Kenyan Jobs. How To Beat Competition.

It’s the wish of every Kenyan job seeker that an employer will call them for an interview each time they make an application.

However, the reality is different. Many Kenyans looking for their first job or to change careers complain of making endless job applications and especially online and not hearing back from potential employers.

Considering how competitive the Kenyan job market is, what can you do as a candidate to make sure that you increase the odds of being invited for an interview.

I have picked a few winning tricks from candidates who have made it through the rough Kenyan job market.

1. Pay attention to advertised jobs title. A candidate who gets called for 7 out of ten job applications told me that they always change their title on the CV to reflect what the employer is looking for. So, if the employer has advertised for a personal assistant/office admin, then you indicate that as your current job title. HR managers can advice on how ethical this is.

2. Apply As Soon As Possible. My contact at a leading recruitment agency in Kenya informs me that as soon as they post an advert online, they are likely to identify a candidate from the first two hundred applicants. Chances of them going through all the applications are slim. It helps to have your CV at the top 100. This means  that you have to apply for the listed Kenyan jobs vacancies as soon as possible.

3. Do Not Attach Certificates. A common problem with fresh graduates and those inexperienced. Unless asked, do not attach certificates or a portfolio. Certificates makes your email bulky and hard to download. Chances of your email being deleted are high especially where your email is slowing down the server. That is why you are seeing many Kenyan employers opt for gmails as application emails

4. Follow Instructions. Sounds easy but many Kenyan job-seekers ignore or simply refuse to follow instructions. If you are asked for expected salary, please indicate. If the employer requests for tangible evidence of your experience, make sure you outline clearly either in the CV or cover letter.

5. Presentation. Faced with  hundreds of  emails to shortlist, you do not want to make ‘stupid’ mistakes that will make the recruiter ignore you. Alot of Kenyan job seekers are not presentable in their job applications. How do ensure that you come out as a presentable candidate. A few things to pay attention to include, proper email subject i.e Application for Tax Accountant Job as opposed to job application or no subject at all . In the body of the email dont just indicate….please find attached. You can either have a paragraph showing why your the best candidate or copy paste the content of your cover letter.

Many Kenyan job seekers applying for the latest Jobs in Kenya end up in the reject list for mistakes of their own making.

Start paying attention to the above tips and gradually you will see an improvement in your success rate.

Do you have any tips to add? Leave a comment below.