CV Writing in Kenya: How to Make Your CV More Clear to Recruiters

Areas to focus on when CV Writing in Kenya

Time and again we have mentioned that recruiters spend very little time with a CV and that’s why without a professional CV that sells who you are, getting to the interview is hard. In CV writing in Kenya, the focus should be in that you are able to sell your best skills and areas to employers in less than 30 seconds. What this means is, a great CV should highlight the important sections to make it easy for recruiters to see your qualifications.

If you have the requirements of the role but this is not clear to employers in the few seconds they spend with your document, then you end up missing out on a good job. It may sound unfair but remember that many candidates apply for the same position you are applying for and any blunder is enough to get you on the Maybe pile. So, how can you write a CV that sells you as soon as a recruiter or employer picks it up? Below are a few pointers to always keep in mind when CV writing in Kenya.

What to Remember when CV Writing in Kenya

1. Always use Bullets, never paragraphs

When CV writing in Kenya, the best way to present your skills and experience is by using bullets to highlight what you believe is the most important information for recruiters. Unless it is your career objective or summary at the very top of your CV, everything else you list should be bulleted. Why?

However good you were in your previous job, if you detail your responsibilities in paragraph form like most candidates have been known to do, recruiters will not read your CV. The key to getting your CV read by an employer or recruiter is using a simple and clear format.

2. Try and avoid the obvious skills if you can

While being excellent in Excel and PowerPoint may sound as great skills when CV writing in Kenya, recruiters will be more intrigued by your added skills. So unless the position clearly indicates that you need to be well acquainted with excel for you to be considered, you don’t have to include it. It is a bit obvious to employers.

Think about that skill you have that could be an asset in the role you are applying for. For example, a candidate applying for an office administration role with a CV that says they have working knowledge for basic Accounting will have better advantage over someone who does not have this in their CV. Do you have a unique skill to sell yourself?

3. Only include the most important information

Most people wonder how they can get their CVs to two pages as is required by employers in Kenya. The trick to achieving this is by only including the most important details of your career instead of all of it. What this means is, if you have worked at several companies and your experience is varied, you don’t need to include all of it on the CV.

Focus on the most recent and responsibilities you believe are the most relevant to the role you are applying for. If you are a recent graduate, there may not be so much information to cut for but also remember to only input relevant details when CV writing in Kenya. You can consult this sample CV for fresh graduates here.

4. Highlight your achievements more

If you have worked for at least one year in your field of study, then it is with no doubt that you have achievements to show for. If you think you don’t have any achievements, read more in this article to know what your achievements are. Once you have identified your achievements, make sure they are very clear when writing your CV.

The best place to put your achievements is usually just below the responsibilities for each role held. And to make sure that you attract recruiters to see your achievements, use figures and percentages. Employers want to hire people that will help the company grow and make profits; what better way to do that than in numbers?

Professional CV writing in Kenya is all about identifying what employers and recruiters look for in a CV and using that information to craft a CV that is geared to provide exactly that. Instead of writing a CV based on listing down all the qualifications you have, consider what recruiters will want to see first and draft it with that information in mind

Need help with your CV? Email Florence through cvwriting@corporatestaffing.co.ke

7 Comments

  1. Thanks for the good job.So far this is the only job site I have found reliable.The others are advertising everything and anything,even open positions whose companies don’t exist.

    Good job!!Keep it up.

  2. Great job from corparate staffing! I have for some years now been applying for the posts you advertise. keep up.

  3. Dear sir.
    Now that you have my C.V could you please advice me on the way forward.

  4. Having read this, I now know that my CV is in a big mess. I will contact Florence for assistance. Thanks for this article

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