reads them. We identify the keywords your target roles require and build them into your CV naturally — so you clear the filter and impress the reader.

04

Clean, professional formatting

ATS-safe layout. No tables, no graphics, no text boxes that break automated parsing. Delivered as a Word document you can edit and a PDF you can submit immediately.

05

Skills and competencies

Curated to match the roles you are targeting. Organised by category. Positioned to pass keyword filters without looking like a list written for a machine.

06

Cover letter template

Included in the Standard and Premium packages. A flexible template in your voice — adaptable to any role without starting from scratch every time.

Three options.
One outcome.

STAND OUT
Essential
The core rewrite that transforms a list of responsibilities into a document that competes.
$185
R3,050
  • Professional summary rewrite
  • Experience section — achievement-led rewrite
  • ATS keyword strategy
  • Skills section curated
  • Word + PDF delivered
  • Delivery in 3 business days
COMPLETE
Authority
Full CV, cover letter, LinkedIn alignment and a strategy session — built for a serious career move.
$475
R7,800
  • Everything in COMPETE
  • 30-minute strategy session (video call)
  • Full LinkedIn profile alignment
  • Job search targeting brief
  • Two rounds of revisions
  • Delivery in 5 business days
SEPARATE PACKAGE — NOT PART OF THE ABOVE THREE
Student CV Package

For first-time job seekers and university students with limited or no formal work history.

  • Short intake questionnaire
  • One full draft
  • One round of revisions
  • 3-business-day delivery

Not included: not for CVs involving full-time professional work history or career transitions; no LinkedIn work bundled; no cover letter; single revision round only (not the two rounds included in the standard CV Writing service above).

Already have full-time work experience or navigating a career change? Use the standard CV Writing service above instead →

R500
ZAR only — no USD equivalent

You send what
you have.

No templates to fill in. No lengthy questionnaires. Send me your current CV and tell me the kinds of roles you are targeting. I take it from there.

You receive a fully rewritten document — ready to submit, with a short note explaining every decision made.

01

Submit the enquiry form below

Tell me which package interests you, what roles you are targeting, and attach or paste your current CV. That's all I need to start.

02

I review and confirm

I'll confirm receipt within one business day and let you know if I have any clarifying questions before I begin writing.

03

I write — you review

You receive a fully rewritten CV as a Word document and PDF, with a brief explanation of the positioning decisions behind the key changes.

04

You apply with confidence

Submit to roles knowing your CV is working as hard as you do. Revisions included — we keep going until it's right.

You paid an expert and got back something you could have written yourself. That is the core wound Anchor exists to fix.

Recruiter-side knowledge

22 years working inside professional environments — understanding exactly what hiring managers look for and what makes them stop reading.

CELTA-Certified writing

Every word chosen for precision and clarity. Not impressive-sounding language — language that communicates and converts.

Ready when
you are.

Fill in the form and I'll be in touch within one business day. No obligation — if you have questions before committing, ask them here.

Free 30-minute session includes:
An honest review of your current CV
The single biggest change that will improve your results
A clear next step — with or without Anchor

I respond within one business day. Your information is never shared with third parties.

Enquiry received.

Thank you — I'll be in touch within one business day. Check your spam folder if you don't hear from me.

What people
usually ask.

Any question not answered here — include it in the enquiry form and I'll address it directly.

Do I need to send you my existing CV?
Yes — it gives me the raw material: your history, your roles, your achievements. Even if your current CV is very basic, it tells me what I need to know. If you don't have one at all, tell me in the form and we'll work from scratch.
What format will I receive the CV in?
Word document (.docx) and PDF. The Word version is yours to edit as your career develops. The PDF is ready to attach to applications immediately. Both are ATS-safe — no tables, no graphics, no formatting that breaks automated parsing.
Does this work for international applications?
Yes. CV conventions vary by country and I'll ask you where you're applying. UK, European, North American, and Gulf market formats all have different norms — I work to the standard expected in your target market.
How long does delivery take?
Essential and Complete packages are delivered within 3 business days of receiving your current CV and payment. The Authority package, which includes a strategy session, takes up to 5 business days. Urgent turnaround is available — mention it in the form.
What if I want changes after delivery?
Every package includes at least one round of revisions. I explain every decision in the delivery note, so if something doesn't feel right, we discuss it and I revise. The goal is a document you're confident to submit — not one I think sounds impressive.
How much does professional CV writing cost?
CV writing starts at $185 (about R3,050) for the Essential package, and $325 (about R5,350) for Complete, which adds an adaptable cover letter template. Pricing is per CV, not per hour, and is confirmed before any work starts.
Where are you based, and can you write my CV if I'm not local?
Anchor is based in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape, South Africa. Every CV is written and delivered remotely, so where you are makes no difference to the service — clients are based across South Africa and internationally. If you are local, see CV writing in Gqeberha and Port Elizabeth.

CV writing, wherever you are applying.

Every CV is written and delivered remotely, which means location changes nothing about the quality of the work — only the market conventions the CV is written to.

CV writing in Gqeberha & Port Elizabeth

Anchor is based in Gqeberha, and works with professionals across the Eastern Cape — automotive, logistics, manufacturing, and the public sector. See local CV writing.

CV writing across South Africa

Clients in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria are worked with in exactly the same way — a short brief, your existing CV, and a written-from-scratch rewrite returned in three business days.

International & global applications

CV conventions differ by market. UK, EU, North American, and Gulf applications each have their own norms around length, personal detail, and structure. Tell me where you are applying and the CV is written to that standard.

Not ready to commit yet?

Start free: see why AI-generated CVs are being rejected at record rates, or test what specific, personal positioning sounds like with the free Headline Generator:

Also offered: LinkedIn profile optimisation  ·  LinkedIn content writing