How to Write a CV That Gets You Interviews in Kenya (2025 Guide)

In Kenya’s competitive job market, your CV is often the first impression you make on an employer. Recruiters may spend less than 30 seconds scanning it before deciding whether to shortlist you or move on. That means how you structure, write, and present your CV in 2025 can determine if you get called for interviews or not.

This guide breaks down practical steps for How to Write a CV That Gets You Interviews..

1. Start with the Right Format

Your CV should be clear, simple, and professional. Use a clean font like Arial or Calibri, size 11 or 12, and keep your CV ideally 1–2 pages long.

A Kenyan recruiter reviewing hundreds of applications is unlikely to read a lengthy CV. Instead, focus on presenting your strongest achievements up front.

2. Include Essential Sections

A strong CV in Kenya should have these key parts:

Personal Information: Full name, phone number, professional email, and location (town/city is enough). Avoid unnecessary details like religion, marital status, or ID number unless explicitly requested.
Professional Summary: A short 3–4 sentence section highlighting your skills, experience, and career goals. Think of this as your “elevator pitch.”
Work Experience: List jobs starting with the most recent. Use bullet points to show what you achieved, not just tasks. For example: “Increased sales by 20% in six months through targeted campaigns.”
Education: Include your highest qualifications, relevant courses, and professional certifications.
Skills: Both technical (e.g., coding, accounting software) and soft skills (e.g., communication, teamwork).
References: Add “Available upon request” unless a job ad asks for them.

3. Customize for Each Job Application

Many Kenyan job seekers send the same CV everywhere — this is a mistake. Employers can easily tell when a CV isn’t tailored to the role.

Highlight keywords from the job description.
Reorder your skills so the most relevant ones appear first.
Adjust your professional summary to match the employer’s needs.

This extra effort significantly improves your chances of being shortlisted.

4. Showcase Achievements, Not Just Duties

Employers want results, not job descriptions. Instead of writing “Responsible for managing a sales team,” say:
“Led a sales team of 10 and grew annual revenue by KSh 15M.”

Concrete numbers and examples show real value.

5. Pay Attention to Design and Presentation

Keep plenty of white space to make the CV easy to read.
Use consistent formatting for headings and dates.
Save your CV as a PDF before sending to maintain the layout.

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Spelling and grammar errors.
Using an unprofessional email address.
Adding irrelevant experiences (like primary school details).
Making the CV too long.

7. Use Tools and Resources to Improve Your CV

Today, job seekers in Kenya have access to powerful online tools to build and improve their CVs. For instance, platforms like Opportunee not only share daily job opportunities but also guide candidates on CV writing, interview preparation, and career growth. Leveraging such resources can give you an edge in the job market.