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For job seekers in KenyaCV Maker Kenya
Write a CV Kenyan employers take seriously
Hiring in Kenya moves fast and screening is strict. Big employers run your file through software before anyone reads it, and public service roles come with their own checklist. This is a CV builder that understands both, so what you send is ready for either.
No account needed to start. Your work saves as you go.
- Free to build and preview
- Ready for portals and email
- Works on any phone
Free downloads
Free CV templates you can download
Every design in the gallery downloads as a free sample PDF, so you can see exactly how it prints before you write a word. Fill your own in online and the layout stays perfect however much you type.
On the ground
How hiring actually works in Kenya
Five things that decide whether your application gets a reply, whoever you are applying to.
Software reads you first
Banks, telecoms, SACCOs, insurers and the bigger NGOs run applications through tracking software or a strict HR checklist. Fancy columns, text inside images and unusual headings get you dropped before a person is involved.
Public service has its own rules
County and national government roles usually ask for clearance certificates and certified copies alongside your CV. Keep your CV plain, list your certifications clearly, and have the paperwork ready before the closing date.
Nairobi is a development hub
The UN offices, regional NGOs and donor programmes based in Nairobi want project outcomes, budgets handled, donors reported to and languages spoken. Write results, not responsibilities.
Three referees, asked first
Most Kenyan employers still expect referees on the CV itself. Give three, with their title, organisation, phone number and email, and tell each of them before you send anything.
Two pages, no photo
Two pages is the standard for anyone past their first job. Leave the photo off unless the advert asks for one, and put your strongest achievement in the top third of page one.
The toolkit
Everything you need in one place
AI CV Builder
Upload your old CV and have it rebuilt in a clean design, or start fresh with writing help in every section.
66 CV templates
Professional designs for every field, each downloadable as a free sample PDF before you commit.
Free ATS CV checker
Score your current CV out of 100 and see the exact wording and formatting that is holding it back.
Cover letter generator
A tailored letter for the specific role, written to match your CV instead of repeating it.
How it works
Three steps, nothing more
Pick a design
Choose from 66 professional templates. Switch as often as you like, your content moves with you.
Write it with help
Answer simple prompts or upload your old CV. The AI drafts your summary and achievement lines, you approve every word.
Preview and apply
See the finished page at full size, check it against the ATS scanner, then send it to the job you want.
Free ATS CV checker
Is your CV being dropped before a person sees it?
Upload what you have now and get a score out of 100 in seconds, with the specific fixes that move it. It costs nothing and takes less time than writing one cover letter.
How to write a CV in Kenya that gets interviews
The CV format that works in Kenya is plain and reverse chronological: contact details, a short professional summary, work experience with measurable results, education, professional certifications, skills and three referees. Two pages is right for most people. Save it as a PDF so the layout survives whatever device opens it, and name the file with your own name rather than "CV final 2".
Tailor the top third of page one to the sector. Banking and finance roles want qualifications, regulatory knowledge and numbers you moved. NGO and UN roles want project scale, donors, reporting and languages. Tech applicants should name the tools, frameworks and live systems they have worked on. Hospitality, retail and sales want customer volumes, targets and revenue. You can start from a role-specific guide in our CV guides section.
Applications in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret are increasingly filed through portals and email rather than in person, which means the first reader is software. Standard headings, real text and a single clean column are what get parsed correctly. Run your draft through the free ATS CV checker before you send it anywhere.
CV Chap Chap works entirely on a phone, which is how most people in Kenya apply. Build and preview for free, download a free sample of any template from the template gallery, and keep one CV that you adjust for each advert instead of starting again every time.
CV questions from Kenya
What is the best CV format in Kenya?
Reverse chronological, two pages, plain layout. Contact details, professional summary, work experience with results, education, certifications, skills and three referees. Avoid heavy graphics, and avoid a photo unless the advert asks for one.
Is CV Chap Chap free to use in Kenya?
Building your CV, using the AI writing help, switching templates and previewing the finished page are all free, with no subscription. You can also download a free sample PDF of any template from the gallery.
Do Kenyan employers use ATS software?
Yes. Banks, telecoms, insurers, SACCOs and international NGOs either use applicant tracking systems or screen against a fixed checklist. A clean, standard format is what gets you past both.
How many referees should a Kenyan CV have?
Three is standard, and most employers expect them on the CV itself. Include each referee's name, title, organisation, phone number and email, and ask their permission before listing them.
Should I include my KRA PIN or ID number?
Not on the CV. Keep personal identifiers off the document and provide them later in the application form or once you reach the offer stage, along with any clearance certificates the employer requires.
Can I make my CV on my phone?
Yes. The builder is designed for a phone screen first, works on a slow connection and saves your progress as you go, so you can finish in stages.
Do I need a cover letter for jobs in Kenya?
Most adverts still ask for one, and for public service and NGO roles it is expected. The cover letter generator writes one tailored to the specific role so it adds something instead of repeating your CV.
Does this work for NGO and UN jobs in Nairobi?
Yes. The templates give you room for projects, donors, budgets, languages and measurable outcomes, which is exactly what development recruiters screen for.
Your next job in Kenya starts with the CV
Pick a template, write it with AI help, and see the finished page before you send it anywhere.