12 Rarely Told Lessons from Sitting in on Interviews in Kenya

I am not a HR professional, but sitting in on interviews recently opened my eyes to truths about the Kenyan job market that nobody prepares you for. From experienced candidates struggling to negotiate, to graduates with shiny degrees being ignored, the gap between what we think matters and what actually matters is sobering.

Here are 12 rarely spoken lessons I wish every job seeker in Kenya would internalize.

1. Years of Experience Don’t Equal Bargaining Power

I watched candidates with over 10 years of work experience accept salaries barely higher than entry-level. In Kenya, longevity in a role does not guarantee leverage. Employers will pay only what the market allows, not what your CV claims. If your skills aren’t directly tied to revenue, cost-saving, or a rare technical expertise, years alone won’t buy you influence.

2. Not All Abroad Experience is Equal

We assume that working abroad gives you prestige back home. But I saw returnees from the Middle East who had spent years there, yet employers barely blinked. Why? Because the systems and industries abroad often don’t mirror Kenya’s. Employers asked: “What can this do for us here?” Abroad experience adds value only if it solves local problems. Otherwise, it’s just geography on a CV.

3. Your Degree May Matter Less Than You Think

Graduates from Strathmore and Nairobi University with first-class honors showed up, but the interviewers—mostly foreign bosses—didn’t even react. For many foreign-owned companies, local education rankings mean little. They don’t know—or care—what it took to graduate top of your class. What matters is can you do the job, now, under their terms. Painful as it is, your degree is just a footnote in the real world.

4. Poor Presentation Can Kill a Strong CV

I saw candidates walk in with years of experience, but they couldn’t articulate themselves, struggled to answer basic questions, or handed in CVs littered with spelling mistakes. These were sales roles—yet some couldn’t sell themselves. Presentation is not decoration; it is the first product you’re selling in an interview.

5. Interviews Are Tests of Confidence, Not Just Competence

Two candidates may have similar qualifications, but the one who sits upright, speaks clearly, and negotiates calmly is remembered. Employers are human—they respond to presence. If you seem unsure of yourself, they assume you will be unsure with clients, suppliers, or colleagues.

6. Salaries Have Ceilings—Know Them Beforehand

Many candidates walked in asking for figures completely disconnected from market reality. For example, if a mid-level sales role pays between 60K–80K, demanding 150K makes you look unresearched. Always study the ceiling of the role you’re applying for. You may be good, but you can’t stretch the budget beyond the structure set by the company.

7. Foreign Companies Don’t Always Play by “Kenyan Rules”

This is not about Chinese firms alone. Many foreign companies—Indian, European, American—don’t value Kenyan degrees, local experience, or labor rights the same way local firms might. They look strictly at output versus cost. To them, you are a line item. If you choose to work for them, understand their worldview; don’t walk in expecting recognition for things they don’t track.

8. Job Hopping Can Be Misunderstood

In theory, moving roles frequently can show ambition. But in practice, many employers in Kenya read it as unreliability. One candidate had solid achievements across five companies in seven years, but the panel kept circling back: “Why can’t you stay?” Employers fear they will invest in you, only for you to leave just as you’ve become useful.

9. Negotiation is a Skill—Most Don’t Have It

I watched people undersell themselves out of fear. When asked about expected salary, many stumbled, gave vague answers, or went too low. Others gave inflated figures and priced themselves out. Very few had a confident, realistic number backed by research. Negotiation is not arrogance; it is preparedness.

10. Your Network Matters More Than You Think

Several strong candidates were on paper better than others, yet the ones who had referrals or industry connections got longer interviews, more smiles, and gentler questioning. In Kenya, your CV may get you in the room, but your network often decides how long you stay there.

11. Career Progression Is Not Always Upward

We’ve been conditioned to think that once you land your first job, the only direction is up. But I saw people in their 40s interviewing for jobs that paid less than what they earned in their 30s. Industries shrink, companies collapse, personal choices limit growth. Sometimes your career takes a sideways or downward turn. Accepting this early helps you plan a realistic lifestyle rather than chasing an endless upward line.

12. Ask Before You Waste Your Time

Before attending interviews, ask basic but crucial questions: What is the salary range? What benefits are offered? Is there growth potential? Too many candidates show up only to discover that the role pays half what they expected. Your time is valuable; guard it.

The Hard Truth

We were taught to believe that experience, education, and loyalty to one company would guarantee security. The interviews I sat through told me otherwise. In 2025, the Kenyan job market is brutal: your years of experience may not mean much, your top degree may be ignored, your time abroad may not impress, and your bargaining power may be weaker than you imagined.

The sooner you understand this, the sooner you can stop clinging to outdated career myths—and start building the skills, networks, and resilience that the market actually rewards.