Use "CV," the standard term in the Kenyan job market, and include 2-3 referees with contact details
ATS Resume Checker for Kenya
Optimize your resume for the Kenya job market
Kenyan employers, especially in NGOs, finance, and tech, commonly expect a CV with referee contacts included and screen for sector-specific certifications and donor-funded project experience. Hireva compares your resume to the job description, finds keyword gaps, and shows what to fix before you apply.
Sample match report
Kenya Resume
ATS score
64%
Keyword coverage59%
Format alignment70%
Formatting clarity82%
Missing priority terms
CVrefereesM&E (monitoring and evaluation)donor-funded projectsreverse-chronological
Local ATS and resume conventions
What employers in Kenya expect from your resume
Match donor or sector-specific keywords precisely for NGO and development-sector roles (e.g. USAID, UNDP, M&E)
List professional certifications and their issuing bodies exactly as named in the posting
Keep formatting ATS-simple — avoid graphics, tables, or dense personal-detail blocks
Sample ATS keywords list
Common resume terms for Kenya applications
These keywords are examples. Hireva checks the exact job description you paste, so the final keyword list reflects the employer's real requirements.
CVrefereesM&E (monitoring and evaluation)donor-funded projectsreverse-chronologicalstakeholder engagementprofessional certificationcross-functionalresults-drivencommunity engagement
Typical rejection reasons
Why resumes get filtered out in Kenya
Missing referee contacts when the posting or sector norm expects them listed directly
Generic project descriptions instead of naming specific donors or funding bodies (USAID, UNDP, etc.)
Missing exact certification names in regulated or professional-body sectors
Overly long CVs without a clear reverse-chronological structure
Example job description breakdown
How Hireva turns a Kenya job post into resume fixes
| Job description signal | What ATS may match | Resume improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Referees | Include 2-3 referees with contacts | List referee names, titles, and contact details at the end of the CV. |
| Sector experience | Donor-funded or NGO project experience | Name the specific donor or program (e.g. USAID-funded, UNDP) and your role in it. |
| Certifications | Professional body registration or certification | List the certification and issuing body exactly as the posting names it. |
Resume improvement tips
Practical edits for Kenya applications
Hireva helps you focus on edits that matter for the Kenya market: local conventions, keywords, evidence, and structure.
Include 2-3 referees with full contact details unless the posting says otherwise.
Name specific donors, programs, or funding bodies rather than generic "development sector" language.
List certifications with their exact issuing body.
Keep the CV clean and ATS-simple — a clear reverse-chronological structure works best.
Improve your odds before applying
Check your resume against the real job description
Upload your resume, paste the posting, and see the ATS score, missing keywords, and targeted changes that can make your application more relevant in Kenya.