Best CV Format for Nigerian Secondary School Leavers and OND Graduates (2026 Guide & Templates)
Best CV Format for Nigerian Secondary School Leavers and OND Graduates. Get readymade ATS-friendly 2026 templates to secure your first job. All you need do is to check and edit the template to match your details, qualifications and experience.
Best CV Format for Nigerian Secondary School Leavers and OND Graduates
​As a fresh graduate who is just out of school, getting your first job in Nigeria can feel like a very difficult task, especially when you just leave secondary school or have just completed your Ordinary National Diploma (OND).
The real truth is that sometimes you might be wondering, “How do I write a CV when I don’t have years of work experience?” The truth is, employers hiring secondary school leavers (WAEC/NECO holders) and OND graduates are not looking for ten years of corporate experience. Instead, they are looking for potential, willingness to learn, basic soft skills, and a properly formatted Curriculum Vitae (CV).
We have seen lots of secondary school leavers and OND graduates going about with envelopes and CV in search of jobs. At the end, they get disqualified.
​In 2026, the Nigerian job market is highly competitive, and many companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter applications before a human even sees them. If your CV is cluttered, poorly formatted, or lacks the right keywords, it will be rejected instantly.
​In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the exact CV format for Nigerian secondary school leavers and OND graduates. We will also provide you with practical templates, expert HR tips, and the exact skills you need to highlight to secure entry-level jobs, internships, or your Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) placement.
​Why Your Entry-Level CV Matters
​Many O’Level and ND holders make the mistake of using outdated, generic CV formats bought from local cyber cafes. These “one-size-fits-all” documents often contain irrelevant hobbies like “reading and traveling” and lack a clear career objective.
​A well-crafted CV does three things for you:
- ​It highlights your education: It puts your highest qualifications (like your OND in Accountancy or your WAEC certificate) front and center.
- ​It showcases your transferable skills: It proves you have basic computer literacy, communication skills, or leadership experience from school.
- ​It beats the ATS bots: It uses standard headings that recruitment software can easily read and categorize.
​Step-by-Step Guide to Formatting Your CV
​Whether you are applying for a role as a sales representative, an administrative assistant, a customer service agent, or an IT intern, your CV must follow a logical, professional structure.
​Here is the standard, ATS-friendly CV format you should use in 2026:
​1. Contact Information
​This should be at the very top of your CV. Keep it simple and strictly professional.
- ​Full Name: Write your name clearly (e.g., Emeka John Doe). Avoid using nicknames.
- ​Phone Number: Ensure it is an active Nigerian number.
- ​Email Address: Create a professional email address (e.g., emeka.doe@gmail.com). Do not use unprofessional emails like sexyemeka2026@yahoo.com.
- ​Location: You only need your city and state (e.g., Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, or Ikeja, Lagos). Full residential addresses are no longer necessary for security and bias reasons.
- ​LinkedIn Profile: (Optional but recommended) If you have a well-set-up LinkedIn profile, include the link here.
​Expert HR Tip: Never include your age, religion, marital status, or state of origin on your CV unless the job advert explicitly asks for it. These details are outdated and can lead to unconscious bias during the hiring process.
​2. Professional Summary or Career Objective
​Since you have little to no work experience, a Career Objective is your best tool. This is a 3-4 line paragraph at the top of your CV that tells the employer who you are, what skills you bring, and what you hope to achieve in their company.
​Bad Example: “I am looking for a job to make money and help my family while I wait for university admission.” (This offers no value to the employer).
​Good Example (For an SSCE Leaver): “Highly motivated and detail-oriented secondary school graduate with a strong foundation in mathematics and basic computer operations. Eager to leverage my excellent communication skills and willingness to learn in an entry-level customer service role at [Company Name].”
​Good Example (For an OND Graduate): “Dedicated OND graduate in Business Administration with hands-on experience in record-keeping and team collaboration gained during my SIWES attachment. Seeking to contribute my organizational skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite to a dynamic administrative team.”
​3. Education
​As a secondary school leaver or OND holder, your education is your biggest selling point. List your educational background in reverse chronological order (most recent first).
​For OND Graduates:
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- ​Institution: Name of your Polytechnic or College of Technology.
- ​Degree: Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in [Your Course].
- ​Grade: (Optional: Only include if it is Upper Credit or Distinction).
- ​Dates: Year of entry – Year of graduation.
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​For Secondary School Leavers:
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- ​Institution: Name of your Secondary School.
- ​Qualification: Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC/NECO).
- ​Dates: Year of entry – Year of graduation.
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​4. Relevant Skills
​Employers want to know what you can do. Divide this section into Hard Skills (technical abilities) and Soft Skills (personal attributes).
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- ​Hard Skills: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Data Entry, File Management, Basic Graphic Design (Canva), Social Media Management.
- ​Soft Skills: Active Listening, Verbal and Written Communication, Time Management, Problem-Solving, Teamwork, Adaptability.
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​Expert HR Tip: Always tailor your skills to the specific job you are applying for. If you are applying for a clerical job, highlight your typing speed and knowledge of MS Word. If you are applying for a sales job, highlight your persuasion and communication skills.
​5. Work Experience / Volunteering / SIWES
​You might think you have no experience, but experience doesn’t just mean paid corporate jobs.
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- ​For OND Graduates: This is where you put your SIWES (Industrial Training) experience. Detail the tasks you performed. Did you assist with filing? Did you attend to customers? Did you help manage inventory? Use bullet points starting with action verbs (e.g., Managed, Assisted, Created, Organized).
