Government, county and parastatal openings

Who recruits, and where they advertise

Public employment in Kenya runs through several channels, each with its own process:

• National government ministries and departments recruit mostly through the Public Service Commission, which advertises on its website and portal and in the newspapers.
• County governments recruit through their County Public Service Boards. Each county advertises separately, usually on the county website, the government advertising portal and in newspapers; some use their own online application systems.
• Teachers are recruited through the Teachers Service Commission, with its own portal and timelines tied to the school calendar.
• Parastatals and state corporations (authorities, boards, funds, universities, referral hospitals) advertise on their own websites and in newspapers, sometimes through their own portals.
• Constitutional commissions and independent offices advertise individually.
• Uniformed and disciplined services run recruitment drives with their own schedules and physical requirements.

The exact portals and procedures change. Always start from the body's official website or the government advertising portal, never from a forwarded WhatsApp image, and confirm the closing date on the official notice.

How the timeline works

Public recruitment is slower and more formal than private hiring. A typical sequence: advertisement with a closing date (often two to three weeks), shortlisting (which may take weeks or months), publication of a shortlist with interview dates, interviews, and appointment. You may hear nothing for a long time and then receive a shortlist notice with a week's notice. Keep your documents ready throughout.

What they require

Public postings list requirements precisely and shortlisting is often mechanical: if the posting says a bachelor's degree in a named field and five years' experience, applications without both are usually set aside without being read further. Many also require that you will produce clearances if shortlisted (the Chapter Six documents covered in the public-sector course). Read the whole notice, including the fine print on how to apply and what to attach.

Internships and graduate programmes

The national Public Service Internship Programme, county internships and parastatal graduate trainee schemes are advertised through the same channels, usually once a year. They are competitive but structured, and they are a recognised route into permanent public roles.

Practical habits

• Check the government advertising portal and your target bodies' sites weekly.
• Keep certified copies of your certificates and ID ready; some applications still require physical submission.
• Record every public application in your tracker with its reference number; you will need it when the shortlist comes out.