Checks are a normal step
Once you reach the offer stage, many Kenyan employers verify what you told them. This is routine, not a sign of suspicion. Being prepared makes it smooth.
What employers commonly check
- References. Conversations with people you named about your role, performance and reliability.
- Employment history. Your dates and titles, confirmed with previous employers.
- Qualifications. Certificates checked with the institution that issued them.
- Professional registration. Whether you are registered and in good standing.
- Clearances. Public bodies and many NGOs ask for integrity documents. Roles with children or vulnerable people need safeguarding checks.
- Credit standing, for some finance roles.
Some employers also look at public social media. Assume yours will be seen.
Prepare your referees
Your referees can strengthen or weaken an offer. Treat them well.
- Choose people who supervised your work recently and will speak positively.
- Ask permission every time you name them.
- Tell them about the role and what it emphasises. Send them the posting and your CV.
- Give the employer working phone numbers and emails.
- Thank them and tell them the outcome.
If a reference might be weak
Sometimes a relationship with a former supervisor ended badly. Do not list them and hope nobody calls. Instead, consider another senior person from that employer who knew your work. Add extra referees who can speak to your recent performance.
Protecting your current job
If you are employed and searching quietly, say so. Ask that your current employer is contacted only after an offer is confirmed. This request is normal and widely respected.
Honesty protects your offer
Differences between your CV, your forms and the verified facts can lead to an offer being withdrawn. A small date error you raise yourself is usually understood. A qualification that does not exist is not.
Check the employer too
Verification works both ways. Before accepting, confirm the employer is real. Look for a registered organisation, a physical office and named people you can contact. Be wary of any employer that asks you to pay for a job.
In the full lesson
- How to brief a referee so they give a focused, specific reference
- Options and wording when your last supervisor is not a good referee
- How your career inventory protects you during verification
- What to confirm about an employer before you accept