- ​For SSCE Leavers: Include any holiday jobs, assisting in a family business, volunteering at your local church/mosque, or leadership roles you held in school (e.g., Library Prefect, Debate Club President).
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​Example of framing informal experience:
Sales Assistant (Family Business) | Jan 2024 – Present
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- ​Assisted in managing daily shop inventory and organizing stock, reducing physical clutter by 20%.
- ​Handled customer inquiries and processed cash transactions accurately.
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​6. Certifications and Training (If Applicable)
​Have you taken any short courses online? Platforms like Coursera, Alison, or Google offer free courses that can massively boost your CV. If you have a certificate in Digital Marketing, Customer Service, or Health and Safety (HSE), list it here.
​For excellent, free entry-level courses to add to this section, you can explore the Google Digital Skills for Africa platform. Adding a digital marketing or data basics certificate from a recognized body makes you stand out immediately.
​7. Referees
​In 2026, the standard practice is to simply write: “Available upon request.” However, if an employer insists on referees, use people who can vouch for your character and work ethic. This could be a former teacher, your SIWES supervisor, or a community leader. Do not use your parents or siblings as referees.
​Free CV Templates for Nigerian Youths (2026)
​To make things easier, here are two simple text-based templates you can copy, paste into Microsoft Word or Google Docs, and fill out.
​Template 1: For Secondary School Leavers (SSCE/WAEC)
​[YOUR FULL NAME]
[City, State] | [Phone Number] | [Professional Email Address]
​CAREER OBJECTIVE
Enthusiastic and fast-learning secondary school graduate seeking an entry-level position as a [Job Title you are applying for]. Bringing strong communication skills, basic computer literacy, and a high level of dedication. Eager to contribute to team success while gaining practical workplace experience.
​EDUCATION
Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE)
[Name of Secondary School], [Location]
[Year Started] – [Year Graduated]
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- ​Key Achievement: Served as the Assistant Head Prefect, managing student assemblies and organizing inter-house sports events.
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​SKILLS
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- ​Technical: Basic computer operations, Internet research, Microsoft Word.
- ​Soft Skills: Team collaboration, punctuality, strong written and spoken English, customer interaction.
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​EXPERIENCE
Volunteer / Assistant [Name of Organization or Business], [Location] | [Month, Year] – [Month, Year]
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- ​Assisted in organizing files and keeping the workspace clean and safe.
- ​Welcomed guests and directed them to the appropriate departments.
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​REFEREES
Available upon request.
​Template 2: For OND Graduates
​[YOUR FULL NAME]
[City, State] | [Phone Number] | [Professional Email Address] | [LinkedIn URL – Optional]
​PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Detail-oriented OND graduate in [Your Course of Study] with practical experience in [mention a skill from your IT, e.g., data entry, customer service] gained during industrial training. Adept at using [mention a tool, e.g., MS Excel, accounting software]. Seeking to leverage my academic background and organizational skills to add value to the [Department Name] team at [Company Name].
​EDUCATION
Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in [Your Course]
[Name of Polytechnic/College], [Location]
[Year Started] – [Year Graduated]
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- ​Grade: Upper Credit (Optional)
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​PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
SIWES Intern
[Name of Company], [Location] | [Month, Year] – [Month, Year]
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- ​Assisted the department head in drafting weekly reports and organizing physical documents.
- ​Handled incoming phone calls and resolved basic client inquiries, improving customer satisfaction.
- ​Collaborated with a team of 4 to input daily sales data into Microsoft Excel with 100% accuracy.
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​SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
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- ​Core Competencies: Office Administration, Record Keeping, Customer Relationship Management.
- ​Tools: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Workspace.
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​CERTIFICATIONS
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- ​Certificate in Fundamentals of Digital Marketing – Google (2025)
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​REFEREES
Available upon request.
​Common CV Mistakes to Avoid
​Before you save your CV as a PDF and send it off, double-check that you haven’t made these critical errors:
​Grammatical Errors and Typos: Nothing disqualifies an entry-level candidate faster than spelling mistakes. It shows a lack of attention to detail. Always use tools like Grammarly, or ask a mentor to proofread your CV.
​Using a Complex Layout: Do not use CV formats with too many colors, graphics, or columns. As an SEO and HR expert, I can confirm that Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) struggle to read complex designs. Stick to clean, black-and-white text formats like the templates provided above.
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- ​Lying About Your Skills: Never claim you know how to use software like Excel or QuickBooks if you don’t. Employers often give practical tests during interviews.
- ​Saving the File Incorrectly: Never send your CV as a Microsoft Word document (.docx) unless explicitly asked to. Word documents can lose their formatting when opened on a different computer. Always save and send your CV as a PDF file (e.g., Iniobong_Okon_CV.pdf).
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​Conclusion
​Writing a CV as a secondary school leaver or an OND graduate in Nigeria does not require you to invent experiences you do not have. By focusing on your educational background, transferable skills, industrial training, and eagerness to learn, you can create a compelling document that catches the eye of recruiters.
​Use the templates provided above, optimize your document with the right keywords for the job you want, and start submitting your applications with confidence. Welcome to the professional world!
​For more expert tips on acing your next interview, managing your career trajectory, and ATS-friendly documentation, keep exploring the Career Hub right here on Eazysaves.
Thank you reading.
Iniobong is the Founders of EazySaves and a seasoned Career Consultant with over 4 years of experience in Virtual HR Management. Holding an M.A. and B.A. in Linguistics, Iniobong combines his deep understanding of structured communication with SEO expertise to provide Nigerians with clear, actionable advice on career growth and financial literacy. He is dedicated to helping young professionals navigate the digital economy with ease.
The co-founder is Anietie Asuquo
