Blog, Career Advice, CV Writing in Kenya, Executive Search in Africa, Global Jobs, Jobs in Africa, Latest Jobs in Kenya 2026

David had fourteen years of experience managing logistics operations across East Africa, and a track record he was proud of: cutting warehousing costs, redesigning distribution routes, and leading teams through two major systems migrations. When he decided to pursue roles with international logistics firms, he expected his experience to speak for itself. Over eight months, he applied to more than sixty roles abroad. He heard back from almost none of them. By the time he came to KETH, he was convinced the problem was his experience. It wasn’t. His CV was written entirely for a Kenyan audience, his LinkedIn profile was invisible to recruiters outside the region, and he was applying to jobs the same way he always had — quickly, broadly, and without any visibility in the market he was trying to enter. The problem wasn’t what David had done. It was how, and where, he was showing it.

Position your CV for the market you’re targeting, not the one you’re leaving

A CV that reads perfectly well in Nairobi can look unclear, or even irrelevant, to a recruiter in London, Dubai or Toronto. Job titles, currencies, company names and even the way achievements are phrased need to be understood by someone with zero context on your local market. That means translating your impact into terms any international hiring manager can immediately grasp — standardised currency conversions, internationally recognised certifications, and outcomes framed the way your target market talks about success.

Pro tip: Replace locally-known company or industry references with a one-line description of what the company does globally.

Make your LinkedIn discoverable to recruiters outside your country

Most international recruiters find candidates through LinkedIn search before they ever see a CV. If your location settings, headline and skills are written only with a local audience in mind, you simply won’t appear in their results. Review your profile as if you were a recruiter based in the region you’re targeting: would you find yourself when searching for your role and skill set?

Pro tip: Add your target region as an ‘open to’ preference and mention it naturally in your About section.

Build visibility with recruiters before you apply

International hiring moves through networks as much as job boards. Following and engaging with recruiters, hiring managers and companies in your target market — genuinely, not performatively — puts you on their radar long before a vacancy opens. By the time you apply, you’re no longer a stranger’s CV in a pile of hundreds.

Pro tip: Comment thoughtfully on posts from recruiters in your target industry at least once a week.

Target fewer roles, but apply with real intent

Sending the same application to sixty roles produces the same result as sending it to six: very little. International employers can tell within seconds whether an application was tailored or mass-sent. Research the company, mention something specific to the role, and follow up with a short, professional message. Fewer, sharper applications consistently outperform volume.

Pro tip: Never submit an international application without checking the company’s most recent news or announcements first.

David’s CV, LinkedIn profile and job search strategy were rebuilt around these four shifts. Within ten weeks, he had two interviews with logistics firms outside Kenya, and an offer soon after. If your experience isn’t translating into responses from international employers, the gap is rarely your experience — it’s your positioning. KETH offers a free CV review to help you see exactly where that gap is.

Reach out: kethafrica@gmail.com  |  0742118284