Recruiting in Kenya: Where to Get Quality Candidates

Know where to get candidates when recruiting employees in Kenya

With the complex job market in Kenya, getting quality candidates to hire for a position is almost a nightmare. Candidates are there, yes, and your inbox will almost always be flooded with lots of CVs and Cover Letters whenever there is a job opening. However, finding the right candidate for you when hiring can be a tough nut to crack.

As a leading recruitment agency, we have had our share of disappointing candidates. But with almost a decade of experience recruiting employees in Kenya, we have mastered every nook and cranny when it comes to selecting quality candidates for a role.

So, where do you get quality candidates when recruiting employees in Kenya?

There are various ways you can get quality candidates. But before we even get there, you need to first understand the job market you are working with. As mentioned earlier, the Kenyan job market is complex. On one side it is filled with cons, liars, candidates who are just good on paper and a whole lot of candidates with a bad attitude. This kind will hardly ever fit into your company culture.

On the other hand, there are the qualified candidates with great attitude but no experience, those who are perfect but not good enough for the role or the right calibre of candidates an employer is looking for. In order to get quality candidates out of this combo when recruiting employees in Kenya, you have to know where to look. Below is a guide on where to find quality candidates when recruiting employees in Kenya.

Recruiting employees in Kenya? Find Quality Candidates in these 4 Places

1. Employee Referrals and Networks

The most common way of finding quality candidates when recruiting employees in Kenya is through referrals, either from employees or people you have made connections with. It will be harder for an employee to refer someone that will make them look bad or one who won’t deliver. In most cases, employee referrals work because the said employee will definitely refer a good candidate, and because it is easier for employers to hire someone they think they already know.

Also, whenever there is an open position at the organization, before being too quick to advertise, it’s always easier to ask employees because they are more likely to have quality candidates on speed dial. It helps saves on time and even money that could have been used advertising.

2. Use LinkedIn for Recruiting employees in Kenya

Now, most people tend to have a problem with LinkedIn but if you already know what you are looking for, then getting quality candidates on LinkedIn will be much easier. The social site is like normal networking events where you interact with candidates on one-on-one, the difference being that you don’t meet in person.

With LinkedIn, you are able to track the calibre of candidates you are looking for when recruiting employees in Kenya, and if you are lucky, you get even better than you thought you would. By using LinkedIn, you also reduce the confusion that comes with too many applicants when you provide an email address.

3. Use Recruitment agencies 

Are you an employer wondering why you can’t seem to get quality candidates for open roles in your organization? Sometimes consulting with a recruitment agency gives you a different perspective on how you have been approaching the recruitment process. You may have a human resource department in place, which is good, but if you find yourself wondering why you are experiencing high turnovers, it may be time to outsource recruitment functions.

To be successful when recruiting employees in Kenya, you need to understand the different industries in and out and familiarize yourself with what is happening in the job market. However, even with a functional human resource department, there is only much information about recruiting employees in Kenya that you can gather. With recruitment agencies though, you can get the gossip, scoops and insight on where the candidates are. Why? Well, because it is their main job; to find best candidates for employers.

4. Career Websites and Job Boards

If you have gone through the three places mentioned above and you are still not having luck finding quality candidates, then you can try your luck with career websites and job boards. But even as you do this, you must be careful which sites you pick when recruiting employees in Kenya.

As the Kenyan job market goes on to become more complicated with increased number of unemployed candidates, so many career websites are coming up promising a pool of candidates and jobs. As an employer, when you are stuck with this option, remember to do your due diligence before selecting the websites to post your jobs. The last thing you want to do is run into a con in the process.

Being that candidates visit these websites to find open positions, you could use this platform to tap quality candidates. You could use important keywords in your job advert and include specific instructions for the application process. This way, only quality candidates who understand the role and follow instructions can reach your email with their CVs and Cover Letters.

Bottom Line

When recruiting employees in Kenya, the process is not just about posting a job advert in the media you find useful or on your website and waiting for applicants. No. The process demands more of your time and money. You need to first identify the right candidate you need for the position, create a cheat sheet and proceed to the right platforms to get quality candidates.

Recruiting employees in Kenya is not easy, but with the right strategy and use of right platforms, employers can get exactly what they need.