Networks, referrals and WhatsApp groups

Referrals are not favours

A referral is a colleague saying "this person is worth a look". It costs them a small amount of reputation, which is why people only refer those they believe in. Your job is to make that belief easy: be specific about what you want, be good at what you do, and be easy to recommend.

Build the network before you need it

• Keep a list. Former classmates, colleagues, supervisors, clients, lecturers, people from your professional body, people from your church, chama or sports team who work in your field. Note where they work now.
• Stay in touch lightly. A message when they change jobs, a congratulation, a question about their work. Not only when you need something.
• Give first. Share a posting that suits someone else. Introduce two people who should meet. Answer a question in a group. People remember who helped.

Asking well

When you do ask, make it easy to say yes:

• Say exactly what you are looking for: role, level, sector, location.
• Ask for information or an introduction, not a job: "Do you know how the finance team at your organisation is structured, and who leads it?"
• Attach your CV only when asked, and make sure it is current.
• Thank people, and tell them what happened. A referrer who hears nothing back will not refer you twice.

WhatsApp groups

Professional and alumni WhatsApp groups circulate many openings in Kenya, sometimes before they are advertised. Use them carefully:

• Verify everything. A posting forwarded as an image has no source. Find the original on the employer's site or an official portal before applying, and never pay anything.
• Read before you post. Some groups allow job adverts, some only discussion. Posting your CV unprompted in a 250-member group marks you as careless.
• Contribute. Answer questions in your field. The members who are useful are the ones remembered when someone's employer is hiring.
• Keep your profile tidy. Your WhatsApp name, photo and status are visible to everyone in the group, including hiring managers.

LinkedIn

Many Kenyan recruiters search LinkedIn directly. A complete profile with a clear headline, a photo and your current location does more than a hundred group messages. The LinkedIn lesson later in the Academy, and KaziMatch's LinkedIn rewrite, cover this.

The ask that works best

"I am looking for a procurement officer role, ideally in manufacturing or logistics around Nairobi. If you hear of one, or know someone I could ask about how hiring works in their company, I would be grateful." Specific, modest, and easy to act on.