Nairobi is East Africa’s biggest job market, with regional headquarters, the UN, NGOs, banks and a busy tech and startup scene. It is also competitive, and many jobs are filled through contacts before they are advertised.

Where jobs are advertised

  • LinkedIn - the main channel for professional, NGO and corporate jobs.
  • Kenyan job boards such as BrighterMonday, Fuzu and MyJobMag.
  • Company and organisation websites, especially banks, NGOs and multinationals, which often advertise only on their own careers pages.
  • The UN - UN agencies in Gigiri advertise on their own careers sites.
  • Government jobs - through the Public Service Commission and county public service boards.
  • Your network. Tell people you are looking. Referrals carry a lot of weight.

The documents employers ask for

Have these ready as PDFs:

  • CV and academic certificates
  • National ID or passport
  • KRA PIN certificate
  • Good conduct certificate
  • NSSF and SHA numbers, once you have them
  • For some sectors, a clearance from the Higher Education Loans Board or the credit reference bureaus

CVs and interviews

  • Keep the CV to two pages, with the most recent job first and achievements rather than duties.
  • Referees matter. Two or three, with phone numbers, who have agreed to be called.
  • Interviews are often in panels, sometimes with a written or practical test. Arrive early and allow for traffic.

Salary

Offers are usually quoted as a gross monthly figure. Work out what you will actually take home with the salary calculator, and check the split between basic pay and allowances before you accept. See the employment contract checklist.

Job scams

  • Never pay to get a job. Requests for “processing”, “medical” or “training” fees are the most common scam.
  • Be wary of offers that come without an interview, or overseas jobs promised through an agency that is not licensed by the National Employment Authority.
  • Check the email domain and call the organisation on a number from its own website.

Working as a foreigner

Employers must apply for a Class D work permit, and have to show the job cannot readily be filled by a Kenyan. Do not start work before it is issued. See Moving to Nairobi.

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