By the Corvaj team · Updated
Kenyan employers usually expect a clear CV of about two pages with your education, experience and referees. Competition for graduate roles is strong, so a CV tailored to each advert and showing results makes a real difference.
The Kenyan CV at a glance
- Call it a CV. About two pages; a little more is acceptable with long experience.
- A short professional profile at the top.
- Experience and internships in reverse-chronological order.
- Education with your degree or diploma; early in your career, your KCSE grade as well.
- Contact details: name, phone number, email, town, and LinkedIn if you have one.
Referees
Most Kenyan employers expect referees. Two or three, with their title, organisation, phone number and email, is common. Choose people who know your work, and ask them before you list them.
Clearance documents
Some roles, especially in government and the public sector, ask shortlisted candidates for clearance documents, such as a police certificate of good conduct, tax compliance or credit reference clearance. Have them ready, but don’t attach them unless the advert asks.
What to leave out
- Your ID number and KRA PIN, until an employer formally asks.
- A photo, unless the advert asks for one.
- Date of birth, marital status, religion and tribe.
- Every certificate from every short course. Keep the relevant ones.
Tailor it to each job
- Search BrighterMonday, MyJobMag and LinkedIn; public service posts go through the official public service recruitment portals.
- Match the advert’s requirements in your wording, especially qualifications and years of experience.
- Show attachments and internships with what you achieved.
- Keep your clearance documents current if you’re aiming for public sector roles.
Cover letter
Most Kenyan adverts ask for a cover letter (application letter) addressed to the person or office named. Keep it to one page and quote the job reference.
Common mistakes
- One generic CV for every advert.
- Referees with no contact details or who haven’t been asked.
- Errors in names, dates or phone numbers.
- Missing the job reference number in the application.
Sample CV
A fictional example in the local format. Use it as a pattern, not a script.
Brian Otieno
Nairobi · +254 7XX XXX XXX · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/your-name
Professional profile
Procurement graduate with internship and attachment experience in purchasing and stores. Organised, accurate and familiar with public procurement procedures. Seeking a procurement assistant role.
Experience
Procurement Intern, Lakeside Health Services
- Prepared purchase orders and tracked deliveries for 40+ suppliers
- Set up a shared delivery tracker that cut late deliveries by a third
Industrial Attachment, Stores and Procurement, Rift Valley Millers
- Supported monthly stock counts and reconciled stock records
Education
Bachelor of Commerce (Procurement and Supply Chain Management), Second Class Honours (Upper Division)
KCSE: B+
Skills
Tendering and quotations · Purchase orders · Inventory management · Public procurement procedures (PPADA 2015) · Excel
Referees
[Name], Procurement Officer, Lakeside Health Services
[Name], Lecturer, School of Business, Maseno University
Why it works
- Internship and attachment listed with results.
- KCSE grade included, as it’s early in the career.
- No ID number, KRA PIN, photo, tribe or marital status.
- Referees with full contact details, asked first.
Example: turning a duty into a result
Graduate accounts assistant
Before
Did attachment at an accounting firm.
After
During a three-month attachment, reconciled supplier accounts for 40 clients and cleared a two-month backlog of invoices.
An attachment becomes evidence when it shows the work, the scale and the result.
By career stage
- Graduate or first job
- Lead with your degree or diploma, KCSE grade, attachments and internships, each with what you achieved.
- Changing careers
- Use the profile to name the new field, and list relevant short courses and professional exams, such as CPA or CPSP-K papers you’ve passed.
- Experienced
- About two pages, a little more for long careers. Results first; drop KCSE once you have a degree and experience.
CV keywords for ATS
Applicant tracking systems and recruiters search for the skills a posting names. Examples for common roles; use only the ones that are true for you, in the posting’s own words.
- Procurement assistant
- tendering, purchase orders, supplier evaluation, inventory, PPADA 2015
- Accountant
- IFRS, reconciliations, QuickBooks or Sage, KRA iTax, CPA (K)
- Sales representative
- route sales, distributor management, sales targets, customer relationships
Questions
How long should a CV be in Kenya?
About two pages. A little more is fine if you have long experience.
Should I put a photo on my CV in Kenya?
Only if the advert asks for one.
Should I include my ID number and KRA PIN?
No. Give them only when an employer formally asks, usually after shortlisting.
Which clearance documents might I need?
Public sector roles often ask shortlisted candidates for a police certificate of good conduct and clearances such as tax compliance or credit reference. Have them ready, but attach them only when asked.
Do I need referees on my CV?
Most Kenyan employers expect two or three, with their title, organisation, phone number and email.
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