If you are looking for good cv examples for first job in Kenya, then you are at the right place. I’m saying this because I have had the opportunity to sieve through CVs and input in hiring decisions for first time job seekers at my previous workstations.
I will assume that you have either just finished your secondary school or college/ university studies.
CV writing is one of the most important writing lessons you should actually learn in secondary school. Unfortunately, many teachers ignore this and hope that their students will somehow learn by themselves.
One of the biggest challenges for first job seekers is knowing how to write a cv for a job with no experience. Another challenge is writing a cover letter for a first job.
What are the aspects of a good cv example for first job?
If you have just graduated from college, you probably have a few ideas about how the job market is through apprenticeships or internships.
Here are some pointers for a good cv for first job:
- Even though it is usually a short stint, an internship is perhaps your most important experience and the door that will open many others in your job hunt. If you haven’t had one, please seek for it first.
- A cv basically shows someone who has not met you yet the experiences you have that may make you fit a particular position in their organization. Your professional experiences should be helpful to the organization.
- Your knowledge should also fit a role in an organization. Therefore, before you write your cv, always research to see what the organization does in order for you to mould an appropriate cv.
- Your volunteering experiences will be invaluable for an entry position. In fact, you will learn that throughout a career, volunteering buttresses your career prospects.
- In this digitally advanced age, short free courses online are offered by various organizations. Do these courses during your school breaks and they will strengthen your professional credentials.
I know a successful young man who worked as a cybercafé assistant after secondary school and now deals with internet and networking technology.
That was his first experience with computers in a professional setting, even though many people don’t appreciate cybercafes that way.
Let’s take this young man’s experience to create a cv for a job with no experience. The first challenge is that no experience entry job applications are largely blind applications.
The assumption is that probably that organization may need someone with your knowledge and skills to give you the opportunity to kickstart your career. That’s why it is very important that you research about an organization so that it aligns with your career aspirations.
What should be on your CV for entry job?
These are things you must put in your cv for entry job without experience.
- Full name as it appears in your professional certificates and ID
- Phone number
- Email address
- Social media handles if you have them (preferably LinkedIn)
- Professional experiences – these include internships, volunteering, parttime work
- Educational credentials beginning with the highest. (As you get more experience, you may start excluding secondary education credentials in your CV)
- Referees – have at least two referees who know you well and can vouch for you if contacted. Don’t put people with big titles who may not actually be helpful. Do not put relatives as your referees. Your immediate supervisor, class/ subject teacher, games master or lecturer would work well.
- Career aspiration note – this will help not just you but the recruiter to know the intended direction of your career.
- Languages – communication proficiency is a key requirement for professional jobs. Some organizations may also require you to be proficient in a native language where they work, for instance those that deal will grassroot development issues. For general purposes, list Kiswahili and English (plus any foreign language you may be proficient in such as Arabic, French, German.)
Things you should not include in your first job CV in Kenya are:
- Your photo (unless the job you are applying for requires that, for instance cabin crew or modelling agency)
- Your marital status
- Your age
- Your tribe or race
- Your religion (unless specifically required by the organization you are applying to)
- Your gender
How long should your cv be? Nowadays its rare even for the most experienced people to write a cv that is longer than a one page. Always make sure your cv fits on a single page.
Leverage social media presence
Not many years ago, social media was frowned at in the work place. But today, it has become a key aspect of professional life. Leverage your social media spaces. Someone will check them out. In fact, not having a social media handle is now frowned upon.
The best place for people seeking in-office jobs is LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn profile should match your CV. Since some openings only require you to submit or apply via LinkedIn profile, make sure it stands out.
The best thing is AI and LinkedIn tracking algorithms are able to match you with job adverts and show you the skills you have and those you don’t in meeting the job requirement.
X is another platform that interests many employers about the profiles of prospective employees. Use your full names.
In fact, today, social media companies give greater credibility to people who use their real names and photos on social media and this boosts their professional standing.
If you are applying for a social media or new media management entry job, you must be active on all social media platforms – your ‘portfolio’ or achievements there are your CV.
Lastly, put your CV in job application tracking platforms such as Brighter Monday.
CV examples for first job
Below are some good cv examples for first job in Kenya. We will be adding more with time.
CV Example 2
This CV example format can be used for both first job with no experience and job with experience.
